Coming to The Galleries at CSU: Beyond Borders, The Art of Siona Benjamin

Siona Benjamin, Finding Home #80 (Lilith), 2006. Image courtesy of the Galleries at CSU

The identity of Indian-American-Jewish artist Siona Benjamin is layered and multifaceted, just like her artwork.

Cleveland State University is pleased to present Beyond Borders: The Art of Siona Benjamin, a solo exhibition featuring over forty works engaging themes of immigration, gender, the concept of “home,” and the role of art in social change.

Raised as a Jew and member of the Bene Israel community in largely Hindu and Muslim Mumbai, Siona Benjamin attended Catholic and Zoroastrian schools before moving to the US. Her transcultural view has been shaped by diverse, complex experiences and is inspired by history and mythology, as powerfully seen by the captivating figures and symbolism that populate her art.

Through vibrantly hued paintings, Benjamin blends tradition with innovation, and navigates feelings of inclusion and exclusion. Further reflecting current issues, her work considers and challenges perceptions about culture, race, and religion. In crossing boundaries and building bridges, she asks viewers to do the same. A documentary about Benjamin, Blue Like Me, will play in the gallery media room throughout the show.

Benjamin’s art has been shown in galleries, museums, and sacred spaces around the world. She has been awarded two Fulbright Fellowships to explore the theme of multicultural art in Israel and India.

Curated by Dr. Samantha Baskind, distinguished professor of art history, the exhibition will be on view in The Galleries at CSU from January 17 to March 25.

A reception on Thursday, January 26, will feature a collaboration with the CSU Department of Theatre and Dance. Multiple lectures and events throughout the city will be offered by Benjamin during a four-day residency—February 28 through March 3. After the show closes in Cleveland, it will travel to the Skirball Museum in Cincinnati from April 20 through July 30. A catalog will be available at each venue.

GALLERIES AT CSU
1307 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
class.csuohio.edu/art-gallery/art-gallery
216.687.2103

EVENTS:

Beyond Borders, The Art of Siona Benjamin, January 17–March 25. Reception 5pm Thursday, January 26, with the CSU Department of Theatre and Dance.

Siona Benjamin Thursday Night Art Talk, 5pm Thursday, March 2

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