Opening Reception with artist present on Saturday, April 18 from 3-5 p.m. CT
The New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art is pleased to present a solo exhibition of recent works by Aaron S. Coleman, "Delicate and Filled with Dynamite." On view from April 18 - May 30, 2026, this exhibition presents recent work by multi-disciplinary artist Aaron S. Coleman, spanning screen printing, sculpture, and large-scale installation. Works on view investigate the relationship between material and concept, situating these interrelated components at the intersection of cultural and social memory. Drawing inspiration from Christina Sharpe’s scholarly publication, "In the Wake: On Blackness and Being" — and pairing this examination of Sharpe's text with observations related with rapid displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods of his home base in Indianapolis, IN — Coleman repurposes discarded materials such as derelict business signage, gymnasium flooring, and playground fragments, transforming mundane artifacts into engaging commentary on American society and history. By implementing the language of previously used materials in his installations, Coleman is borrowing the history and purpose of these objects to imbue his work with heightened meaning. Referring to the lived history of the material thus speaks to the social mechanics of leisure time, sports and spectatorship while simultaneously commenting on modes of access to these activities in relation to nuanced and complex social dynamics.
A printmaker by training, Coleman works across processes that speak to the concepts embedded in what he is investigating in each distinct body of work. "I am trained as a printmaker, and my earlier work was almost exclusively developed through those processes," observes Coleman. "Now, I use whatever medium helps me express my most authentic voice for the given topic I’m exploring. Through printmaking, painting, collage, sculpture, and installation, I create work that focuses on tying historical events to our current sociopolitical climate. I’m interested in where we come from and how that has led us to where we are now." Along with two installation works presented in Delicate and Filled with Dynamite, the artist also presents multi-layered screen prints approximating the visual language of highway roadside signs. This suite of works offers visitors a robust and multi-faceted entry into Coleman's layered and nuanced practice, presented here for the first time in Southwest Indiana. "Delicate and Filled with Dynamite" reveals Coleman's distinct ability to blend historical research with complex creative processes, from printmaking to assemblage and installation, resulting in a complex and contemplative exhibit.
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art at University of Southern Indiana promotes discourse about and access to contemporary art in the southern Indiana region. New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art is a proud outreach partner of the University of Southern Indiana
This exhibition is made possible in part Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.
