The Contemporary Dayton is hosting a Member's Spotlight Exhibition titled "Simon Robins: Sociable," running from June 5 to June 27, 2026, with an opening reception on June 5 from 6-8 PM. The exhibition features paintings by Simon Robins that draw from public domain and found photographs sourced from digital archives, which he crops, recolors, and recontextualizes to create works that feel both familiar and elusive. Robins, a collections librarian and faculty member at the University of Dayton, uses his archival expertise to explore themes of social alienation, belonging, and the power dynamics embedded in historical image collections.
This exhibition matters because it highlights how an artist's dual role as a librarian and painter can produce a unique critical perspective on collective memory, authorship, and institutional bias. By transforming anonymous historical fragments into psychologically charged paintings, Robins invites viewers to reconsider how archives shape our understanding of the past and present. The show also underscores the importance of regional art spaces like The Contemporary Dayton in supporting emerging and mid-career artists whose work bridges academic research and visual art.