Utah State University’s Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art is betting on a nuanced exploration of the American West this February, and frankly, it’s a smart move. In a cultural landscape currently obsessed with myth-making and revisionist history – think the ongoing debates around Westerns in film and television – these exhibitions aren’t offering easy answers, they’re offering questions. And that’s far more valuable.
- On February 21st, the museum hosts a joint opening for Meet the Fletchers and Jim Mangan: The Crick.
- Meet the Fletchers examines the legacy of Calvin Fletcher, a founding figure of USU’s art department, and his family’s artistic contributions.
- Jim Mangan: The Crick presents a photographic study of a secluded community of young men in the American West.
The pairing is particularly astute. Meet the Fletchers, with its focus on a family deeply embedded in the establishment of Utah’s art scene, feels like a deliberate counterpoint to Mangan’s work. Curator Danielle Stewart notes that Calvin Fletcher “was not dogmatic in his approach to art,” actively bringing diverse perspectives to campus. This suggests a willingness to challenge conventional narratives – a theme echoed, albeit through a very different medium, in Mangan’s portraits. Mangan’s work, initially intended to document the architecture of the FLDS community, unexpectedly shifted to focus on a group he calls the “Lost Boys,” young men living outside mainstream society. His portraits, according to the museum, convey “the vulnerability and the playfulness of youth against the capricious landscape of the American West.”
The industry angle here isn’t about celebrity or box office, it’s about institutional positioning. NEHMA is clearly signaling its commitment to exhibitions that aren’t simply aesthetically pleasing, but intellectually stimulating. Hosting a gallery talk with Ronald Jenkins, grandson of Calvin Fletcher, alongside the curators, Danielle Stewart and James Swensen, adds a personal layer and reinforces the exhibition’s connection to local history. The subsequent artist talk with Jim Mangan, paired with novelist Judith Freeman, further elevates the discourse. This isn’t just about showing art; it’s about fostering a conversation.
The museum’s statement that the exhibitions “reflect on how art shapes our understanding of place, community and identity in the American West” feels less like marketing copy and more like a genuine curatorial mission. With free admission and accessible parking, NEHMA is making a deliberate effort to engage the broader community. Expect this approach to attract a more thoughtful audience, and potentially, increased grant funding – a crucial element in the long-term sustainability of any regional art institution.
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