Starry Night

The Contemporary Arts Center hosted an opening celebration for the exhibition Jayson Musson: His History of Art on Friday.

The party offered a chance to see see the work in the gallery, mingle with local artists, and enjoy an artist talk with Musson and Christina Vassallo, the CAC’s director.

Photos: Shae Huth

His History of Art features a three-channel video series written, starred, and co-directed by artist Jayson Musson, who describes it as “a sitcom orbiting art history and all the fun to be had dancing on the minefield of the past.” Taking inspiration from the structure and tone of educational programs such as PBS children’s shows and nun-turned-art critic Sister Wendy Beckett, Musson conducts a satirical survey on art history, its relationship to the general public, and the ways in which popular art historical images impact cultural consciousness.

Musson created His History of Art as part of his 2022 artist residency at The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM), an institution in Philadelphia devoted to artistic collaboration. Inspired by sitcoms and educational and variety television shows, including Pee Wee’s Playhouse and The Muppets, Musson collaborated with FWM staff, film producers, writers, and editors to create a three-episode series that reconsiders key aspects of art history. The artist breaks down elitist walls surrounding art history and encourages the questioning of long-established beliefs around artistic genius.

Find our more at www.contemporaryartscenter.org.