SELF-MADE identified connections between object making, self-making, and the mythic American “self-made man,” queering and questioning the American values of self-reliance, masculinity, ingenuity, and entrepeneurship. This ongoing and evolving exhibition changes each time it is shown, juxtaposing new works with selections from past projects, involving a critical relation to cultural artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries. Works draw on the ideologies and legacies of Winslow Homer, Henry David Thoreau, Dale Carnegie, and more.

pictured here: "The Boy Mechanic Project: Preparations for a Voyage," in SELF-MADE, Oresman Gallery, Smith College, Northampton MA

photo credit: Beth Riemer