WHEN + WHERE

Opening reception: Thurs. March 27, 5 - 7pm

Exhibition on view: Mar. 28 - Apr. 8, 2025

Gallery hours: Mon - Fri, 9am - 4:30pm, by appointment

Gayle and Ed Roski Gallery, Roski Studios Building (IFT)

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

The objects we surround ourselves with are our silent storytellers. A handful of flotsam at the bottom of a backpack becomes a character study, and the clutter on a bedside table holds the traces of a life lived. In Absentia asks: What do our possessions reveal about us when we’re no longer there to explain them?

In this interactive series of sculptures, visitors evolve from mere spectators to active collaborators, piecing together the desires, histories, and realities of unseen figures. You are invited to unravel the desires, realities, and hidden histories of various personas through tactile engagement. Letters can be unfolded and read, mementos picked up and examined. Each participant brings their own perspective, shaping narratives that are never fixed but constantly shifting with every new encounter.

This program is open to all eligible individuals. USC operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the university’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other prohibited factor.