Anila Quayyum Agha: Flourishing Patterns at the Mennello

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

The Mennello Museum of American Art in Orlando, FL knocks it out of the park once again with their current exhibition, Anila Quayyum Agha: Flourishing Patterns. Long time followers of this blog know how much I rave about the art institutions in Central Florida, and especially the Mennello. This institution is consistently expanding the definition of American Art in order for it to better resemble all the folks who live in our fair country. If Lady Liberty lights the way for anyone to find a home in the “land of the free,” then America’s contributions to art history should resemble the diverse population that makes up our melting pot of a nation. Anila Quayyum Agha: Flourishing Patterns is an exhibition that does just that and it’s on view now through September 24th right here in the City Beautiful.

If the name Anila Quayyum Agha strikes a chord, that’s because you’ve probably heard it attached to art institutions across the U.S. in cities like Salem, Massachusetts, Cincinnati and Fort Worth, Texas. In fact, her work is receiving international attention and was featured in the Masterpiece London art fair in 2022.

Flourishing Patterns is an important exhibition, not just for the Mennello and not just for the Central Florida community. This is an exhibition that makes all the existential things Americans are currently struggling with tangible and it challenges us to face the truth: that democracy is fragile and that America may not be as welcoming or as united – or as free – as we’d like to think.

The artist’s work is born of the contradictions and paradoxes experienced by Agha herself, first as a woman born in Pakistan, then as an immigrant to the United States. Themes of strict gender roles, religious segregation and racial exclusion permeate her work as she juxtaposes stainless steel with light and shadow to create environments that turn viewers into active participants. Her fascination with paradoxes is pushed even further by addressing the disparity of fine art versus fine craft in the art world. With a specialty in fiber arts, Agha elevates the art of sewing and embroidery so it gets the recognition it deserves and proves the point that all art techniques are not only valid, but vital to creative expression.

It’s a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario explored through metal cubes of finely cut stainless steel and light sources that will challenge all gallery visitors to ask themselves, “Is the artwork the heavy metal cube attached to the wall or the delicate, multi-layered shadows created by the light source?”

Personally, I was entranced by the lacey patterns projected onto the walls and while I know better than to touch the artwork, I did reach out to touch the shadows on the walls. The layering effect of the shadows had me half convinced that I’d feel a textured fabric instead of the smooth wall.

The curating team at the Mennello deserves two very specific shout-outs. First, for the absolutely serene and hypnotic music that plays in the galleries for this exhibition. Working in combination with the low lighting, the result was an incredibly meditative state and knowing that it was a million degrees outside, kept me inside the exhibition for a bit longer. The second shout-out is for the room dedicated to Agha’s works on paper. This room and the artwork therein is the key to unlocking the premise of the entire exhibit and while I don’t want to influence your experience I will simply say, “Do not skip it!”

For more on Anila Quayyum Agha: Flourishing Patterns at the Mennello Museum of American Art in Orlando, FL, please visit…

Anila Quayyum Agha: Flourishing Patterns

For more on artist Anila Quayyum Agha, please check out the following links…

http://www.anilaagha.com/

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.