College Night

Thu, Oct 6, 6–9 pm

Marble Hall

Listen, play, and explore at VMFA College Night! Join members of the College Advisory Council for games in the Marble Hall, view the work of Gordon Parks, and hear a lecture about the photographer by John Edwin Mason, Associate Professor of History at the University of Virginia. Event Schedule

Gordon Parks’ American Stories

with Dr. John Edwin Mason, Associate Professor of History, University of Virginia

Thu, Oct 6, 6–7 pm

Leslie Cheek Theater

Few photographers have shaped the American public’s understanding of pressing social issues as much as Gordon Parks. From the 1940s until the 1970s, photo-essays that he published in Life magazine introduced millions of readers to people and ideas that challenged and sometimes changed the way that they saw their nation and themselves. This lecture traces the impact of…

Parks at Life: Works from VMFA’s Collection

Wed, Sep 28, 11 am–noon

Reynolds Lecture Hall

With Dr. Sarah Eckhardt, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art & Karen E. Haas, Lane Curator of Photographs, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Explore Gordon Parks’s larger career at Life magazine by examining VMFA’s collection of the photographer’s works. The conversation will be followed by a visit to the special exhibition Gordon Parks: Back to Fort…

Cave Canem: Beware of Dog?

with Courtney Morano, Interpretation Manager

Tue, Oct 4, 11–11:30 am & Thu, Oct 6, 6:30–7 pm

Visitor Services

What did the ancient Greeks and Romans think about dogs? Were they seen as faithful companions, helpful hunters, or fierce guardians? Through mythological stories, ancient author’s accounts and artistic depictions, discover the Ancient Greek and Roman view of man’s best friend.

Gordon Parks: From Kansas to New York

Tue, Sep 27, 6–7 pm

Jepson Theatre, Modlin Center for the Arts, University of Richmond

With Karen E. Haas, Lane Curator of Photographs, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., Executive Director of the Gordon Parks Foundation, & Dr. Sarah Eckhardt, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Join Karen E. Haas, curator of Gordon Parks: Back to Fort Scott, and Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., Executive Director of the Gordon…

Film + Talk: The River

with Dr. John Henry Rice, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art

(1951; 99 min)
Fri, Sep 23, 6:30–9 pm

Leslie Cheek Theater

Jean Renoir, son of Pierre-Auguste Renoir and a master of French cinema, chose to make his first Technicolor work entirely in India. Based on the Rumer Godden novel, the film eloquently contrasts the lives of young British and Indian women with the immutability of the Ganges River in Bengal. Renoir’s nuanced understanding of the culture,…

Emerging Artists & Innovators Showcase 2016

Fri, Sep 23, 12–7 pm & Sat, Sep 24, 12–4 pm

VMFA Shop

VCUarts students were invited to design and develop their own products inspired by works in VMFA’s outstanding permanent collection. Now, VCUarts and VMFA Shop are proud to introduce the three finalists and their creatively designed, handcrafted products. Come to the VMFA Shop and meet these talented emerging artists! Exclusive VMFA member discount on all purchases.

Get to Know Fellowships: Free Funding for Virginia’s Artists and Art Historians

with Jenny Harding, VMFA Fellowship Program Coordinator

Fri, Sep 16, 1–2 pm | Claiborne Robertson Room, Level 3
Thu, Oct 6, 6 pm | Rawls Museum Arts, Courtland, VA

Pauley Center Parlor

Learn more about the VMFA Fellowship Program with this free discussion open to practicing and aspiring artists and art historians. Fellowship Program Coordinator Jenny Harding will provide a history of the program and review the eligibility requirements as well as helpful hints for navigating the application process.

VCU Southern Film Festival: The Life & Times of Elizabeth Keckly

(2014; 42 min)
Fri, Sep 16, 6:30–9 pm

Leslie Cheek Theater

Featuring Daphne Maxwell Reid in discussion with Elvatrice Belsches, the film’s researcher and writer. Moderated by Kimberly Brown. This documentary explores the extraordinary life of Elizabeth Keckly against the national crisis of the Civil War. Born a slave in Virginia, Keckly’s skill as a seamstress enabled her to purchase her freedom. She became the favorite dressmaker and personal confidante of…

3 in 30: Gordon Parks

with Dr. Sarah Eckhardt, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

Tue, Sep 6, 11–11:30 am & Thu, Sep 8, 6:30–7 pm

Meet at Visitor Services Desk

Explore the work of Gordon Parks with Dr. Sarah Eckhardt, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, by examining three key pieces in VMFA’s permanent collection that relate to the special exhibition Gordon Parks: Back to Fort Scott.