Community Calendar

In Small Measure is our inaugural fundraising exhibition where we ask participants to create a postcard sized work of art, donate it to us, and in exchange, it will be included in an exhibition on February 13-14, 2026 at The Contemporary Dayton, Dayton, Ohio’s contemporary art center.

Submission Deadline (Postmark): Feb 1, 2026

In-Person Drop-Off Deadline: Feb 4, 2026

Exhibition Dates: Feb 13-14, 2026

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven, a major solo exhibition bringing together recent works in photography, painting, video, and the world premiere of a new body of bronze sculptures by one of the most bold and visionary artists of our time.

Simmons’ practice is deeply rooted in art history, both through deliberate assertion and continuous engagement, drawing on references that span from antiquity and the American landscape to contemporary media. Her work unfolds through a cinematic sensibility, where narrative, movement, and stillness intersect. This is evident in her photographic series such as American Book Covers and Sundown, in her monumental text paintings, and now in this new body of bronze sculptures.

Performance, choreography, and the sensual are integral to Simmons’ artistic language. In this recent sculptural work, these elements coalesce into forms that feel both classical and contemporary. As with much of her practice, Figure Eleven situates art history within an ongoing continuum, like a film that resists final resolution.

The sculptures recall the Venus of Willendorf and Venus de Milo while simultaneously reflecting the multiplicity of contemporary bodies and motifs. Their power lies in their capacity to collapse and reconcile distinct historical and cultural narratives. The figures embody a poised stillness that resonates with the language of movement and performance. Figure Eleven, both the exhibition’s title and the newest figurative sculpture, appears as if drawn from a film still, a moment suspended between gesture and permanence.

In Small Measure is our inaugural fundraising exhibition where we ask participants to create a postcard sized work of art, donate it to us, and in exchange, it will be included in an exhibition on February 13-14, 2026 at The Contemporary Dayton, Dayton, Ohio’s contemporary art center.

Submission Deadline (Postmark): Feb 1, 2026

In-Person Drop-Off Deadline: Feb 4, 2026

Exhibition Dates: Feb 13-14, 2026

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven, a major solo exhibition bringing together recent works in photography, painting, video, and the world premiere of a new body of bronze sculptures by one of the most bold and visionary artists of our time.

Simmons’ practice is deeply rooted in art history, both through deliberate assertion and continuous engagement, drawing on references that span from antiquity and the American landscape to contemporary media. Her work unfolds through a cinematic sensibility, where narrative, movement, and stillness intersect. This is evident in her photographic series such as American Book Covers and Sundown, in her monumental text paintings, and now in this new body of bronze sculptures.

Performance, choreography, and the sensual are integral to Simmons’ artistic language. In this recent sculptural work, these elements coalesce into forms that feel both classical and contemporary. As with much of her practice, Figure Eleven situates art history within an ongoing continuum, like a film that resists final resolution.

The sculptures recall the Venus of Willendorf and Venus de Milo while simultaneously reflecting the multiplicity of contemporary bodies and motifs. Their power lies in their capacity to collapse and reconcile distinct historical and cultural narratives. The figures embody a poised stillness that resonates with the language of movement and performance. Figure Eleven, both the exhibition’s title and the newest figurative sculpture, appears as if drawn from a film still, a moment suspended between gesture and permanence.

Join us for an inside look at the exhibition, with fresh insights into the artist and her exhibition "Xaviera Simmons." FREE & open to all.
Join us for an inside look at the exhibition, with fresh insights into the artist and her exhibition "Xaviera Simmons." Led by Heather Jones, Curator and Director of Programs & Engagement.

FREE & open to all.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Dec 11, 2025; 6:30p

Jan 10, 2026; 2p

Jan 22, 2026; 6:30p

In Small Measure is our inaugural fundraising exhibition where we ask participants to create a postcard sized work of art, donate it to us, and in exchange, it will be included in an exhibition on February 13-14, 2026 at The Contemporary Dayton, Dayton, Ohio’s contemporary art center.

Submission Deadline (Postmark): Feb 1, 2026

In-Person Drop-Off Deadline: Feb 4, 2026

Exhibition Dates: Feb 13-14, 2026

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven, a major solo exhibition bringing together recent works in photography, painting, video, and the world premiere of a new body of bronze sculptures by one of the most bold and visionary artists of our time.

Simmons’ practice is deeply rooted in art history, both through deliberate assertion and continuous engagement, drawing on references that span from antiquity and the American landscape to contemporary media. Her work unfolds through a cinematic sensibility, where narrative, movement, and stillness intersect. This is evident in her photographic series such as American Book Covers and Sundown, in her monumental text paintings, and now in this new body of bronze sculptures.

Performance, choreography, and the sensual are integral to Simmons’ artistic language. In this recent sculptural work, these elements coalesce into forms that feel both classical and contemporary. As with much of her practice, Figure Eleven situates art history within an ongoing continuum, like a film that resists final resolution.

The sculptures recall the Venus of Willendorf and Venus de Milo while simultaneously reflecting the multiplicity of contemporary bodies and motifs. Their power lies in their capacity to collapse and reconcile distinct historical and cultural narratives. The figures embody a poised stillness that resonates with the language of movement and performance. Figure Eleven, both the exhibition’s title and the newest figurative sculpture, appears as if drawn from a film still, a moment suspended between gesture and permanence.

In Small Measure is our inaugural fundraising exhibition where we ask participants to create a postcard sized work of art, donate it to us, and in exchange, it will be included in an exhibition on February 13-14, 2026 at The Contemporary Dayton, Dayton, Ohio’s contemporary art center.

Submission Deadline (Postmark): Feb 1, 2026

In-Person Drop-Off Deadline: Feb 4, 2026

Exhibition Dates: Feb 13-14, 2026

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven, a major solo exhibition bringing together recent works in photography, painting, video, and the world premiere of a new body of bronze sculptures by one of the most bold and visionary artists of our time.

Simmons’ practice is deeply rooted in art history, both through deliberate assertion and continuous engagement, drawing on references that span from antiquity and the American landscape to contemporary media. Her work unfolds through a cinematic sensibility, where narrative, movement, and stillness intersect. This is evident in her photographic series such as American Book Covers and Sundown, in her monumental text paintings, and now in this new body of bronze sculptures.

Performance, choreography, and the sensual are integral to Simmons’ artistic language. In this recent sculptural work, these elements coalesce into forms that feel both classical and contemporary. As with much of her practice, Figure Eleven situates art history within an ongoing continuum, like a film that resists final resolution.

The sculptures recall the Venus of Willendorf and Venus de Milo while simultaneously reflecting the multiplicity of contemporary bodies and motifs. Their power lies in their capacity to collapse and reconcile distinct historical and cultural narratives. The figures embody a poised stillness that resonates with the language of movement and performance. Figure Eleven, both the exhibition’s title and the newest figurative sculpture, appears as if drawn from a film still, a moment suspended between gesture and permanence.

Enjoy light Refreshments and a final chance to view the exhibition Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven.

Xaviera Simmons is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans photography, performance, video, sound, sculpture, and installation. Her practice, rooted in exploring memory, history, and shifting ideas of landscape, moves cyclically across mediums to reflect an ongoing dialogue between past and future. A Bard College and Whitney ISP alumna, Simmons has exhibited widely in major institutions including MoMA, SFMOMA, ICA Boston, and The Studio Museum in Harlem, with works held in prominent museum and private collections worldwide. She has received numerous honors, including the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grant and Harvard’s inaugural Solomon Fellowship.