AAM’s Art at Home

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Dear Museum Community,

We are busy preparing for a soft re-opening of the Museum on August 1, 2020, when we plan to present two exhibitions, New Photography II and Antonio McAfee: Legacy, and select classes with reduced class sizes and COVID-safe procedures in place. As we test these uncharted waters, we will inform you of revised Museum hours and schedule changes as they occur. Now I am pleased to share our new Adult Class listings for August and beyond, available here.

While the Museum remains closed until August, we have planned a virtual Juneteenth Celebration program which will launch on our Facebook, Instagram and website next Friday June 19 and Saturday June 20. Now in its ninth year, the Museum’s Juneteenth Celebration honors the significant contributions of African Americans to our nation while commemorating Emancipation Day.

This year’s celebration of Juneteenth is dedicated to the memory of Eric Lowery, past President of the Frederick Douglass Honor Society. Eric’s leadership led to a statue of Frederick Douglass on the grounds of the Talbot County Courthouse. In 2011, the Museum partnered with the Frederick Douglass Honor Society to host the first Juneteenth Celebration in Easton.

This year’s virtual Juneteenth Celebration features: a performance by D.C. jazz singer Alison Crockett; a performance by local musician Kentavius Jones; a story time for children of “Juneteenth for Maize” read by Omeaka Jackson of Cambridge, President, CEO, and founder of Harvesting Hope Youth and Family Wellness, Inc.; Docent Reflections on works in the Permanent Collection by prominent African-American artists Martin Puryear and Tom Miller; an Out of the Vault feature on a work by Sam Gilliam in the Permanent Collection; a special crafting project for children by Constance Del Nero, Museum Director of Children’s Education & Community Programs; and a broadcast of our recent Virtual Studio Visit with Baltimore-based African-American artist Antonio McAfee, the Museum’s current Artist-in-Residence for 2020 and the subject of the Museum’s upcoming exhibition “Antonio McAfee: Legacy.”

For further information about the Museum’s virtual Juneteenth event, visit academyartmuseum.org or visit the Museum’s Facebook page.

In addition to preparing for this exciting virtual Juneteenth Celebration, Museum staff continue to produce outstanding weekly virtual content for Art at Home. This week we premiere a Virtual Studio Visit with father and son artists Greg and Jon Mort, who discuss the influence of astronomy and science on their artistic practice, their mutual relationship and shared influences, and the effects of quarantine on their process. Produced and edited by Curatorial Assistant Conner Dorbin, the Virtual Studio Visit is available below and will also launch on Facebook on Friday June 12 at 6pm.

In this week’s Out of the Vault, Curator Mehves Lelic take a closer look at a work from the Permanent Collection by Brooklyn-based African-American artist Leonardo Drew entitled 14P. In discussing this week’s #AAMartoftheweek theme “below the surface,” she reflects on Drew’s use of natural materials such as paper and wood, as well as roots, rust, mud and discarded objects through extreme processes to create sculptural works. In this week’s episode of Docent Reflections, Docent Susan Carroll eloquently muses on photographer John Gossage’s series The Pond from the Museum’s Permanent Collection. Other regular virtual fixtures include a Children’s Craft Time activity with “yummy ice cream,” a Live Storytime on Facebook with Miss Meg, Virtual Portfolio Reviews, and #AAMartoftheweek “below the surface.”

Finally, I am pleased to announce the launch of our online Museum Shop. Produced and developed by Jennifer Chrzanowski, Development Manager, the online Museum Shop features unique Museum items, including our recent exhibition and collection catalogues, mugs, bumper stickers, ornaments, magnets and more. The online Museum Shop will pair with a small Museum Shop vitrine in the renovated Museum Space once we open in August. For now, enjoy shopping online and all of our virtual offerings!

Sincerely,

Benjamin T. Simons
Director
Academy Art Museum