SUSAN BYRNES: Lightness and Weight

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present new work by Susan Byrnes, a sculptor and audio producer who most often uses her work to challenge and reflect on the burdens of sexism and the resilience of the female body. Drawing in part from the seemingly disparate cultural touchstones of Milan Kundera’s novel “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” and the MGM musical, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” the exhibition explores themes of individual freedom versus societal expectations, the weight of choices, and the search for meaning in relationship.

In addition to sound and sculptural installations employing cast iron, tulle, artificial hair, glass, smoke, and video, the exhibition also serves as the occasion to premiere a new partnership with WYSO 91.3 FM, the flagship National Public Radio (NPR) member station for the region, to produce the next season of Studio Visit, a six-episode podcast about Miami Valley contemporary artists and the ideas that inspire their work. Produced by Byrnes, the series will feature interviews with women artists across various media and backgrounds.

Byrnes is a Cincinnati-based visual artist whose diverse body of work spans sculpture, multimedia installation, radio broadcasts, writing, and curatorial projects. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the Midwest, including the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago, the Dayton Art Institute, and the Weston Gallery, Cincinnati.

Susan Byrnes was awarded the Ohio Arts Council’s Artist Opportunities Grant for FY2024.