“The universe is magical,” said german, who spells her name in lowercase letters. “The universe isn’t ever casual.”
Dubois said she first encountered german’s art in 2023 at the Montclair Art Museum. The exhibition, titled “vanessa german: …please imagine all the things I cannot say…,” featured, among other pieces, a sculptural interpretation of Gen. George Washington crossing the Delaware River, which is now on view at the Michener Museum of Art in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Dubois said she immediately felt a connection with the artist and her work.
“As I was standing in her work in Montclair, I was like, ‘This is kinfolk. I know this woman,’” Dubois said. “I often ask myself, ‘Why am I doing this museum?’ The name of her exhibition and the content answered that question: Please imagine all the things I cannot say. This house is the canvas and the vehicle through which I get to express all the things that I don’t have words for.”
Dubois and german then began learning about each other and developing german’s ideas for an installation. Dubois said she was taken aback by german’s request to remove everything from the living and dining rooms, which had been filled with art, and paint the walls black.
“I was, like, ‘Holy cow!’ Dubois said. “I didn’t realize until we started painting, I was, like, ‘Oh my god, she’s calling for a black box theater.’ I’m a theater artist and I’ve been saying for the longest time that theater is part of how this house is organized, but most people don’t see it because they’re not supposed to. But now it’s really unmistakable.”