UNIVERSITY PARK, PA .- As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State has unveiled a timely exhibition that intertwines art and politics in a way that encourages civic engagement, dialogue, and reflection. Open through December 15, Politics and Daily Life highlights the intersection of politics, art, and society, aiming to spark conversations around democracy, empowerment, propaganda, patriotism, and protest.

Located in Pennsylvania, a state often regarded as one of the most crucial swing states in American presidential elections, the Palmer Museum’s efforts go beyond mere artistic display. The exhibition is part of a broader initiative involving a collaboration of Big 10 university art museums who have partnered in a non-partisan effort to emphasize the power of art in fostering civil discourse and increasing civic engagement.

Art, Politics, and Civic Engagement

The Palmer Museum’s new exhibition is divided into three thematic sections: Events, People, and Symbols. The show includes drawings, prints, and photographs that span from the mid-1800s to the early 2000s, offering a historical perspective on political movements, protests, and democratic participation. Through its broad reach and diverse perspectives, the exhibition is uniquely positioned to draw parallels between past and present, highlighting the continued relevance of historical struggles for equality and democracy.

In the Events section, viewers encounter depictions of politically inspired gatherings, such as elections, parades, and protests. John Sartain’s engraving The County Election (1854) after the eponymous painting by George Caleb Bingham, captures an era in American history when voting rights expanded beyond property-owning elites to include all white male adults, signaling a significant shift in democratic participation. However, as the exhibition also demonstrates, these rights remained exclusive to select groups, leaving out women and people of color. Jacob Lawrence’s Confrontation at the Bridge (1975) powerfully reflects on the Civil Rights movement and the continued struggle for equality in the U.S.

The People section shifts focus to the individuals involved in political life—elected officials, activists, and everyday citizens. The inclusion of works like Stella Drabkin’s Refugees (1930s) and William Gropper’s Refugees (1937) bridges the gap between historical and contemporary issues, resonating with the current displacement of individuals due to political violence and climate change.

Finally, in Symbols, the exhibition explores national icons such as maps, flags, and monuments. Gordon Parks’ American Gothic, Washington, D.C. (1942), one of the standout pieces in this section, portrays Ella Watson, a Black woman cleaning the Farm Security Administration (FSA) offices, standing stoically with a mop and broom in front of the American flag. Parks’ powerful photograph critiques the racial and economic inequalities that persisted in Washington, D.C., during a time of war and patriotism, asking viewers to consider the distance between national ideals and the lived experiences of many American citizens.

Collaboration with Big 10 University Museums

The Palmer Museum of Art is not alone in its endeavor to connect art and civic responsibility. Along with other art museums at Big 10 universities, the exhibition is a collaborative effort across the nation-wide universities to encourage non-partisan engagement in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Each participating museum is presenting exhibitions, programs, and events aimed at fostering conversation about democracy and the role of citizens in shaping their government. In addition, the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) developed an art and conversation dialogue deck, What does it mean to be an American?, to help users reflect on the power of art to communicate, question, and inspire change. The deck pairs artworks from UMMA, Chazen Museum of Art, Hammer Museum, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Krannert Art Museum, MSU Broad Art Museum, Sheldon Museum of Art, Stanley Museum of Art, University of Maryland Art Gallery, Weisman Art Museum, and the Palmer Museum with prompts for discussion as well as instructions on solo reflection or group exercises using the cards.

Erin M. Coe, the Palmer Museum’s director, highlighted the urgency of non-partisan programs. “Politics and Daily Life reinforces the importance of political engagement and civil discourse, especially during the election season,” she said. “The Palmer Museum is showcasing the power of art to foster civic engagement and civil dialogue at this crucial time.”

The Big 10 museum collaboration is part of a larger effort to address polarization in the U.S. political landscape. By focusing on art as a means of reflection and dialogue, these museums hope to create spaces where visitors—particularly students—can learn to disagree respectfully and build empathy across ideological divides.

Michael Berkman, director of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State, emphasized this point. “Central to democracy is the freedom of expression, and partnering with the Palmer offers us the opportunity to experience how people represent their desire for freedom and self-governance through the arts,” he said.

Education, Outreach, and Civic Readiness

The Palmer Museum’s educational programming surrounding Politics and Daily Life is integral to its teaching, research, and public service mission. Penn State students and community members will have multiple opportunities to meaningfully engage with the exhibition's themes, including through voter registration events and guided tours that tie together the arts and civic engagement.

At the Art of the Vote, an event on October 4, attendees were able to register to vote while exploring the relationship between art, protest, and democracy. A gallery talk during the event with Dr. Justin Crofoot from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy highlighted the history of protests and current research and legislation around them.

Events related to the exhibition are supported by the Art Bridges Foundation and the McCourtney Institute for Democracy and include programs with self-guided tours that explore connections between art and protest music, other gallery talks, and hands-on activities that combine art and political activism.

For a full list of programs, see the Palmer Museum’s Programs page at https://palmermuseum.psu.edu/programs/.

About the Palmer Museum of Art

The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State is the largest art museum collection between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and the most significant academic art museum in the state of Pennsylvania. A key element of Penn State’s land-grant mission of teaching, research and public service, the Museum is a vital and accessible cultural resource for Penn State’s students, faculty and scholars, as well as for all visitors to and from the entire central Pennsylvania region. Through its world-class objects, programs and outreach, the free Museum is a welcoming, inclusive and vibrant forum for authentic arts experiences and cultivates meaningful dialogue about today’s most potent ideas and pressing concerns.

An expansive 21st-century teaching museum, the Palmer Museum of Art is a beacon for advancing the arts and humanities on Penn State’s University Park campus and throughout its diverse communities. The Museum is dedicated to catalyzing groundbreaking research, scholarship and publications and providing impactful, object-based learning for Penn State and K-12 students. The Museum’s rewarding and thought-provoking exhibitions and programs promote visitor participation, belonging and discovery.