Exploring works on view in the exhibition Organic: Photographs of the Natural World, photo collection educator Frank Saunders examines the diversity of artistic responses to nature and the array of historic photographic processes the artists have used to achieve their vision.
Frank Saunders is a photographer, instructor, and VMFA Studio School Administrative Assistant.
Many modern tattoo artists, like contemporary Japanese painters, sculptors, and performing artists, have drawn on traditional Japanese motifs to inspire their work. For all of these artists, various aspects of tradition have been used to reflect the persistence, relevance, and continuing evolution of their work, while they have turned to outside influences to help them conceive new forms and concepts. Drawing from works of art in VMFA’s collection and from the special exhibition Japanese Tattoo: Perseverance, Art and Tradition, this two-part class will explore the use of Modern and Contemporary Japanese art and introduce students to artists and themes in Japanese art from the mid-20th century to the present. This class complements the special exhibition Japanese Tattoo: Perseverance, Art and Tradition.
Michelangelo da Caravaggio, the wayward artist from Lombardy who came to Rome for the opening of the era we call the “Baroque,” introduced a new awareness of the natural world into the visual arts, influencing nearly every artist who came after him in one way or another. This class investigates the life and career of the fascinating unstable character known as Caravaggio and will look at both his private works, meant to remain hidden, and his great public works whose effects were felt by contemporaries like Artemisia Gentileschi and foreigners in Rome such as Georges de la Tour and Diego Velázquez, and even extended to great Italian masters including Bernini and artists who had never visited Rome, such as the incomparable Rembrandt van Rijn.
Join us and celebrate the opening of the special exhibition, Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic. Through art activities, demonstrations, and participatory performances, discover the global art of Kehinde Wiley and explore African and African American art and cultural identities. Participants will receive complimentary admission to the exhibition thanks to a sponsorship from Richmond (VA) Chapter, The Links Inc.
The Harlem Chamber Players
Leslie Cheek Theater, Level L
11:15 am–11:45 am & 12:15 pm–12:45 pm
Members of The Harlem Chamber Players perform selections from Harlem Bach Project, a modern take on original works by Bach and other classical composers. The group features a string quartet, a pianist, and two female singers. The program is a fusion of classical music with modern hip-hop beats.
Elegba Folklore Society
Leslie Cheek Theater, Level L
1:45 pm–2:30 pm
Inspired by the art of Kehinde Wiley, Elegba Folklore Society’s interactive performance Identity presents an African American journey of the soul through stories told in music and dance. No photos permitted.
Mikemetic | Sculpture Garden (Rain Location: Marble Hall)
Enjoy the Afro-futuristic sounds of DJ Mikemetic and the Afro Beta Drummers.
Ongoing
Sukenya Best | Marble Hall, Level 2
See the work of local artist and Virginia Union University visual arts professor Sukenya Best. Experiment and collaborate using some of her watercolor techniques!
Noah Scalin | Marble Hall, Level 2
Observe local artist Noah Scalin’s installation of a large scale anamorphic portrait based on an image from the collection of The Valentine. Materials generously donated by Diversity Thrift.
S. Ross Browne | Marble Hall, Level 2
Artist S. Ross Browne paints images to challenge and inspire.
The Valentine | Marble Hall, Level 2
Check out works by ART 180 team and discover the photographs from The Valentine’s collection that inspired them.
ART 180 Teen Exhibit | Theater Outer Lobby, Level L
Visit an exhibition featuring portraits created by teens at ART 180. These pieces were inspired by works in The Valentine’s collection and the art of Kehinde Wiley.
Selfie Station | Atrium
Strike a pose! Inspired by the art of Kehinde Wiley, our selfie backdrop is a collaborative creation made by community members.
Create an Ile Ori Head Shrine | MWV Art Education Center, Studio 1
Create a Yoruba inspired container representing the self, the mind, and personal destiny.
Design a Stained Glass Window | MWV Art Education Center, Studio 2
Cut and glue a “stained glass” work of art using colored tissue paper and decorative patterns.
Make a Yoruba-Inspired Necklace | MWV Art Education Center, Early Childhood Classroom
Use colorful beads to make a necklace suited for royalty.
Fabric Design | Sculpture Garden
Decorate your own bandana using ink and stamps with inspiration from Kehinde Wiley’s World Stage project.
Play! | Sculpture Garden
Spread out a picnic blanket, relax on the grounds, or pick up a hula hoop and enjoy the day.
Create a Reclaimed Portrait | Marble Hall
Work with ART 180 teens to create a portrait with re-used materials provided by Stuff Redux.
Café Grab and Go | Sculpture Garden, Pauley Center Terrace
Sandwiches (11 am–1 pm) snacks and bottled drinks (11 am–3 pm) Light lunch and snacks available at VMFA’s outdoor café location. Cash only.
Food Vendors | Grove Ave, Sculpture Garden | 11 am–3 pm
Visit some of Richmond’s favorite local food trucks: Croaker’s Spot, Soul Ice, and RVA Street Foodies.
SAVE THE DATE! Join us Sat, Sep 17, 11 am–3 pm for
Celebrate the Art of Latin America: Central America
© 2016 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Culture King is generously sponsored by
The First Fridays series features an eclectic mix of multicultural performing arts showcased in different spaces within the museum. Take advantage of our extended hours on Friday evenings (we’re open until 9 pm) to also stroll through the galleries, explore the VMFA Shop, or enjoy dinner and drinks in Amuse Restaurant. Also enjoy discounted beverages in Best Café and 30-minute gallery tours as part of Friday Art & Wine.
Secretly Y’all, an organization committed to bringing people together through storytelling, will present a selection of tattoo-themed stories from audience participants. From heart-warming episodes to comedic gems, a Secretly Y’all experience is unique and not to be missed.
Part of the Tattoo Arts and Film Festival and First Fridays.
Artist and exhibition designer Kip Fulbeck discusses his role in creating Japanese Tattoo: Perseverance, Art, and Tradition. The groundbreaking photographic exhibition explores the rich history and artistry of traditional Japanese tattoos along with their influence on modern tattoo practices.
Mr. Fulbeck is the author of several books, including Part Asian, 100% Hapa (Chronicle Books, 2006) and Permanence: Tattoo Portraits by Kip Fulbeck (Chronicle Books, 2008). He has exhibited and spoken throughout the U.S. and abroad, and is a professor of art at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Mr. Fulbeck will also lead a Gallery Walk on Sat, May 30.
Before the talk, photographer Glen McClure will be shooting portraits of visitors with tattoos.
Trent Nicholas, Media Programs Coordinator, explores three artists: René Magritte, Joseph Cornell and Henri Rousseau, who were vastly different but united by their ties to surrealism. Surrealism, which was an artistic and literary movement that experimented with new modes of expression, was embraced by René Magritte, while Cornell acknowledged the movement and took it in his own direction. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Rousseau was adored by the surrealist group of Paris but was a completely “involuntary” surrealist. This artist’s ubiquitous botanical bent is the inspiration for this talk during the run of our special exhibition, Van Gogh, Manet, and Matisse: The Art of the Flower.
Kevin Jerome Everson, Associate Professor of Art at UVA, works in film, painting, sculpture, and photography. His “filmic fables” articulate the profound within the ordinariness of everyday life and combine scripted and documentary moments with rich elements of formalism. The subject matter is the gestures or tasks caused by certain conditions in the lives of working class African Americans and other people of African descent. Professor Everson is a 2014 winner of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts and has shown at Sundance Film Festival and at the Whitney Biennial.
James River Film Society is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to the art of film and film as art. Find more events.
Virginia Beach Bike, 2015, Donna Taylor, pastel on sanded paper. Works in Color Apr 15–May 20, 2016 Virginia Beach Bike, 2015, Donna Taylor, pastel on sanded paper. Works in Color Apr 15–May 20, 2016
Nimrod, 2015, Margaret Lundvall, oil on canvas. Works in Color Apr 15–May 20, 2016 Nimrod, 2015, Margaret Lundvall, oil on canvas. Works in Color Apr 15–May 20, 2016
Venus Shaving, 2016, Marcia Tallman, pastel on wallis. Works in Color Apr 15–May 20, 2016 Venus Shaving, 2016, Marcia Tallman, pastel on wallis. Works in Color Apr 15–May 20, 2016
Artists Collect
Artists Collect is a series of studio school exhibitions showcasing the personal art collections of VMFA staff and instructors. In sharing their collections with the public, Saunders and the other exhibitors hope to encourage support of local artists while demonstrating just how easy—and fun—personal art collecting can be!
Learn more about current and upcoming Studio School Exhibitions