When Jonathan Binstock, the preceding director of the Memorial Art Gallery, had the idea to place “Clown” — a 2010 cartoonish oil on linen by gonzo contemporary painter George Condo — among the portraits by Dutch masters in the 17th Century Gallery, some visitors thought the juxtaposition of the works was thought-provoking. There were visual cues that linked the portraits and seemed to make a statement, such as the ruff collar on both the clown and aristocrats.

But to many patrons, the placement was an affront.

“The reaction from our visitors was swift, and not altogether positive,” said Lauren Tagliaferro, curatorial assistant at the MAG. “We got emails and letters and people were like, ‘It doesn't fit here. It's ugly. It's offensive.’

This response was the catalyst for the exhibition “Beyond Beauty,” which features artwork that goes beyond the notion art must reflect beauty, to communicate powerful messages, and provoke the viewer. This one is for folks who want to see the full spectrum of human experiences in art.

“I really wanted to explore that push and pull of why some people love challenging images,” Tagliaferro said. “I know that I have this experience myself: ‘I love this, but it's not beautiful. So why do I love it?’”

Tagliaferro pulled work from the MAG’s permanent collection that represents four thematic categories.

In the “Witch, Mother, Crone” section are depictions of women that are either inconvenient or inconsistent with the so-called ideal. They include a set of Thom O’Connor’s tiny, haunted etchings made in tribute to victims of the Salem witch trials, a Chrysanne Stathacos colorful etching that emphasizes the mess and labor of birth, and Jerome Witkin’s gorgeous “St. Fichera,” a portrait of an androgynous woman with disheveled and frizzy hair, a rough garment, an inscrutable expression, and strong hands.

The “Body Horror” section tackles a visceral reaction to disfigurement, physical or spiritual illness, and death and includes a Robert E. Marx painting of a blurry, truncated figure in an ambiguous environment, and an intaglio print by Rosemarie Bernardi that elevates a set of remains from biological curiosity to something worthy of dignity and mourning. The “Social Ills” grouping features work by artists who tackle racism and misogyny — like the unflinching ink drawings of Kara Walker and the patriarch-rebuking serigraph by May Stevens — as well as the horrors of war in an arresting lithograph by Käthe Kollwitz.



The final section, “The Wages of Sin,” is a parade of dark visions of demons, death, and the inferno poised over potential transgressors, including an engrossing engraving made in 1513 by master printmaker Albrect Dürer.


“I would like a visitor to really explore their reactions to each individual piece,” Tagliaferro said. “To really sit with those feelings of the push and pull of attraction and repulsion. Confronting that within yourself can be very valuable, just like understanding and appreciating art in general.”

“Beyond Beauty” continues through November 26 in the MAG’s Lockhart Gallery. Details at mag.rochester.edu.

Rebecca Rafferty is an arts writer for CITY. She can be reached at [email protected].