FAIRFIELD, CONN.- The Fairfield University Art Museum opened a major loan exhibition for spring 2026, as part of a series of cultural and artistic events at Fairfield University commemorating the 250th anniversary—semiquincentennial—of the United States.

For Which It Stands…, runs from January 23 – July 25, 2026, and features more than 70 works by diverse artists across art movements from the early 20th century to the present day, focusing on depictions of the American flag. The exhibition includes works ranging from Childe Hassam’s Italian Day, May 1918—lent by Art Bridges—to a new textile sculpture by Maria de Los Angeles, commissioned for the exhibition. Works by artists including Jasper Johns, Faith Ringgold, Robert Rauschenberg, Shepard Fairey, and Julie Mehretu challenge viewers to consider who the American flag truly represents and whether justice is available to all. Additional pieces by renowned artists like Emma Amos, Eric Fischl, Glenn Ligon, and many others will further enrich the exhibition.

Included works are being lent by private collectors, artists, galleries, and institutions such as the Forge Art Project, Columbia University Avery Library, Delaware Museum of Art, The Mattatuck Museum of Art, Bridgeport Public Library, Gordon Parks Foundation, Orlando Museum of Art, Westport Public Art Collections, Yale University Art Gallery, the State of Connecticut’s CT Artists Collection, and the Fairfield University Art Museum’s own collection.

“This exhibition is an opportunity for all of us to examine the narratives that have shaped our country, particularly those that have been overlooked or challenged,” said Carey Mack Weber, executive director of the Fairfield University Art Museum and exhibition curator. “Through these artworks, we invite visitors to engage deeply with the pressing issues of justice, representation, and unity—issues that are as relevant today as they were when our nation was founded.”