Mark Thomas Gibson and Jennifer Delton discuss art and American history at the Tang

The Tang Museum at Skidmore College presents a Dunkerley Dialogue with exhibiting artist Mark Thomas Gibson and Skidmore history professor Jennifer Delton on Thursday, November 12, at 6 pm. 

The conversation will take place in Mark Thomas Gibson: We Are A Constellation, a survey of recent work by the self-described American history painter. Gibson and Delton will discuss art, American history, democracy, and civic responsibility. 

The dialogue takes place just over a week after the 2026 midterm elections, adding another layer to an exhibition concerned with the ways history shapes the present.

A recurring character in Gibson’s work is the Town Crier—a stand-in for the artist who rings a bell and delivers important announcements to his fellow citizens. A centerpiece of the exhibition is a monumental three-banner installation featuring an American flag transformed into choppy waves on one side and the Town Crier sounding an alarm on the other.

The Town Crier also steps out of Gibson’s artwork and into the gallery. At 2 pm each day the museum is open, a member of the Skidmore community serves as Town Crier, announcing news from the past alongside news from that day.

Gibson will be in conversation with Jennifer Delton, the Harriet Johnson Toadvine ’56 Chair in 20th-Century History at Skidmore College. Her research and teaching focus on race and ethnicity, civil rights, politics, and business in twentieth-century America.

The Tang’s long-running Dunkerley Dialogues pair Skidmore professors with artists for conversations that create connections across disciplines and spark new ideas. The November 12 program is the 82nd in the series. Dunkerley Dialogues are made possible by a generous gift from Michele Dunkerley ’80. 

Admission to the museum and to events are free. For more information, contact the Tang Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080 or visit https://tang.skidmore.edu.