This exhibition, featuring a collection of self-portraits by Sam Marroquin, Ketzia Schoneberg, Khytul Abyad, and Lou Blumberg, explores the complex relationship between individual and collective identity. Curated by Simeen Anjum.
Challenging the idea of the self as a distinct, isolated entity, these works reveal how personal identities are not singular but are deeply interconnected with the broader social and cultural contexts we inhabit, suggesting that we are part of a larger whole—much like items that are not meant to be separated from their collective context.
The artists invite us to consider how our emotions, experiences, and sense of self are shaped by the communities and environments around us, emphasizing that we exist and feel together. Through these pieces, the exhibition reflects on the parallel nature of individual and collective existence, encouraging us to rethink the boundaries between self and society.
There will be artist talks and light refreshments at the opening reception on Friday, January 31, 3 pm - 5 pm.
Not To Be Sold Loose
January 27 - April 4, 2025
Littman & White Galleries
University of Portland
1825 SW Broadway,
Portland, OR 97201
Curatorial Statement:
This exhibition explores the complex relationship between individual and collective identity. It challenges the idea of the self as a distinct, isolated entity, revealing how personal identities are deeply interconnected with the broader social and cultural contexts we inhabit. It suggests that we are part of a larger whole—much like items that are not meant to be separated from their collective context.
Through their diverse practices, the four artists explore how their identities are shaped by the communities they belong to and the relationships they navigate.
Khytul Abyad, a Kashmiri artist based in Chicago, delves into the intersection of personal memory and shared cultural practice. In her installation Kitchen Lessons, presented as a self-portrait, Abyad incorporates poems alongside dried vegetables traditionally prepared and preserved by women in Kashmir. The work highlights the bridge between personal and communal experiences, illustrating how her sense of self is shaped by the values, survival strategies, and shared knowledge of her community.
Ketzia Schoneberg’s mixed media paintings stretch the notion of individual identity to encompass an intrinsic interrelationship with animals, free from hierarchical distinctions. Her work exposes our shared sentience, origin, and fate—offering a vision of collective identity that transcends human boundaries. The mammals in her paintings may represent intimate avatars of her eight children lost to miscarriage, or victims of the political fallout and violence of the human realm.
Lou Blumberg’s sculptures draw from five years of personal journaling, visualizing their evolving sense of self through two interconnected figures. One sculpture is made from Blumberg’s journal writings about their own life and personal journey, while the other sculpture is based on writings about other people in their life and the world at large. These works explore how our sense of self is shaped not only by our internal reflections but also by the people we encounter and the larger world we inhabit. Blumberg emphasizes how our sense of self is shaped not only by who we are but also by the continuous and evolving connections we have with others.
Sam Marroquin’s collection of four collages engages with the social and political forces that shape individual and collective identities. Through layers of imagery, text, found objects, and paint, Marroquin’s work invites viewers to consider the intricate connections between personal experience and the larger social systems that define and influence our lives.
The artists in this exhibition invite us to reflect on how our emotions, experiences, and sense of self are shaped by the communities and environments around us. Through these works, the exhibition emphasizes that we exist and feel together, challenging us to reconsider the boundaries between self and society. In doing so, it reveals the parallel nature of individual and collective existence, and calls into question how we define and experience identity in relation to the world around us.
- Simeen Anjum
