Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You
Columbus Museum of Art
Located in Lower Level Walter Wing
On view April 5–August 18, 2024
Admission Information
Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You is included with the cost of general admission.
Members get FREE admission.
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If you need help planning your visit, call 614.221.6801. Click here for information about ticket prices, parking, and additional visit information.
Exhibition Description
The Columbus Museum of Art is pleased to organize and present the first solo institutional exhibition featuring the work of the Columbus-born, Brooklyn-based artist, Robin F. Williams (born 1984). The exhibition includes work from a seventeen-year timeframe, highlighting recurring themes in Williams’ work including the body, gender and identity expression, digital trends and artificial intelligence, folklore, and the supernatural. These paintings trace intriguing changes in Williams’ oeuvre while highlighting the dynamism within her technical process.
Williams’ early paintings reference art historical styles and genres with wry, dreamlike twists. Many of these works challenge gender expectations, for example, men in repose and women engaging in pleasurable activities without guilt. Film is another signature theme in Williams’ work. In one such passage, renderings of female actresses from iconic movies like Rosemary’s Baby and Pulp Fiction are captured in still-shot frames and re-named “Siri” after Apple Inc.’s digital assistant, thereby commenting on the feminization of AI technology. Throughout, figures are presented as fully conscious of the viewer, evidenced in both moments of cool detachment, as well as mocking confrontation.
Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You is the artist’s first exhibition that includes works spanning from her early career to the present day. By positioning the painted figures as active agents “expecting” the viewer, the artist prompts the visitor to engage with the experience of being perceived by these intriguing and skillfully rendered paintings.
Related Programming
Movie Night at the Museum: Pulp Fiction
May 4, 6:00–9:30 PM
This event is 21+
Step into the world of Pulp Fiction alongside our newest exhibition, Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You.
Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Pulp Fiction inspired costumes are encouraged.
Evening Agenda
6:00–7:00 PM
Enjoy a Jack Rabbit Slim’s-themed reception hosted by comedian and MC Travis Hoewischer. Explore open galleries, themed cocktails, music, dancing, and indulge in a “Royale with cheese” along with other fun snacks.
6:15 PM
Experience a 10 Minute on the Dot tour taking a close look and deep dive into cinematic paintings in Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You.
6:30 PM
Take part in a Twist contest with prizes. Give us your best Vincent Vega & Mia Wallace.
7:00 PM
Pulp Fiction screening begins.
Pulp Fiction film poster, Miramax Films, 1994
Community Conversation
May 16, 6:00–8:00 PM
Join CMA and community partners for an opportunity to engage in diverse and nuanced conversations about the systemic conventions of gender explored in the exhibitions Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You and Marie Laurencin: Sapphic Paris, facilitated by content expert hosts.
This program is co-hosted by Joyce Chen and The Ohio State Center for Feminist Research, Education and Engagement (FREE Center) with additional content expert hosts Dr. Joni Boyd Acuff, Erica Butler, Paloma Martinez Cruz, AJ Vanderelli, Helen Yee, and with additional support by Lori Guth.
This program is free with registration.
Robin F. Williams, Bechdel Yetis (detail), 2020. Oil, acrylic, and Flashe on canvas. Collection of Sam & Shanit Schwartz. Courtesy of the artist and P·P·O·W, New York. Photo by Dario Lasagni
CMA Community Days
May 19, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Enjoy a day filled with FREE activities in celebration of our spring special exhibitions, Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You and Marie Laurencin: Sapphic Paris. Admission to CMA Community Days is completely free, including general access and entry to the exhibitions. We invite visitors of all ages to cultivate creativity and connection through our diverse range of exhibitions and inspired programming.
CMA Community Days are made possible through generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
All are welcome, registration is encouraged.
Image by Katie Dike
Unraveling Gender: Pop Culture’s Influence on Self-Presentation
June 6, 6:00–8:00 PM
Explore the intricacies of gender expression as reflected in the exhibitions Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You and Marie Laurencin: Sapphic Paris.
The evening starts with a guided gallery experience exploring how these artists navigate themes of identity, gender, and societal expectations through their art, followed insightful dialogue and interactive activities facilitated by Dr. Meghna Mahambrey, founder of SPARK Relationship + Sexual Wellness, where guests will challenge these norms and redefine the boundaries of gender expression.
This immersive experience invites you to question, reflect, and embrace the diverse spectrum of self-expression. Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast or new to the conversation, “Unraveling Gender” promises to inspire meaningful discussions and ignite personal insights you’ll carry with you well beyond the evening.
Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers and includes one drink ticket redeemable that evening at Schokko Café during BAM Thursdays, open until 10:00 PM.
Thank You to Our Supporters
Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You has been generously underwritten by the Scantland Family
The following donors are gratefully acknowledged for supporting both Robin F. Williams: We’ve Been Expecting You and Marie Laurencin: Sapphic Paris
Champions
A donor who wishes to remain anonymous
Carol Andreae and Jim Garland
Beth Crane and Richard McKee
Betsy and Brian Ross
Benefactors
Carol and Dave Aronowitz
Felicia Bernardini
Kiehner Johnson Family Fund
Peggy and Bob Walter
Seanna and Matt Walter
John Wirchanski
Friends
A donor who wishes to remain anonymous
Lucy Ackley and Robert Collier
Ben Addison
Ron and Louisa Green
Mary Lazarus
Gabriel J. Mastin
Peg Mativi
Mary Ellen Ryan
Members of Stonewall Trailblazers
Robin F. Williams, Prom Night Reckoning (detail), 2023. Oil and acrylic on canvas. Green Family Art Foundation; courtesy Adam Green Art Advisory. Courtesy of the artist; Morán Morán, Mexico City; and P·P·O·W, New York. Photo by JSP Art Photography
