WILMINGTON, DE.- The Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts announces the opening of a group exhibition, The American Scene, on view in the Dupont I and Dupont II Galleries from April 17 through August 2, 2009. The American Scene features works that address the concerns of a nation that is going through difficult times and that is trying to redefine itself with a changed global and domestic outlook. The opening for The American Scene will be held on May 1, 2009, from 5 to 9 pm during the Art on the Town Loop sponsored by the City of Wilmington. Related events at the DCCA include an Art Salad talk on April 15 and a symposium on April 17 & 18.

The American Scene takes a look at the United States through the eyes of artists who concentrate on subjects that include the legacy of slavery and attitudes toward race, immigration, land use and development and infrastructure problems, what it means to be an American, and the notion of a shared culture and memories.

The exhibition is divided into two separate sections: “People” and “Place.” In the first are images of people in which artists examine American culture—its residents’ goodness, eccentricities, and foibles. These works range from loving portrayals of individual characters to critical commentaries of American life. The second group of works speaks to issues related to icons of the suburban landscape—tract housing and the geography of subdivisions—and to the post-industrial view, the results of industrialization and its effect on the American suburban and urban topography.

In keeping with the DCCA tradition of giving emerging artists the opportunity to exhibit their works next to artists with national and international reputations, The American Scene includes the work of a number of young artists, as well as a few mid-career artists and artists who have achieved national and international fame. The exhibition was organized by Dr. J. Susan Isaacs, DCCA Adjunct Curator.