Overview & Events

Gallery Talk: What Questions Do We Ask?
Sunday, June 14, 2:00–3:00 p.m.

In What Questions Do We Ask?, artist and photographer Gail Rebhan transforms the language of the US census into a compelling visual record of American history. At the museum entrance, you encounter census questions from 1790 to 2020, revealing how what is asked reflects what a society values, debates, and seeks to understand.

Organized by themes such as race, disability, language, technology, and work, each piece traces how a single line of questioning evolves over time. These shifts point to broader cultural change, showing how census data not only records the population but can also shape public policy and national priorities.

The works layer these questions over an American flag motif, grounding them in a shared national identity while inviting closer scrutiny. Historic census forms serve as visual backdrops, while a mix of government typography and expressive handwriting underscores the passage of time. As you look, patterns and shifts begin to emerge, reflecting an evolving society.

Through this body of work, the artist offers a condensed social history of the United States, asking you to consider how the past informs the present—and how the questions we ask shape what comes next.