Established Gallery is pleased to present Macho, an exhibition exploring some of the complexities of growing up male in America and what manliness looks like in today’s climate. Curated by Alexandra Rubinstein and Andrew Smenos. 

 

The word Machismo  (from Spanish and Portuguese "macho", male) is the sense of being 'manly' and self-reliant, the concept associated with "a strong sense of masculine pride: an exaggerated masculinity."  

 

With our country’s growing acknowledgement of the adverse effects of toxic masculinity, privilege, and entitlement, and a subsequent rise in consequences for previously accepted behavior, many men are pushed to reconcile their actions and identities and find new meaning in being “a man”. Others, however, continue to embrace masculinity's traditional forms. And since (white cis) men still hold the majority of financial and political power in this country, and most of us interact with them daily, we’re all impacted by their choices.

 

So what does it mean to be a man in today’s shifting landscape? Does it mean being macho? Does it mean being strong and aggressive? Does it mean being self-reliant and fearless? Or are all these outdated notions setting men up to fail and leave everyone disappointed? In this show, we bring together artists of varying genders, ages, and perspectives, to weigh in and address masculinity as it relates to them. 

 

Including Deborah Czeresko, Daniel Davidson, Dan Flanagan, Paul Gagner, Rose Nestler, Kristin Racaniello, Erica Rosenfeld, Alexandra Rubinstein, Andrew Smenos, Alfie Steiner, David Samuel Stern and Grace Whiteside.