July 15, 2014
How do we use our bodies to tell our story? On Thursday, July 17, 6:30 – 7:30 pm, Dr. Sarah Eckhardt, Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art moderates a powerful discussion between artists Sonya Clark and Robert Pruitt, whose work is currently featured in Identity Shifts, about the shifting ideas of culture, history, and…
July 14, 2014
Reprinted from the KaKY (Kollege and Kareer 4 Youth) blog with permission from Marcy Williams, MBA The exploration of beauty in the African American culture has been explored for centuries. From the earliest days of slavery to the most recent neo-soul era, the topic of what is considered beauty in the African American culture has…
July 1, 2014
Cast in bronze more than one hundred years ago, VMFA’s statue of Thomas Jefferson by Moses Ezekiel depicts the young statesman reading aloud his draft of the Declaration of Independence for the first time in the summer of 1776. The statue is a smaller version of the grander monument you’ll find on the plaza in…
June 26, 2014
Recently you may have noticed that the advertisements for our current exhibition, Posing Beauty in African American Culture, have changed. After the opening of the exhibition, visitors told us that they thought this was an important show, plumbing issues of shared and individual identify, the shifting definitions of beauty, and a slice of historical and…
June 24, 2014
Family Day on Saturday Brings Many New Faces to VMFA and Posing Beauty by Nicole Gilpin Hood, PhD, chapter journalist for Richmond (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated Last Saturday, from 1 pm until 4 pm, the doors were open and the whole world came. The family event was called Celebrate African and African American Art…
June 23, 2014
“Posing Beauty . . . considers black beauty without venturing to define it. It poses important questions about aesthetics so diverse and dynamic that they defy boundaries.” Read this inspiring post about Posing Beauty by Maya Payne Smart.
June 9, 2014
I experienced a déjà vu moment recently while viewing Faith Ringgold’s Tar Beach quilt, which is part of the Identity Shifts exhibition at VMFA. Many years ago, I lived in New York City and served on the board for Children’s Museum of Manhattan, a great organization. I vividly recall a wonderful exhibit at that museum…
February 20, 2014
African American Read-In February 20th, 2014: 5 – 6:30 pm Readers and Selections Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1928 / The Prodigal Son, 1927 Readers: Reverend Mischelle Townsend / Saint Paul’s Baptist Church and Reverend Macio Freeman / Saint Paul’s Baptist Church Selections: We Wear the Masks and The Prodigal Son Christ and His Disciples on…
February 18, 2014
In recognition of Black History Month, VMFA is offering a trio of amazing events highlighting African-American culture in music, film, and literature. February is also the birthday month of iconic singer Marian Anderson, the first black person to ever perform at the renowned Metropolitan in New York City in 1955. This Wednesday, February 19th, join…
May 29, 2013
VMFA is fortunate to have endowed private funds which can only be used for art acquisition. Here are some recent acquisitions currently on view in the galleries. The curators have provided insights about the objects. Elaborate processional crosses made for Ethiopian churches are often inscribed with images and lettering that deepen their message. On this…
