7 Exhibits to See in Metro Phoenix in July

There's good news for people with a soft spot for supporting local artists, because several museums and galleries around town are showing works by artists based in metro Phoenix. Others exhibits feature artists working in other parts of Arizona or artists with Arizona roots. Here's a look at seven must-see art exhibits exploring diverse themes from immigration to botanicals.

‘All Art Arizona’

Art Intersection
207 North Gilbert Road, Gilbert
June 15 to August 3

See works by dozens of emerging and established artists in Arizona, including Jeffrey Falk, Allen Garns, Sandra Luehrsen, Rachel Srinivasan, and Brianna Voron. Featured works at Art Intersection include paintings, photographs, sculpture, and more. Participating artists address diverse themes including personal identity, social media, and water scarcity.

‘True and Livin’

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum
One East Main Street, Mesa
April 26 to August 4

Tucson artist Aaron Coleman uses sculpture, painting, and mixed media to explore historical and contemporary oppression of African, Latino, and Native peoples. His solo exhibition at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum addresses social injustice perpetuated through religious ideology, scientific constructs, popular culture, and public policy – using unconventional materials such as AstroTurf.

‘Artists Grants and Scult Award Exhibition’

Phoenix Art Museum
1625 North Central Avenue
March 1 to August 4

The “Invaders” exhibit at Phoenix Art Museum features works by Tempe artist Julio César Morales, who received the museum’s Scult Award in 2018. Morales explores life along the U.S.-Mexico border through neon, drawings, video, and other media. The museum is also showing works by 2018 grant winners Taylor James, Malakai, Elliott Jamal Robbins, and Papay Solomon – all artists based in Arizona.

‘Fantastical Botanicals’

The Gallery at Chandler Center for the Arts
250 North Arizona Avenue, Chandler
May 17 to August 25

The 18 artists showing work at The Gallery at Chandler Center for the Arts bring unique variations to the botanical theme – using paintings, ceramics, and other media to present imagery that’s both familiar and strange. Participating artists include Jill Friedberg, Travis Ivey, Mary Meyer, Aimee Ollinger, and Daniel Prendergast.

‘Particle and Wave: PaperClay Illuminated’

ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center
699 South Mill Avenue, Tempe
June 22 to September 21

Consider the differing properties of paper and clay, and you’ll be intrigued by what’s possible when you mix paper pulp and clay to create the paper clay used by artists in this exhibition – who hail not only from the U.S. but also other countries such as Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden. The exhibit is curated by Peter Held, who headed the ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center for more than a decade.

‘Divergent Materiality: Contemporary Glass Art’

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
7374 East Second Street, Scottsdale
May 25 to October 13

Pulling together diverse glass works from the collections of four local couples, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art showcases the breadth and depth of contemporary glass works. More than 30 artists are featured, whose works range from a delicate sculpture with small cameos to a life-size construction cone, tipped over and dented as if run over by a car.

‘Still Life No. 3: Raven Chacon’

Heard Museum
2301 North Central Avenue
July 5 to November 3

New Mexico composer, performer, and installation artist Raven Chacon retells the Navajo creation story using light, sound, and text in this exhibition that originated at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Chacon was a member of the artist collective Postcommodity for more than a decade, creating works that included the cross-border Repellent Fence. He’s giving a free artist talk at the Heard Museum on Saturday, July 6.