Talk soon, America: letters to a land of promise and paradox
February 12–May 3, 2026
This year, the United States of America recognizes the semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Institutions across the country—from federal museums to small-town libraries—will commemorate the occasion in different ways, each telling a story about the United States. How should the tale of this nation be told? Is “America” a place or an idea? What or who is an “American” in 2026? In this exhibition, seven student curators set out to investigate the complex legacy of the United States and to contribute their narrative. Drawing from collections of Picker Art Gallery and the Longyear Museum of Anthropology, the exhibition examines some of the foundational concepts on which the nation and its identity have been built, the relationships and sense of belonging that form within American communities, and to how the land itself has shaped—and been shaped by—its inhabitants. Talk soon, America is conceived as a correspondence with the nation, a letter asking for answers to the question: what does it mean to be living in the United States on the eve of its 250th year?
From the curators: As curators of this exhibition, we examined what the idea of "America" meant to us, but ours is still a narrow viewpoint. We want to include multiple voices and various understandings about what "America" means. We're asking for your help. We want to know what it means to you to be living in the United States at the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary). How do you relate to the ideas (and ideals) of "America"? How do you even define "America"? We invite you to share your own thoughts, experiences, hopes, fears, agreements, and disagreements.
To write your own letter to "America", please follow this link.
Opening reception Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
Dana Arts Center, 2nd floor
Our digital exhibitions are always open:
Works in Progress: Original Materials from the Netherlands
POV: Personal Observations Vary