Kris Rumman: Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown

Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown, a solo exhibition of work by  Palestinian-American interdisciplinary artist Kris Rumman, will be on view at UrbanGlass from January 19 – April 8, 2022. 

Curated  by Zeljka Himbele, the exhibition inaugurates UrbanGlass’ Curator-at-Large program, which will give an invited curator the opportunity to develop innovative concepts and public programs for 4 annual exhibitions presented in UrbanGlass’ Robert Lehman Gallery. The program’s goal is to address critical cultural issues and to contribute to the contemporary art and design dialogue through the material of glass.

The notions of balance, interconnectedness and codependency within living systems permeate Kris Rumman’s multimedia artistic practice. Working from a background in glass-making techniques, Rumman often experiments with a myriad of materials, traditional and non-traditional ones, juxtaposing them with glass elements in her objects, ambiances and performances. The artist’s research into the physical and metaphorical properties of materials is closely linked to her immersion in the sociological, psychological and political issues of our times. At times, in subtle ways, Rumman’s practice touches upon her own Palestinian family’s history of migration to the US within a larger context of the 20th century and contemporary displacements and migrations. Appearing as temporary inhabitants and curious students of its visitors, her work often uses mirror and reflection to track, surveil, guide, and comply with its witnesses. Captivated by the materials of architecture, power (authority) and chance (Inshallah), Rumman’s work is migratory, situationally responsive, and inextricably linked to the geopolitics where she lives.