Upside Marketing, The Verses Crew, and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) are teaming up to celebrate the museum’s exhibition Posing Beauty with a day party mixer called “Shades of Beauty.” The mixer features music by Verses DJ Rich Simms, artwork by Verses resident artist Reshada Pullen-Jireh, and performances by international poet and Juilliard School poetry professor Samantha Thornhill, Verses crew members: Nikkea Smithers, writer and published author, Ayo M. Morton, writer and published author, Anoma-Lee “Narrator” Jones, poetry slam champion, and Roscoe Burnems, writer, slam champion, and author. Musical performances by Richmond’s own Anhayla and Washington DC’s singing duo BOOMscat!

Join us looking and feeling beautiful as we celebrate the many shades of Posing Beauty. Food and beverages for sale. Free, no registration required.

 

 

with Frank Saunders, Administrative Assistant for the Studio School and professional photographer

John Szarkowski, the photography curator at the Museum of Modern Art, stated in his book The Photographer’s Eye that there were five elements that were essential to understanding the singular look of a photograph: the thing itself, the detail, the frame, time and vantage point. Join us as we use these elements to discuss what makes the photographs in this exhibit both successful and uniquely photographic.

With Jonathan Copeland, Fashion Stylist/Merchandiser and Publishing Entrepreneur; Rae Berryman, Independent Multicultural Marketing Consultant; Ted Lewis, Executive Director, Side by Side (formerly ROSMY)

Celeste Fetta, VMFA Chief Educator, moderates a discussion with guests Jon Copeland, Rae Berryman, and Ted Lewis on how Yves Saint Laurent challenged fashion codes around sexuality and gender expression and identity. How do contemporary style and communities in Richmond address these themes in fashion today?

VMFA Book Club: 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. The VMFA Shop stocks a limited supply of each book.

July Book Club: Christopher Oliver, Assistant Curator of American Art, discusses this biography of Edward Curtis, a popular early 20th-century photographer who was best known for his evocative portraits of Native Americans. Financed by J.P. Morgan, Curtis and his staff spent more than 30 years researching, photographing, and writing about Native Americans and their way of life, which was rapidly disappearing. One of his iconic oratones (glass-plate photographs) was recently acquired by the VMFA.

Image: Before the Storm, 20th century, Edward S. Hopper, photographic print on glass plate with metallic backing (Curt-tone). A. Paul Funkhouser Endowment Fund

 

Current exhibition Ryan McGinness: Studio Visit provides an excellent opportunity to reconsider VMFA’s outstanding collection of European tapestries in contemporary terms. Join Mitchell Merling, Paul Mellon Curator and Head of the Department of European Art, and John Ravenal, the Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art,  in the galleries for a discussion of the formal and conceptual dialogues between historical and contemporary design as explored by McGinness.

Images:
Art Is Not Linear (panel 5), 2009, Ryan McGinness (American, b. 1972), acrylic on panels, 8′ x 32′, overall; 16 in panels, each 4′ x 4′. National Endowment for the Arts Fund for American Art

Moses and the Burning Bush, 17th century, Charles Poerson (French, 1609 – 1667), 152 x 106 in. Museum Purchase, funds provided by Mrs. Alfred I. duPont

 

To complement our special exhibition Japanese Tattoo: Perseverance, Art, and Tradition, VMFA will present the only major Tattoo Arts and Film Festival in Virginia. Honoring the rich history and tradition of tattooing and its enduring and evolving impact on contemporary visual culture, the two-day festival will include feature films plus a session exploring Japanese anime, talks by world-renowned experts, gallery tours, and more.

Schedule of Events

Film: Eastern Promises (2007, 100 min, rated R)
Fri, Sep 4, 3 – 5 pm, Leslie Cheek Theater
Cost: $8 (VMFA members $5)
Get tickets

Viggo Mortensen was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Nikolai, a shrewd criminal trying to rise in London’s Vory v Zakone Russian Mafia, where tattoos are earned for status and respect.  A nurse (Naomi Watts) becomes tenuously intertwined in this sinister underworld.  Veteran director David Cronenberg, noted for his edgy, visceral images, delivers.

Tattoo-themed Tours with VMFA Docents (30 min)
Fri, Sep 4, 5 & 6 pm, Permanent collection galleries
Cost: Free, no tickets required

Performance: First Fridays: Secretly Y’all
Fri, Sep 4, 6 – 8 pm, Marble Hall
Cost: Free, no tickets required
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.

Film: Tattoo Nation: The True Story of the Ink Revolution (2013, 86 min. Not rated; content may not be suitable for children.)
Fri, Sep 4, 7:30 – 9:30 pm, Leslie Cheek Theater
Cost: $8 (VMFA members $5)
Get tickets
Special guest speakers: Takahiro Ryudaibori (formerly Horitaka) Kitamura, exhibition artist, tattooer, and curator; and Timothy Hoyer, exhibition artist and tattooer

How did tattoos go from being something that someone puts on you to something that comes from within you?  This groundbreaking documentary, screening for the first time in Central Virginia, tells the story of how three artists from one L.A. tattoo shop revolutionized the art of tattooing.  With Don “Ed” Hardy, Freddy Negrete, Travis Barker, and Danny Trejo.

Film: Utamaro and His Five Women ウタマロ を めぐる 五人 の 女 (1946, 91 min, B&W. Not rated; mature content.)
Sat, Sep 5, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, Leslie Cheek Theater
Cost: $8 (VMFA members $5)
Get tickets
Special guest speaker: Takahiro Ryudaibori (formerly Horitaka) Kitamura, exhibition artist, tattooer, and curator

This Japanese classic is a fictionalized portrait of the famed 18th-century Ukiyo-e artist Utamaro and his relationship with five courtesans who inspire his work.  Artists of all types will connect to director Kenji Mizoguchi’s study of passion and determination.  In a highly evocative scene, Utamaro sketches a picture on the back of his beautiful model who is honored to have it tattooed into her skin.

Performance: River City Taiko Drummers
Sat, Sep 5, 1:15 – 2 pm, Atrium
Cost: Free, no tickets required
Performance followed by visitor participation.

Experience the Japanese tradition of taiko drumming that dates back to the 6th century with the River City Taiko Drummers. The evolution of this percussion can be traced throughout history—from the battlefield to the theater and to religious ceremonies. Come learn how taiko is used today with Alasdair Denvil of the University of Richmond and his community ensemble.  After the performance, take advantage of the rare opportunity to play the different drums yourself!

Gallery Talk with Tattoo Artists
Sat, Sep 5, 1:30 – 2:15 pm, Japanese Tattoo exhibition
For Festival Pass holders only    

Join Takahiro Ryudaibori (formerly Horitaka) Kitamura, exhibition artist, tattooer, and curator; Timothy Hoyer, exhibition artist, tattooer, and painter; and Brian Bruno, Richmond tattoo artist and owner of Absolute Tattoo for an informal gallery conversation about works in the special exhibition.

Talk/Film: Japanese Anime Tattoo Traditions (Some content may not be suitable for children.)
Sat, Sep 5, 2:30 – 4:30 pm, Leslie Cheek Theater
Cost: $8 (VMFA members $5)
Get tickets

VMFA and VSU faculty specialist in animation, Anh Do, discusses technique and style of Japanese anime along with connections to manga and tattoos.  Excerpts of several anime series will be shown.

Reception (with cash bar)
Sat, Sep 5, 5 – 7 pm, Atrium
For Festival Pass holders only    

 

VMFA’s youngest artists embrace a world of art, culture, and imagination. Designed with Virginia’s Foundation Blocks for Early Learning in mind, these programs foster cognitive and motor development, creative growth, and self-expression. Budding young artists discover their talents in the studio with art materials, educational games and story time alongside adventures in the gallery. Register online or call the Visitor Services Desk at 804.340.1405.

 

 

Major and the Monbacks have infused the party energy of southern soul, blending old-school style with pop melodies, ska, and soul horn riffs. This nine-piece band with four vocalists, a hypeman, and horn section wields an original blend of retro R&B, ’60s twang, and new-school garage pop jams. They’ve reached “monback mania” status in their hometown and are redefining the “Norfolk Sound.” The band has been nominated two years in a row as the best indie-pop band in Hampton Roads.

Listen to Don’t Say A Word by Major and The Monbacks.

Kick off spring 2016 with a unique night of modeling, music, and wine! Back by popular demand, the VMFA Shop presents an informal modeling session featuring the hats of award-winning designers Ignatius Creegan and Rod Givens as well as the Shop’s new lines of spring jewelry and accessories.  Enjoy dinner in the Best Café, complete with wine tastings and music from Triple Crossing Jazz Project feat. Victoria Myers. All modeled merchandise will be available for purchase in the Shop. VMFA member discount applies on all purchases.