The Ucross Art Gallery in Wyoming has opened a new exhibition titled “In Company,” which pairs seven former Ucross Visual Artist Fellows with artists who have inspired them. Co-curated by Tawni Shuler, Lacasa Michelena, and Brittney Denham-Whisonant, the show features 14 artists working across painting, photography, sculpture, installation, literature, music, and film. The exhibition highlights the creative relationships and subtle influences that shape artistic practice, with each fellow selecting three influences before the curators chose one for the pairing. Featured artists include Lars Jan with Richard Misrach, Tracy Linder with Deborah Butterfield, Katie Merz with Charley Friedman, and others. The exhibit is free and open to the public through December 18.
The exhibition matters because it foregrounds the often-invisible networks of influence and mentorship that drive artistic development, while also showcasing the caliber of work emerging from Ucross, a renowned residency program set on a 20,000-acre ranch in Wyoming. By making these creative lineages visible, “In Company” offers viewers a deeper understanding of how meaning is constructed both individually and collaboratively, and reinforces Ucross���s role as a vital incubator for contemporary art in a rural context. The show also demonstrates that world-class art can thrive outside major urban centers, challenging assumptions about where significant artistic production occurs.