Unsettled: Dwelling and Departing in the Modern World

The University of Dallas, February 5-19, 2016

Frances Moulin and Stephanie Keller

Curated by Caitlin Clay and Elizabeth Kerin

Curatorial Statement

Society is in a state of constant flux. In the past few decades interpersonal relationships have evolved rapidly. Travel is more convenient and effortless than ever before and the dawn of the age of the Internet increases ease of communication and interpersonal relationships. The result? Physical and emotional ties with more and more people and places. Yet as ease of interpersonal connections build, issues such as refugee displacement, immigration and divorce have become forefront topics with this new freedom of movement. These circumstances cause the reinterpretation of traditional context of the home and family. The understanding of home and family are evolving. Domestic flux is indicative of a global epidemic of displacement.

The exhibition Unsettled: Dwelling and Departing in the Modern World invites viewers to explore personal and cultural definitions of home and family. Steph Keller's narrative photographs, Paradise Left I and Paradise Left 2 (2015), give the viewer an intimate look at a couple's separation and make the viewer question not only the issues that may have caused such a rift, but also what the future will hold for the now separated couple. Frances Moulin's photographic series Home in Ruins (2015) documents the destruction of a neighborhood home and the forgotten objects found at the site. These found objects are small insights into a family's personal life, and the viewer is invited to imagine the family and the reasons for their departure. 

Both Keller and Moulin's artwork consists of snapshots depicting serious and poignant modern issues. These two artists have intimately depicted the loss of home and family, and their photographs encourage viewers to ponder the setting for a home and family in today's world.

Using Format