Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis' Summer Exhibitions

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis' summer exhibitions open at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17, and there are some heavy hitters involved. Lawrence Abu Hamdan is a finalist for this year's Turner Prize for his exhibition Earwitness Theatre (which CAM co-commissioned with several other institutions), which incorporates the artist's audio analysis of Saydnaya prison in Syria, site of numerous humanitarian abuses, a soundbooth and groups of objects Abu Hamdan uses as mnemonic devices to facilitate reenactments of crimes. Photographer Paul Mgapi Sepuya receives his first major museum survey thanks to CAM. Sepuya's images jumble and reorder the human body, while also revealing the mechanics of photography. Cameras are often a central figure in his work, while tripods, backdrops and lighting show up in his collages. Avoiding digital manipulation, Sepuya's work is about the importance of touch and contact, both between his subjects and his materials. Both shows remain on display at CAM (3750 Washington Boulevard; www.camstl.org) through August 18, and admission is free.