October 24 – December 15,2019

Curated by Françoise Dussart, Professor of Anthropology, University of Connecticut and the students enrolled in Anthropological Perspectives on Art in Spring 2019

Coined in 2002, “selfies” have evolved from simple documentations of events to polished curations of self-expression. They have become a conspicuous tool for communication. So, why do we take selfies in a museum? Students enrolled in Anthropological Perspectives on Art taught by Professor Françoise Dussart explore this question in an exhibition titled When You Give Millennials a Gallery…. In this exhibition, they analyze how museum-selfies create relationships amongst Millennial selfie-takers, artworks, and visitors. Originally, the students engaged with their assignment—“taking selfies in a museum”— with suspicion. Was this another narcissistic exercise? Instead, with their museum-selfies they articulate their identities, reveal their emotions, challenge museum displays, and question conventional timelines of artists. The exhibition is a collaboration with the Department of Anthropology.