The Cafesjian Art Trust Museum in Shoreview has launched "Abstraction and Ourselves," an ambitious exhibition that bridges the gap between contemporary abstract painting and monumental glass sculpture. Curated by Jill Ahlberg Yohe, formerly of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the show pairs the museum’s renowned glass collection—including works by Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtová—with significant loans such as a Georgia O’Keeffe oil painting and works by Dyani White Hawk.
This exhibition marks a strategic pivot for the institution as it seeks to evolve beyond its reputation as a niche glass-art museum into a broader contemporary art destination. By placing different mediums in direct conversation, the museum aims to demystify abstract art for the public, encouraging viewers to engage with the works through personal emotion and experience rather than purely academic interpretation.