9 Must-See Spring Exhibits in Metro Phoenix — and Beyond

The exhibition lineup is looking particularly intriguing this spring.

Several art spaces in and beyond metro Phoenix are presenting works that explore topics at the heart of contemporary life, from bullying to immigration. Here's a look at nine must-see exhibits featuring works by local, national, and international artists, along with details about where and when you can see them.

'Other Targets'
UA Museum of Art
Through March 29

Four artists, including Phoenix-based Gabriela Muñoz, explore the concept of otherness by combining contemporary work with centuries-old imagery. This exhibit at the University of Arizona Museum of Art uses video, found objects, sculpture, and other mediums to address the ways fear and prejudice inform historical and current views of immigration.

‘The Place Where Clouds Are Formed’
Tucson Museum of Art
Through August 9

This exhibition at the Tucson Museum of Art explores “the intersection of religion, migration, and community” in the original territories of the Tohono O’odham, where land and people are currently separated by the U.S.-Mexico border. The exhibition includes photography and critical text, as well as poetry written by Ofelia Zepeda.

‘Unapologetic’
SMoCA
Through January 31, 2021

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will show works by about 36 women artists during the exhibition, which will rotate through different pieces in both June and October. “Unapologetic: All Women, All Year” includes works by legendary artists such as Kara Walker, Judy Chicago, and artists working in metro Phoenix. Highlights include an interactive sound sculpture by Laura Korch, which is located behind the museum's retail space.

‘Serenity Now’
Lisa Sette Gallery
Through May 2

Lisa Sette Gallery is commemorating its 35th anniversary with an exhibition titled after the third episode of Seinfeld's ninth season. “Serenity Now: Meditations on Humanity” features works by several artists who lend insight into one of Sette’s primary concerns — how Americans can foster hope and compassion amid the adversity at play in today’s divisive political landscape.

'What Can I Say?'
Modified Arts
March 20 to April 11

Within a society where everyday life is marked by tragedy, bullying, and feigned outrage, three local artists have created works that explore the role of diverse perspectives and conversations. Each artist uses unique materials and culls from personal experience for this exhibition at Modified Arts, which considers the ways people both resist and collude with systems of oppression.

‘Teresita Fernández: Elemental’
Phoenix Art Museum`
March 21 to July 26

Phoenix Art Museum is showing more than 50 works by Teresita Fernández, a Brooklyn-based conceptual artist who seeks to “reinterpret the relationships between nature, history, and identity.” Fernández often works with materials that have loaded histories, including ties to colonialism. The exhibit will include mixed-media works, large-scale sculpture, and installation art.

‘For the Animals: Tania Candiani, Part II’
ASU Art Museum
March 21 to July 25

ASU Art Museum is presenting a site-specific installation that incorporates sound, land, and animals as a way to raise awareness about risks facing endangered species living in the Sonoran Desert. Tania Candiani worked with electronic musicians to create experimental sound scores conceived as lullabies for these indigenous animals. The exhibit includes videos, sculptural sounds works, and other objects.

‘Larger Than Memory’
Heard Museum
May 1 to January 3, 2021

“Larger Than Memory: Contemporary Art From Indigenous North America” at the Heard Museum will feature diverse works by more than 20 artists working in the United States and Canada during the 21st century. The exhibit will explore the intersection of the long cultural heritage each artist brings to their work with contemporary conversations about critical social issues while raising issues related to the art history canon.

‘Passage’
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum
May 8 to August 2

This exhibition at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum will feature work by multidisciplinary artist Cannupa Hanska Luger, including a large scale installation created with 7,000 unfired clay beads representing lives lost along the U.S.-Mexico border. The collaborative exhibit will also include works by five additional indigenous artists, including Phoenix artist Thomas “Breeze” Marcus.