March 22, 2023
M.LiT participants explored Isaac Julien’s film installation, which meditates on the life and work of 19th-century abolitionist Frederick Douglass, his contemporary relevance, the role of photography in crafting an image, and Douglass’s masterful speeches. Matoaca High School student Safiyyah James and her group focused on speechwriting and hosted an event at VMFA on January 5.…
December 6, 2022
The accompanying catalogue to Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art further investigates a range of cultural questions raised by the guitar’s ubiquity, accessibility, and ability to empower. Written by the exhibition’s curator, Dr. Leo Mazow, who is VMFA’s Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Curator of American Art, the 250-page book features insightful essays…
November 22, 2022
by Dr. Leo Mazow, VMFA’s Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Curator of American Art On view at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts through March 19, 2023, Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art explores the guitar as visual subject, enduring symbol, and storyteller’s companion. In the latest issue of VMFA magazine, Dr. Leo Mazow, the exhibition’s curator,…
July 7, 2022
On view at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts through July 31, 2022, Whistler to Cassatt: American Painters in France offers visitors a riveting narrative and immersive experience. In a rare compilation, more than 100 works by many of the biggest names in American art are assembled. While the majority of them are men, including…
June 27, 2022
As a Black woman who was raised in New England, Paula Saylor-Robinson, VMFA’s Director of Audience Development and Community Engagement, has viewed the South, especially the Deep South, through the experiences of her South Carolina–born parents, who moved north for more opportunities. This past March she reconsidered her long-held assumptions of the southern region of…
May 10, 2022
The following excerpt is from the introductory essay to the exhibition catalogue Tsherin Sherpa: Spirits, published by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Written by Dr. John Henry Rice, the exhibition’s curator and VMFA’s E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art, the 162-page book explores the trajectory of Sherpa’s…
July 29, 2020
During the past two months, we have been listening to our staff, members, visitors, and members of the community. We are grateful for the candid thoughts, personal experiences, and genuine concerns many have expressed in direct response to VMFA’s statement of support for the protests that began after George Floyd’s murder. Listening to your stories…
September 10, 2018
In anticipation of VMFA’s next Family Day, which takes place Saturday, September 15, we sat down with Ana Ines King, artistic director for the Latin Ballet of Virginia, to discuss its involvement in the recurring event. This Family Day, titled Celebrate the Art of Latin America, focuses on the region of Patagonia and includes performances…
June 26, 2018
The concept of self-branding was revolutionary during the 19th century when Napoleon Bonaparte and his household worked diligently to craft his image as a war hero and later, as emperor of France. But today, one needs only to turn on the television or scroll though social media to see how self-branding has permeated our culture.…
June 11, 2018
In preparation for the upcoming VMFA Family Day event on Saturday, June 16, Natalie Feister, the museum’s Youth and Family Programs and Events Coordinator, answered a few questions about its Ethiopia theme and festivities, which include music and dance performances, vivid storytelling, and the opportunity to participate in collaborative projects such as a Community Independence…
