Hear from the exhibition’s guest curator, Florence Müller, as she discusses the legacy of Yves Saint Laurent, his influence on contemporary designers, and collecting fashion.

Garden Week Events

Each spring visitors are welcomed to over 250 of Virginia’s most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks during “America’s Largest Open House.”

Click here to learn more about Historic Garden Week.

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See Fabergé and Russian Decorative Arts Collection Like Never Before

After an international tour, VMFA’s renowned collection of Fabergé returns to the museum. Five new galleries have been prepared to showcase 280 Fabergé objects and other Russian decorative arts. The galleries feature both innovative displays and a range of interactive components designed to inform, engage, and delight.

 

The Rachel Lambert Mellon Collection of Jean Schlumberger

Artist-jeweler Jean Schlumberger transformed 20th-century fashion with his sculptural designs for vibrant and whimsical jewelry and accessories inspired by nature. From crafting costume jewelry for designer Elsa Schiaparelli in 1930s Paris to heading his own private salon at New York’s Tiffany & Co.

Hitchcock/Truffaut
(2015; 80 min)
Directed by Kent Jones

“A little slice of film buff-heaven.” –Screen Daily

In 1962 Alfred Hitchcock and young film critic/director Francois Truffaut locked themselves away in Hollywood for a week to excavate the secrets behind the art of cinema. Based on the original recordings of this meeting, this film is a grand cinema lesson and plummets us into the world of the creator of Vertigo, Psycho, and The Birds.

Hitchcock’s incredibly modern art is elucidated and explained by today’s leading filmmakers: Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Wes Anderson, Olivier Assayas, Richard Linklater, and Paul Schrader.

VMFA’s Trent Nicholas will intro and present post-film discussion with guest commentator Michael Jones.

Co-sponsored by the James River Film Society, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to the art of film and film as art. Other festival events: jamesriverfilm.org

 

 

This biography tells the story of Mary Delany, an artist who did not begin her artistic career until the age of 72. Following the death of her second husband, Mary delved into her love of botany to create a new art form: mixed-media collages of flowers now referred to as the Flora Delanica. Author Molly Peacock draws parallels with her own life even as she transports the reader to upper class life in 18th-century England.

This book has been selected to celebrate Virginia’s Historic Garden Week.

Using books about artists or works of art currently on view at VMFA to pique curiosity and open discussions, VMFA Book Club explores these specific works of art as well as the setting and period surrounding the art.

Note: Reading the book is helpful but not required.

Why did it take scientists so long to understand the connections between light and color? How did artists contribute to breakthroughs in understanding this relationship? Why are interactions of light and color so integral to art-making and art-appreciation? How do modern artists use light as a medium for works of art? How are these contemporary works connected with electricity and circuit-building? Discover the answers to these and other questions through hands-on adventures in the museum’s galleries and the studio classroom.

Sponsored by 

Explore the brilliant, bedazzled work of Jean Schlumberger with Tiffany & Co. archivist Annamarie Sandecki, who will discuss the artist’s work as the chief designer for Tiffany & Co. in the 1950s.

This program is presented as a collaboration between Maymont and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The Temple of Herod in Jerusalem was one of the largest and most thoroughly documented religious sanctuaries in the Roman world. Described as an “Ornament to Empire” by its destroyer, the future emperor Titus, few physical signs of its grandeur remain. Working with archaeological evidence as well as ancient Jewish, Christian, and Polytheist literary texts, Peter Schertz explores the Second Temple in its Roman context. This lecture is co-sponsored by the Richmond Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.

In early 2008, Richmond artist Todd Parsons had a vision to expand artistic boundaries with an unconventional medium: laser engraved artwork. Ranging from unique jewelry to digital fine art, his designs are inspired by African imagery, animal prints, abstract art, and nature. “Great pride is taken in the creative process,” says Parsons, “and my chief desire is that you will gain as much pleasure from my work as I receive in creating it for you.”

No tickets required. Member discount applies on all purchases.

Digital thinking is both a response to and a result of a wide range of media that has erupted over the past century. Led by Dr. Meghan Rosatelli, Digital Learning Coordinator, this gallery talk will explore a diverse trio of works that attempts to answer a pressing question: how do we respond to the collapse of time and space in popular culture?

Nora Baldacci’s jewelry is not so much about fashion as it is emotion. “It’s fascinating,” she says, “to create a necklace that, simply through the combination of colors and textures, can bring back memories of a walk through the woods on a late fall afternoon. Or a bracelet with colors so bright and perky, they make you think of a beloved little parrot.” Join us in the VMFA Shop to discover Nora’s beautiful jewelry, inspired by colorful garden flowers! VMFA member discount applies on all purchases.