Sculptor’s works express historical truths
Melvin Edwards melds the story of African-American past and present through sculpted steel. Now through January 12, his work can be seen at a solo exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA). During his 60-year career, the revolutionary sculptor has had more than a dozen solo exhibitions and was part of nearly 50 group shows. Edwards was also the first African-American sculptor to... READ MORE
Hopper’s ‘prosaic’ art tells many stories
The acclaimed painter Edward Hopper first visited the state of Virginia in 1939, when the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) invited him to chair the jury for the museum’s first biennial exhibition. Hopper returned in 1953 as a juror for that year’s biennial exhibition, too. On the latter visit, the VMFA purchased Hopper’s 1935 painting “House at Dusk” for its permanent... READ MORE
Guests can stay inside an Edward Hopper painting
When Alex Nyerges, director and CEO of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, heard curator Leo Mazow’s idea that the museum should build an actual hotel room to mimic one of Edward Hopper’s paintings he said, “I thought he was crazy!” But Mazow’s idea evolved and was accepted — and now, Nyerges said, “I’m so glad we did it.” In an innovative move, the museum allows... READ MORE
Exhibit highlights Marian Anderson’s life
Singer Marian Anderson is perhaps best remembered for her most famous performances. On April 9, 1939, because segregationist policies denied her access to the DAR’s Constitution Hall, Anderson sang at the Lincoln Memorial. She performed from the steps of the monument before an integrated audience of 75,000. In 1942, the DAR changed its policy and invited Anderson to sing at... READ MORE
Exhibit conveys suffering of immigrants
What does the past, present and future of immigration look like? The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement, an exhibit on view at The Phillips Collection through September 22, seeks to answer this question through the work of 75 contemporary and historical artists. The show was guest curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Natalie Bell, both of the New Museum in New York, and... READ MORE
Exhibit illuminates immigrants’ stories
When he was 10 years old, Atif Qarni, Virginia’s Secretary of Education, came to the United States from Pakistan. He went on to serve in the U.S. Marines during the Iraq War. Bol Gai Deng, who works at a Richmond home-improvement store, survived the destruction of his Sudanese town when he was seven years old, fled to America and settled in Virginia. Today he’s campaigning to be the... READ MORE
Houdini reappears in Baltimore (exhibit)
From 1898 to 1925, the internationally acclaimed magician Harry Houdini appeared in Maryland on multiple occasions, performing nearly every one of his signature acts, stunts, lectures and shows. Ninety-two years after his death (on November 4, 1926), Houdini returns to Baltimore in a Jewish Museum of Maryland original exhibit, “Inescapable: The Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini.” It... READ MORE
Exhibit explores artist’s activism, creativity
The title, “What Remains to Be Seen,” aptly describes the new exhibition of Howardena Pindell’s work at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. It suggests what the under-recognized artist has accomplished over the past five decades, as well as what’s to come. I also sensed another metaphor when I read a subtitle in the exhibition’s first room, “Cut, Sewn, Adorned.” The themes of ... READ MORE
Spotlight on Russian crafts
Chalk it up to my Russian heritage, but I’ve long been fascinated by Russian crafts, and by Fabergé eggs, in particular. So the current exhibition at the Walters Art Museum, “Fabergé and the Russian Crafts Tradition: An Empire’s Legacy,” was right up my alley. But you don’t have to have a Russian grandmother to appreciate this exquisite display. Fabergé eggs are renowned for ... READ MORE
Exhibits highlight black photographers
In an arrestingly beautiful photograph, the crescent-shaped opening of a niqab, a Muslim face cover, reveals a woman’s dark skin, the white of the garment mirroring the whites of her probing eyes. The tight composition and simplicity of the image highlight the woman’s intent gaze. In an interview about his photographic portraits, artist Chester Higgins once said, “What I find most... READ MORE
