Our 2024 Marcus Exhibition, Future Dreaming… A Path Forward is a presentation of fanciful, compelling, and speculative contemporary artworks inviting visitors to imagine futures built upon the ancestral wisdom of multiple Indigenous heritages. These works celebrate the natural world, our interdependent relationship with it, and collectively communicate the idea that no one being, either animate or inanimate, is superior to another. Each work explores the duality of our existence, sparking both humor and joy, along with contemplation, skepticism, and reminding us that as humans, we are all related and share a responsibility in caring for one another and for the planet. As we face a catastrophic climate crisis, this Indigenous knowledge, based upon thousands of years of land stewardship and care for natural spaces, can provide ways of coexisting and model a pathway for our mutual sustainability.
Featuring four leading contemporary artists recognized locally, as well as nationally and internationally, Beatriz Cortez, Ana Teresa Fernández, Rayos Magos, and Marie Watt present newly commissioned and existing works throughout the grounds of Montalvo to help celebrate the unveiling of A Path Forward: Honoring Ohlone Land & Spirit, a permanent living monument for the arts center’s public park lands.
The Cottage Gallery featuring works by Marie Watt will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10am–2pm (or by appointment).
The Marcus Exhibition is made possible through the support of the Marcus Family Foundation, the Jo and Barry Ariko Fund for Artistic Programs, and the California Arts Council. A Path Forward is made possible through a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Award, a California Arts Council Impact Projects Award, and the generous contributions of the George and Judy Marcus Family Foundation and the Jo and Barry Ariko Fund for Artistic Programs. Additional support was provided by Kinfolk and the School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza.