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…
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,…
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…
January 29, 2019
Frank Raysor, in 2011 when he was named Collector of the Year by VMFA Frank Raysor spent decades scouring flea markets, art auctions, and estate sales in New York City to acquire his collection of prints. In the process he accumulated what is the fifth largest collection of prints by 17th-century artist Wenceslaus Hollar in…
December 14, 2018
In 2003 the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival requested submission designs for a monumental, 16-foot tall statue of Neptune, the ancient Roman god of the sea, that would be permanently sited on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Fifty entries were received from sculptors from around the country, but none from artists based in Virginia, which led Cameron…
November 27, 2018
After the departure of beading expert Hlengi Dube, work continues on the survey of the Zulu ensemble components in order to pair the cultural and structural examination with a scientific materials study. With the insights into the importance of materials choice afforded by this consultation, I sought to characterize as many materials as possible using…
November 20, 2018
William Neer, VMFA’s curatorial assistant for exhibitions, discusses Congo Masks: Masterpieces from Central Africa, which is curated by Marc Leo Felix, director of the Congo Basin Art History Research Center in Brussels, Belgium. In its only North American venue, the exhibition at VMFA is an innovative and visually compelling display of artistry and cultures, showcasing more…
November 9, 2018
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Tressie McMillan Cottom, PhD, about VMFA’s current exhibition Howardena Pindell: What Remains To Be Seen. Cottom is an assistant professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has spoken across the nation and the world on technology, higher education, race, gender, class, and social inequality. Her latest…
October 12, 2018
Pindell’s journey presented at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is unique to the artist but not unusual. We’ve heard the tale: the impressive work ethic of a brilliant black mind, occupying double roles, only to still fall short on respect from her white colleagues as well as the white-dominant art world. Pindell worked as…
October 11, 2018
By Sydney Collins, Conservation Photographer; Carol Sawyer, Margaret H. & William E. Massey Sr. Conservator of Paintings; Aleyah Grimes, Meghan Mezera, and Morgan Shedd, IMLS Summer Interns As part of the “Connect to Conservation” program, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was able to host three summer interns with the generous support of the Institute…
