The PEM and Salem

One of the most exciting exhibitions I visited was in Salem -  ShapeShifting  - which explores American Indian art in sometimes confronting ways. My personal experience of some of the installations was "great" we should be confronted by the impact of our actions, or inactions and the way that impacts on others, and in this exhibition, the impact expressed through art and creativity. The exhibition was organised under four themes - changing, knowing, locating and voicing. the first and last pieces of the exhibition are huge installations which can be walked through or under ... I found the parallels with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contemporary art unsurprising -  both vibrant and evolving.  ShapeShifting is curated by Karen Kramer Russell and continues to the end of March.  No photographs of the exhibition were permitted - and instead here are some other pics of works within the PEM. Well worth the trip to Salem for the PEM alone - forget the witches!  There is a large permanent collection and ongoing exhibition of Korean arts - including this beautiful bojagi (wrapping cloth). This piece was created by Gyeongsuk Son and provided to the PEM by the National Folk Museum of Korea. the PEM also has a rather large program for the young and young at heart - while we were visiting, hundreds of kids were mark making on denim - it was fabulous to see the energy and glee being invested in the mini-textile art pieces.