Director's Welcome

Welcome to wexarts.org, the online portal to the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University. This is the place to find the most up-to-date information about the center’s near-constant stream of exhibitions, performances, film/video screenings, discussions, talks, tours, and workshops. It’s also where you can sign up for timely Wex e-mails and “curate your inbox” according to your personal interests. Of course, we encourage you to leap out of your comfort zone and check all the boxes in order to explore new forms of creative expression and experience. One never knows where that spark of inspiration, connectivity, or fresh thinking might be found!

This spring we’re thrilled to premiere Gray Matters, a fascinating survey of 37 highly diverse women artists working today, all of whom coax surprisingly vibrant and compelling works from a palette confined to black, white, and gray. The first show organized for the Wex by Senior Curator of Exhibitions Michael Goodson, Gray Matters also marks the midpoint in a year of Wex exhibitions in which every artist is a woman! (We began 2017 with Carmen Herrera and Sarah Oppenheimer in our galleries, and will conclude the year with the only appearance of Cindy Sherman: Imitation of Life outside of LA). Join us and several of the featured artists for the Gray Matters Opening Celebration on May 19, including an exhibition preview and conversation among artists Bethany Collins, Xaviera Simmons, and Carmen Winant.

Summer is always a great time to soak up cinema at the Wex, and we’re kicking off this season with a special edition of our Wex Drive-In free outdoor film series. You won’t want to miss Gimme Shelter (June 15), Wattstax (July 20), and Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (Aug 17), with adrenaline-pumping footage of the Rolling Stones, Issac Hayes, and David Bowie in their respective heydays. Local bands kick off each screening. This year’s indoor summer series (July 6–Aug 24) is titled The New Hollywood: Deep Cuts 1967–78 and focuses on early, rarely seen gems by such heavyweights as Steven Spielberg, Brian De Palma, and Mike Nichols. And why not make an afternoon of it at the Wex with Free Tuesday Matinees (July 11–Aug 8), offering both cinema classics and same-day gallery admission at no cost.

I’m delighted also to announce that, following an extensive national search, Lane Czaplinski joins the Wex team June 1 as our new Director of Performing Arts, taking the baton from Chuck Helm, who brilliantly served in that role since 1991. Lane comes to us from the acclaimed contemporary performance center On the Boards in Seattle, where he was artistic director for the past 15 years. We look forward to introducing him to the Columbus community, and well beyond!

Seasonably warm wishes,

Sherri Geldin
Director