Zimmerli's 'Smoke & Mirrors' exhibit is stroke of genius

For any students looking to pick up a new pastime, exploring a museum can be a truly gratifying and soothing adventure. Strolling through halls filled with diverse artwork, conjuring up meanings and discovering unique aspects of different cultures makes for a refreshing break between classes.

Unfortunately, not everyone can enjoy an art gallery to its fullest extent. Whether it's the result of a language barrier or physical impairments, the museum-going experience can be alienating.

The Zimmerli Art Museum located on the College Avenue campus took this complication into consideration when curating its newest exhibit, "Smoke & Mirrors," which opened on September 4. Dedicated to showcasing artists with disabilities, the exhibit highlights the need for greater accessibility in the art world. 

"Smoke & Mirrors" served as the centerpiece of the museum's Fall Opening Reception on Saturday, which featured food, drinks and a lineup of passionate speakers who contextualized the significance of the event.

As patrons descended the stairs and into the showcase room, they were greeted with bright, blue text printed high on a wall, in both English and Spanish, reminding them of the name of the exhibit. While the title might've gone over some heads, both figuratively and literally, there was an explanation at approximately eye level: artists have power and must make the conscious decision to either reflect or conceal inequality within these kinds of spaces.

Here, visitors were able to familiarize themselves with the objective, either through reading the writing on the wall or scanning a QR Code to join the Zimmerli's page on the Bloomberg Connects app. There, they could find audio material and further details about the pieces.

While the app isn't exclusive to "Smoke & Mirrors," features like alt-text and captioning accentuated the focus on inclusivity.

Visitors could've navigated the exhibit whichever direction they pleased, but most huddled in the beginning section. Here, they were given a taste of the variety of videos, drawings, sculptures, textiles and installations on display, with mannequin torsos, titled "Untitled Silk Wearable" and "Crochet Wearable" arranged toward the side of the room.

The pieces, created by Sugandha Gupta, were accompanied by "Sensory Textiles," four distinct pieces of fabric and rope laid out on a table. Each specific element boasted a unique style or texture, addressing how, despite museums often cautioning guests to enjoy arrangements from a far, touch is an unmistakable and integral component of art.

But, through its focus on interactivity, the Zimmerli sets itself apart from other museums. This was especially true of "asweetsea," which encouraged visitors to actively participate.

The profound ability of art to connect and transcend boundaries was evident in "asweetsea," a heartwarming partnership between a deaf artist, Liza Sylvestre, and her six-year-old child. The edited video reimagined the 1985 cartoon "Sweet Sea," based on Sylvestre's child's description, highlighting the different ways people engage with media.

None of the exhibits were straight-forward, but one of the most confounding entries was titled, "I want to believe" and developed by Finnegan Shannon. The installment featured a massage chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by vibrant, colorful tape designed in a spiral pattern. Headphones were also provided for a reading for anyone willing to take a seat.

The spectacle of having a state-of-the-art massage chair in the Zimmerli, as opposed to the normal wooden benches, drew considerable attention. Coupled with students probably tired from walking around New Brunswick and navigating the erratic timing of the weekend buses, "I want to believe" was truly a standout.

Guests could also pull up a chair in "Alt-Text as Poetry Lounge," designed by Shannon in collaboration with Bojana Coklyat and JJJJJerome Ellis. The corner of the Zimmerli, redesigned to the aesthetic of a cozy living room, offered attendees another opportunity to take a load off and either listen to audio recordings or read poetry, this time on comfortable furniture.

It also helped that the team added a nice touch by placing cherry and strawberry Starbursts — the indisputable best flavors —  in a fruit bowl, enhancing the undertaking by tapping into the senses of smell and taste.

Another inviting staple of "Smoke & Mirrors" was the aptly titled, "Reflexology Doormat" by Erik Benjamins.

If guests were willing to remove their sneakers, they would be able to walk along the neutral-colored pathway made up of hand-pressed tiles. While this is a relatively unique concept in the United States, the unique display beckons back to Asian artistry, underscoring another subject of "Smoke & Mirrors," in recognizing worldwide art.

After approximately an hour of perusing the arrangements at their own leisure, guests then migrated to the reception area, where attendants served various foods and beverages.

As the buzz in the room continued to build, Dr. Amanda Cachia and Zimmerli Director Maura Reilly, delivered the opening remarks. The two, along with a spokesperson from Ford Foundation, a supporter of the event, hammered home the central theme of the afternoon: artists with disabilities shouldn't have to watch from the sidelines.

The museum's opening reception and the "Smoke and Mirrors" exhibit will surely be one of the museum's most-talked about events this fall, but for those who missed its grand introduction, it will remain on display until December 22.

Zimmerli regulars will be pleased to know that beloved series like "Último Domingo" and "SparkNight" will be returning later this fall.