The Contemporary Dayton’s new location welcomes three women-led exhibitions

The Contemporary Dayton (The Co) has been settling into its new home since relocating to the Dayton Arcade this April. Visitors can now explore the artwork and exhibits on display at The Co while enjoying the historic Dayton Arcade.

The Co is currently presenting three exhibitions by women artists. One, called “From A Basement On A Hill,” is by Mychaelyn Michalec , a Dayton artist who uses embroidery to depict “moments of simultaneous disconnection and connection.”

“We’re showing her large-scale paintings, which are actually tufted rugs. They’re sort of gigantic selfies made out of tufted rug,” Eva Buttacavoli, executive director of The Co, says.

In the main gallery, The Co is showcasing the work of Nina Chanel Abney, a New Jersey-based painter who “draws on animated cartoons, video games, hip-hop culture, celebrity websites and tabloid magazines to create large-scale paintings and collages that are scathing commentaries on social attitudes and inequities.”

“Her large paintings are in spray paint and stencil and they’re placing Black artists in, sort of, scenes of every day—like picnics and campfires and bicycle riding and that sort of thing. So, sort of positioning Black people in a way that you don’t normally see in art,” Buttacavoli says.

In the video gallery, The Co is displaying “Sara Cwynar: Soft Film.” The Brooklyn-based artist focuses on how objects and items circulate through the internet and enter and exit people’s lives.

“She is commenting on consumer culture,” Buttacavoli says. “She buys things off of eBay that are sort of obsolete, she doesn’t quite know what they’re for. She narrates about them.”

Buttacavoli says visitors have been blown away with The Co’s new space in the arcade.

“People are excited to see large-scale art that has to do with what’s going on in our world, from COVID, to Black Lives Matter, to climate change. Contemporary artists work with contemporary themes,” Buttacavoli says.

Visiting an art museum can simply be a break from the day-to-day, Buttacavoli says. Or viewing art can compel you to something you’ve never seen before—whether it’s through books, writing, music, dancing or visual arts.

“I think our artists tell the story of what’s happening in our world today, perhaps in ways that we can’t articulate. They bring us to new understandings or new versions of how we see the world,” Buttacavoli says.

Buttacavoli says The Co has welcomed guests in a safe and comfortable environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether through smaller gatherings or online videos, The Co is still dedicated to connecting with guests and artists.

Although the future may be uncertain due to the pandemic, The Co is looking forward to making its mark on the community and influencing the lives of the artists it works with.

“We want to continue to show great art. We want to continue to serve local artists with whatever they need—the exhibitions or recommendations or skills or professional development. We want to be around and be sustainable and be contributing to the community for another 30 years,” Buttacavoli says.

All current exhibitions run until Oct. 24 and admission to The Co is always free.