ASPEN, CO.-Beginning Saturday, August 9, 2008, the Aspen Art Museum is proud to present the group exhibition Unknown Pleasures, featuring artwork by internationally renowned contemporary artists Sanford Biggers, Anne Collier, Jesper Just, Tim Lee, Euan Macdonald, Susan Philipsz, Ugo Rondinone, Melanie Schiff, and Wilhelm Sasnal. A free public reception will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., on Thursday, August 14, 2008. Unknown Pleasures will remain on view through Sunday, October 19, 2008.

Curated by the Aspen Art Museum ’s Associate Curator Matthew Thompson, Unknown Pleasures features a selection of artists working in a variety of media who explore the connection between music and melancholy in contemporary art. As Thompson explains:

Music has become both an aesthetic device and an important touchstone for many artists, and uses of emotive and psychological properties of sound also coincide with a current reinvestigation of the romantic notion of melancholy—historically identified as a state of malaise, disaffection, and inactivity. The artists in Unknown Pleasures explore these connections, but instead focus on its generative potential. Far from being an escape, melancholy's imaginative reflection helps us envision new ways to constitute the world in the present.”

Notably, Unknown Pleasures also coincides with Thompson’s promotion to Associate Curator. He has occupied the position of AAM Assistant Curator since being hired as a full-time staff member in July 2005. Of his tenure at the AAM Zuckerman Jacobson comments:

Matthew Thompson has developed into a strong curatorial voice for our institution. His exhibition ideas and his ability to intelligently communicate them are a huge asset to the AAM.”

Along with works in the AAM Upper Gallery, Unknown Pleasures will feature an outdoor installation on the museum grounds and a full-color booklet.