Here is an easy New Year’s resolution to keep: visit more art museums!!! Miami University Art Museum re-opens Tuesday, January 29 with three brand new exhibitions spanning a variety of topics.
Outside the Box: A Student Response will open January 29 and remain on view until May 18. This is the fifth juried Student Response Exhibition (SRE) which called for Miami students to creatively respond to the selected theme- the Box. 30 works from 33 different artists were selected to create a cohesive and eye-catching display of works in a variety of mediums addressing numerous topics.
As a juried exhibition, all works were selected through a formal process by a committee. Three works in the exhibitions will be chosen for cash awards by votes cast by visitors viewing the exhibition via a kiosk located in the gallery. These awards are sponsored by the Art Museum Membership Association and will be announced at a special reception on April 9 from 7-9pm during a public awards ceremony.
More Than An Object: Engaging the Broader Context of African Art is this year’s Art and Architecture History Senior Capstone exhibition and will be open from January 29 through June 8, 2019. For the past 8 years, senior art students have embarked on the rigorous journey of curating an exhibition from start to finish under the guidance of an Art and Architecture History faculty advisor and MUAM Staff. This year, 9 students joined forces with Dr. Jordan Fenton to attempt to resituate objects from across the African continent within the original cultural framework in which they were intended and once part of.
This exhibition aims to contextualize 27 pieces from MUAM’s permanent African art collection through engaging photomurals and video. To further engage these works and provide more context, there will be a Capstone Reception and Student Gallery Talks on Wednesday, February 27 at 6pm. This event will be a more interactive event, as the capstone students will be available in the gallery to speak about their pieces and discuss their research.
The final exhibition culminating MUAM’s spring exhibitions is 40 at 40: Celebrating 40 Years. Miami University Art Museum celebrated its 40th birthday last September. To commemorate this incredible milestone, 40 at 40 highlights the diversity of the collections, exhibitions, and educational offerings over the last four decades. Just as important, the exhibition 40 at 40 recognizes contributions made by many of the donors who helped make the Art Museum what it is today. Most of the art featured in this exhibition was on display at some time since being acquired. Some donations received over the past several years are on display for the very first time. With over 17,000 objects in the Art Museum’s collection, it would take more exhibitions and programmatic offerings over many years for you to see everything.
40 at 40 will be open from January 29 through June 8, 2019. During this time, MUAM is hosting a variety of FREE events and programs including exhibition talks and First Saturday Family Days. Mark your calendars! Family Days will be the first Saturday of February, March, and April.
A volunteer docent will provide a 30-minute tour to introduce 40 at 40. Following the tour, children ages 5-10 years, accompanied by an adult, will experience a hands-on activity designed to engage them with the materials and studio processes represented in the exhibition. You do not want to miss out!
As always, MUAM is OPEN AND FREE TO ALL!