The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University is hosting "Murmurations," an exhibition on view through November 1 that brings together artists connected by a residency in Monte Castello di Vibio, Umbria. The project highlights cultural exchange, collaboration, and community building through shared experiences of place.
Museum director and curator Emily Lanctot explained that the exhibition grew out of long conversations with participating artists, each invited to contribute work that would fit into the ecosystem of the show. The title references the flocking behavior of birds, an image that mirrors the ways artists gather, share knowledge, and move collectively while still maintaining individual expression.
Among the featured artists is Miami-based artist, educator, and organizer misael soto, whose practice spans performance, organizing, and education. Their work for Murmurations builds on a conceptual framework called the “Department of Reflection,” treating art as an opportunity for dialogue and exchange beyond traditional objects. Soto’s durational performance on September 12 will engage the spaces surrounding the museum, inviting public interaction throughout the afternoon.
Designer and builder Jeffrey McMahon also contributes to the exhibition, drawing from research into the art and materials of Renaissance Italy. His approach combines a sensitivity to place with historical techniques, integrating pigments such as ultramarine and azurite to explore connections between landscape, perspective, and cultural history.
Lanctot herself contributes a painting inspired by both Italian art traditions and local tools, reflecting on the ways desire, perception, and site influence the experience of viewing.
Kurt Hauswirth spoke with three of the artists about the exhibit and activities:
Murmurations features a full schedule of performances and talks, including a day of activations on September 12 with works by soto, Heather Lyon, Mark Jeffery, and Kristin Mariani. The exhibition continues to unfold with additional events through the fall, offering audiences opportunities to experience art as an ongoing exchange of ideas, places, and communities.
Find more information about the Murmurations exhibit and future events at the DeVos Art Museum's website.
