Beautiful Decay

More than a bowl of fruit or a vase of flowers, a still life conveys ideas that go beyond the arrangement of objects and the temporal moment that is captured. Still life compositions represent our thoughts on mortality, the passage of time, our organic nature, or connections to ourselves, family, and the world around us. A still life is actually rather “unstill” in that its subject is often constantly changing. Beautiful Decay featured works from the Museum’s permanent collection, accompanied by installations from three contemporary artists, Sarah Meyers Brent, Steven Duede, and David Weinberg. Through paintings, drawings, photographs, and mixed media installation, the exhibition invites viewers to expand their definition to explore both the traditional and untraditional still life.