The Knoxville Museum of Art is proud to announce Electricity for All, a thought-provoking exhibition exploring the complex relationships between technology, information, and power, on view from May 16 through August 17, 2025.
Framed by the historical context of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)—a transformative New Deal program launched in the 1930s to bring electricity to the region —Electricity for All delves into the profound social and cultural shifts that took place across the Tennessee River Valley. While the TVA promised progress and prosperity, it also produced disruption and displacement that continues to linger. This exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the dualities of technological advancement, and the costs that inhabit our need and desire to progress.
Taking its name from one of TVA’s original promotional slogans, Electricity for All features work by contemporary artists who grapple with the legacy and ramifications of innovation. Some imagine utopian futures powered by technology’s democratizing potential; others sound a cautionary note, revealing the pitfalls of surveillance and decentralized authority. Still others manipulate digital materials and metaphors to explore the poetics of power in an interconnected world.
Artists: Jim Campbell, Petra Cortright, Daniel Canogar, Nathan Hylden, Beryl Korot, Frederick Hammersley, Matthew Angelo Harrison, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Amor Muñoz, Iván Navarro, Marilène Oliver, Mimi Ọnụọha, Trevor Paglen, Nam June Paik, Elias Sime, Jered Sprecher & Sam van Strien.
ELECTRICITY FOR ALL OPENING RECEPTION:
- Thursday, May 15, 2025; free and open to the public
- 5:30 pm—Members only hour and curator’s tour
- 6:30 pm—Reception opens to the public
- 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 pm—Performances by Ignite! Powered by Dancers Studio
Food by Silver Queen Catering + Cash Bar + Specialty Beverage
COLLABORATIONS WITH CENTRAL CINEMA:
- Tuesday, May 20, 6:00 pm; free to KMA members
A special screening of Jacques Tati’s PLAYTIME, featuring a talk by Arrowmont artist-in-residence Sam van Strien. - Wednesday, June 18, 6:00 pm; free to KMA members
A special screening of The Moon was the First TV, featuring a dance performance by Ignite! Powered by Dancers Studio. - Friday, June 27, 2:00 pm; free to KMA members
A special screening of the 1992 animated film FernGully, featuring a video by artist Nam June Paik. - Friday, July 25, 2:00 pm; free to KMA members
A special screening of Disney/Pixar’s Wall-E, featuring a video by artist Nam June Paik. - Wednesday, August 13, 6:00 pm; free to KMA members
A special screening of the 1982 film Blade Runner, featuring a talk by artist Jared Sprecher.
- Sunday, June 8, July 13, and August 10; free and open to the public
- Art Activity, 1:00-4:00 pm
- Docent Tour, 2:00-3:00 pm
Electricity for All is organized by the Knoxville Museum of Art and curated by KMA’s Assistant Curator, Kelsie Conley. Special thanks to Thoma Foundation and bitforms gallery for loaning work for this exhibition. Additional thanks to the City of Knoxville and Tennessee Arts Commission.