March 3, 2015
As an art lover, there is always the temptation to reach out and touch objects in works of art to confirm what our eyes are telling us. But we resist (even the slightest fingerprint contains destructive chemicals that endanger even the hardest surfaces). However, few artists compel us to go against our better judgment like…
February 23, 2015
Sunday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch commentary helps us see past the snow to the promise of spring. . .and Flowers! http://www.richmond.com/opinion/their-opinion/article_eec04b54-3cde-5ccb-b3a7-ede7bcf5b7c1.html
February 11, 2015
In 1874, French printmaker Félix Bracquemond (1833-1914) submitted more works than any other artist to the inaugural impressionist exhibition. The work Bracquemond displayed—at his friend Edgar Degas’s invitation—included portraits of his artistic contemporaries, naturalistic landscapes, reproductive etchings of historical European paintings, and emblematic images of birds accompanied by poems (such as Margot the Critique, or The…
February 6, 2015
VMFA is showcasing African American artists in honor of Black History Month. “The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is dedicated to representing African American artists throughout the entire year,” Director Alex Nyerges says. “We are honored to join in the nation’s celebration of African American history and the cultural arts.” VMFA is not only celebrating…
February 3, 2015
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the VMFA Visual Arts Fellowship program, we will be running a series of stories about the impact of these Fellowships on select recipients over the past 15 years. Please watch this blog for future stories. Alyssa Salomon: Winning Two Fellowships Took Her Work to New Levels Winning VMFA…
January 30, 2015
“It’s your art” isn’t just a tagline for VMFA. Our Statewide Program, through which we share our permanent collection with museums, arts centers, galleries, schools, and libraries throughout Virginia, shows just how committed we are to these words. A unique example of this commitment will be happening at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in…
January 12, 2015
American painter John Singer Sargent was born 159 years ago today. The year he turned 28, the young artist exhibited a portrait of the notorious Parisian socialite Virginie Avegno Gautreau under the evocative title, Madame X (currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art), at the 1884 Paris Salon. Critics decried both the…
January 9, 2015
VMFA recently received special permission from the Palace Museum to extend the run of Forbidden City: Imperial Treasures of the Palace Museum, Beijing through January 19. Forbidden City has had a huge impact on the community—since before it even opened—and now the impact of this groundbreaking collaboration between VMFA and the Palace Museum will continue…
December 27, 2014
VMFA is ringing in the New Year with a cross-cultural celebration in honor of the Forbidden City exhibition. The 10th annual ChinaFest! Year of the Wood Sheep Family Event on Saturday, January 3, will feature nine treasure-making art activities as well as multiple performances and demonstrations. Here are some things that we learned while planning…
December 22, 2014
When First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe decided she wanted a different sort of Christmas card this year—not her usual photo of the kids but a painting of the Governor’s Mansion and the family dogs instead—the obvious resource was VMFA’s Studio School. Mrs. McAuliffe’s executive assistant, Victoria Lewkow, headed to the Studio School to talk to director,…
