The Other Side of the Tracks, a group exhibition that explores the history of the Western railroad, is on view at Ogden Contemporary Arts through July 14 and then travels to RedLine Contemporary Art Center and 516 Arts.
The Other Side of the Tracks
May 3–July 14, 2024
Ogden Contemporary Arts, Ogden, Utah
Ever since railways were used to connect the country, trains have been part of the American psyche. Heavily inscribed in our national mythos, the locomotive emblematizes our country’s ingenuity, economic potency, and pursuit of manifest destiny. These are the stories we know and have celebrated.
But there is another story that must be told.
Hidden beneath the romance of the locomotive and western expansion lies another truth. It is the story of millions of lives changed by the railroad but excluded from the history we know—communities transformed but ignored in the dominant narrative of the railroad and the nation it built.
The work of Native American, African American, Chinese American, and Mexican art-makers in this show creates a powerful vision of the railway from a perspective rarely experienced before. This exhibition features the work of nine nationally and internationally recognized artists from these communities that aims to spark dialogue and reshape the historical record, promoting a more inclusive and accurate view of our railways.
As a new generation of faster trains emerges, it is important to think critically about their history: who trains have served, who they’ve neglected, and who they have left behind. The power that trains have to move and inspire is still strong; but if we are to build a more equitable future, we must make a more concerted effort to clearly see our past.
—curatorial statement by Jorge Rojas
Experience The Other Side of the Tracks as it travels through the Southwestern U.S.:
- Ogden Contemporary Arts, Ogden, UT: May 3–July 14, 2024.
- RedLine Contemporary Art Center, Denver, CO: August 16–October 6, 2024.
- 516 Arts, Albuquerque, NM: November 9, 2024–February 8, 2025.
ogdencontemporaryarts.org
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