CURRENT EXHIBITION
SOJOURNS
"Sojourns" is a contemplative exploration of migration, offering viewers a resting point to reflect on the fluid boundaries of existence. This art show, presented at the Carolyn Glasoe Bailey Foundation and curated by ENGAGE Projects, features the works of Edra Soto, Derrick Woods-Morrow, Huong Ngo, and Alejandro Figueredo Diaz-Perera. It delves into the complexities of migration and its impact on body, space, and identity. Through their diverse practices, these artists unravel the liminality of migratory experiences, inviting audiences to engage with the nuanced intersections of personal and collective histories. The exhibition serves as a profound meditation on the themes of displacement, transience, and the continuous search for belonging in an ever-changing world.
Each artist in "Sojourns" brings a unique perspective to the theme of migration. Hương Ngô draws from the stories of her family’s nearly two year-long stay in Hong Kong refugee camps through the eyes of her siblings, who were children at the time. Derrick Woods-Morrow navigates the displacements caused by migration through symbolic and voyeuristic imagery, exploring how geographical movements shape Black sexual freedoms. Edra Soto’s Graft series intertwines architectural motifs with diasporic memory, creating immersive spaces that foster empathy and reflection. Alejandro Figueredo Diaz-Perera engages with absence and paradox, inviting viewers to decode the phenomenological tensions inherent in migratory experiences. Together, these artists offer a rich and multifaceted examination of migration, urging viewers to consider the fluid and often ambiguous nature of identity and belonging.
Jennifer Armetta has been dedicated to supporting and advocating for artists for over 25 years. She founded her first gallery in Chicago, Jennifer Armetta Fine Art in 1996, with the goal of
providing a space for educating collectors and advocating for artists. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 2000, Jennifer continued her work as an art advisor educating clients on how to build meaningful collections through supporting emerging and mid-career artists. With a focus on both private and institutional collections, Jennifer became a founding member of the MCA Chicago’s acquisition board, Emerge, in 2004. Emerge is dedicated to bringing emerging artists into the museum’s permanent collection. As programming chair on the Executive Committee of Emerge, Jennifer worked to bring opportunities to both artists and collectors that encouraged engagement and sparked curiosity in the arts. In 2020 Jennifer took the helm at Aspect/Ratio Projects, changing the programming to include emerging and midcareer interdisciplinary conceptual artists focused on painting, photography and sculpture. In fall of 2021 Aspect/Ratio Projects changed it’s name to ENGAGE Projects highlighting Jennifer’s personal mission of engaging with artists, communities and patrons in order to make art, and the art community, more accessible to everyone.
Jennifer has been involved with a number of boards including the Chicago Museum of
Contemporary Art, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago Artists Coalition, The Chicago History Museum Costume Council, PANDAS/PANS Advocacy and Support, The Founder’s Board at Lurie Children’s Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, to name a few.
Jennifer lives in Chicago with her two children, Jaden and Siena.
SOJOURNS
Curated by Jennifer Armetta of ENGAGE Projects
06 September to 26 October, 2024
OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, 06 September, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
CGB Foundation
248 S Montgomery Street #A
Ojai, CA 93023