BY KAREN BOSSICK
Explore the history of the spice trade along the Silk Road and then consider the food traditions of refugees from countries along the Silk Road who have resettled in Boise in the Sun Valley Museum of Art’s new exhibition “Uncharted: Artists as Wayfinders.”
The exhibition, which runs through July 5, is the first in a three-part series that explores journeys past, present and future through the lenses of mapping and memory.
It launches with a Member Preview and Opening Celebration from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 11.
The exhibition, held in conjunction with the current national discourse, asks such questions as: How have migration stories shaped our past and present? How might future population shifts unfold in response to climate change and pandemics?
The exhibition features the work of internationally known artist Vietnamese American tiffany Chung, who has created new work for the exhibition focusing on the Silk Road.
Other artists whose work can be seen are Tristan Cai, Sandy Rodriguez, Kootenai tribal member Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Kevin Umana and Consuelo Jimenez Underwood.
There are a handful of exhibition tours and talks being held in conjunction with the exhibition. You can register for them at www.svmoa.org/exhibitions/2025/uncharted-artists-as-wayfinders:
ART CLUB: HISTORY IN THE ART OF TIFFANY CHUNG AND TRISTAN CAI—5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24. A discussion about the ways that the two artists use historical research to address contemporary issues in their work. Free for members; $15 for nonmembers.
EXHIBITION TOURS—5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1, and Thursday, June 5. Free.
ARTIST TALK featuring TIFFANY CHUNG AND TRISTAN CAI—5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22. Chung is known for works examining forced migration and refugee issues. Among Cai’s works is a project called “Aesthetics of Disappearance,” which explores the overlapping narratives of slavery in the United States and Singapore, where houseboys were trafficked. Cai grew up in Singapore before immigrating to the United States 12 years ago. Free for members; $10 for nonmembers.
ARTIST TALK featuring SANDY RODRIGUEZ—5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28. The internationally known artist will discuss her ongoing project, “The Codex Rodriguez-Mondragon,” which investigates the United States/Mexico borderlands. She will also talk about her use of hand-processed pigments and papers with origins in Mesoamerica. Free for members; $10 for nonmembers.
ARTIST TALK featuring KEVIN UMANA—5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18. Umana will discuss how he has displayed mapping and wayfinding in his ceramic tablets, vessels and hybrid paintings. He will also discuss the sound work he created for “Uncharted: Artists as Wayfinders.” Free for members; $10 for nonmembers.
The Sun Valley Museum of Art is located at 191 5th St. E., in Ketchum. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is free.