A blog by staff and others about the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Art for the Aspiring Traveler
April 27, 2020
As a pandemic halts even the most mundane activities outside the home, you may be reflecting on past travel opportunities with a bit of nostalgia. Whether you’ve traveled extensively, rarely, or always postponed your dreams to “some day,” you may be looking forward to the time when we can once again journey near and far…
Five Art-Related Films for In-Home Viewing
April 13, 2020
Whether you’re someone who’s staying home to practice social distancing or someone deemed essential and thereby in need of escape at the end of the work day, movies may be the perfect way to spend your free time right now. Many of us are streaming more than ever before or doing so for the first…
Books for Lovers of Reading and Art
April 7, 2020
If you’re looking for a good book to curl up with while staying home and staying safe, consider one of the following titles recommended by the VMFA Library. Featuring past selections of the VMFA Book Club and previous winners of the Art in Literature: Mary Lynn Kotz Award, this list presents a wide range of…
Celebrating African American Community Leaders Through Public Art
August 28, 2019
This video was created by Field Studio and was made possible in part by Virginia Humanities. In February 2019, VMFA unveiled RVA Community Makers, a public art project featuring portraits of eight African American community leaders. The initiative is one example of VMFA’s commitment to opening our doors to a more diverse audience. Local artist…
The Quilting Tradition of Gee’s Bend
August 12, 2019
This article is an excerpt from the museum magazine, VMFA, an exclusive benefit for museum members. See works from the Gee’s Bend quilters on display in the Cosmologies from the Tree of Life: Art from the African American South exhibition. Valerie Cassel Oliver, VMFA’s Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art,…
7 Ways to Begin a Journey Toward Clarity
June 7, 2019
At the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment asks a thought-provoking question: are we really awake and fully aware, or do the clamor and fragmentation of our lives lull us into a kind of waking sleep? The exhibition invites you to pause from the busyness of daily life and…
It’s a Family Affair: 7 Activities Inspired by Cosmologies at VMFA
May 23, 2019
The works of art in the exhibition Cosmologies from the Tree of Life: Art from the African American South at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts embody stories that may remind you of your own family’s artistry, perseverance, and traditions passed down through generations. The art on view includes sculptures, quilts, paintings, and works on…
Meditation and Awaken
April 25, 2019
There’s a buzz in the air about VMFA’s next exhibition, Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment. That’s because, unlike any other art exhibition, Awaken is about you as much as it is about the art. Opening April 27, the exhibition is an immersive experience that addresses the noise and fragmentation of our daily lives,…
Connect to Conservation: IMLS Summer Internship Experiences
February 28, 2019
This summer, three interns were selected to complete an internship at VMFA’s Center for Advanced Study in Art Conservation. Generously funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as part of the “Connect to Conservation” program, the internship was designed to provide training and professional development to individuals considering a career in art…
Art’s Power to Connect
January 30, 2019
Artists are storytellers. In their work, they often tell us stories about their own lives or the lives of the people or communities they depict. Their creations can capture a moment in time or make a human connection in ways that history books alone cannot, allowing us to better understand the heart and soul of…