Reading

BmoreArt News: ReBokeh at the Renwick, NGA Ends DEI, Eileen Koenigsberg

Previous Story
Article Image

Ramen Weather at Toki Underground

Next Story
Article Image

Don’t Abandon Maryland’s Legacy of Arts Investment

This week’s news includes:  The Renwick has partnered with ReBokeh, National Gallery of Art ends DEI programs, Inviting Light Public Art Initiative, Eileen Koenigsberg’s art filled home, Creative Alliance’s Inaugural Resident Performing Artist Brinae Ali, The DMV Collects the DMV at The Kreeger Museum, BSO’s Jonathan Carney to retire, Wendell Patrick and Peabody’s new Hip-Hop degree, Dan Rodricks joins Baltimore Brew, Meander Corner Bar opens, WCMFA receives gift from David G. Wright, and MoCA’s Emily Fussner and Stephanie Lane’s pop-up metro exhibition — with reporting from Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, The Baltimore Banner, and other local and independent news sources.

Header Image: Tom Green, Message, 2008. Screenprint. Collection of Brigitte Reyes and Lawrence Mills Davis. From The Kreeger Museum exhibition The DMV Collects the DMV.

Thats Good News GIFs - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

Photo from Smithsonian American Art Museum and The Renwick Gallery's Facebook page.

Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery now offering Baltimore-based ReBokeh app for vision-impaired
by Aliza Worthington
Published January 29 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: The ReBokeh mobile app is now available for free at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. as a pilot program for improving accessibility for vision-impaired people.

The app, created by Baltimore-based assistive tech company (featured in BmoreArt Print Journal 18) ReBokeh, allows moderate- to low-vision users to adjust the appearance of the world around them to fit their specific visual needs. Using the real-time camera feed from a smartphone, the app allows users to overlay customized filers to adjust things like contrast, color hue, zoom, and lighting.

The ReBokeh mobile app doesn’t fully replace a person’s sight with audio or tactile descriptions, but it does empower visually-impaired people — 85% of whom have some usable vision — to engage more fully with their visual surroundings.

 

 

National Gallery of Art Ends Diversity Programs
by Maya Pontone
Published January 24 in Hyperallergic

Excerpt: The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, DC, is ending its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs as a result of an executive order (EO) issued by President Donald Trump on Monday, January 20. The executive order terminates such initiatives across all federal agencies and entities, referring to them as “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.”

An NGA spokesperson told Hyperallergic that the museum has closed its Office of Belonging and Inclusion in response to Trump’s mandate.

“The employees of that office have been reassigned to already vacant positions elsewhere in the museum,” the spokesperson said.

 

 

Inviting Light Public Art Initiative Announces Open Call for Local Creatives to Participate
Press Release :: January 30

Baltimore City’s highly-anticipated public art project, Inviting Light, which was awarded a $1 million grant through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, has also received coveted support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The project was awarded a $90,000 Arts Project Grant specifically to fund the project’s community arts programming component this year. To extend more opportunities for local creatives to participate, organizers have launched an open call to artists and other creatives to propose ideas to be a part of the Inviting Light series of events in 2025, a year of light in Station North.

Those selected will receive support both for their participation and to cover production expenses, ensuring their creative visions come to life. Submissions are being considered on a rolling basis, with a final deadline for consideration of March 31, 2025. Baltimore City residents and groups with relevant experience, including emerging artists and community-based groups, are encouraged to apply at https://invitinglight.org/submissions/. 

“Inviting Light is set to infuse a vibrant glow of cultural activity into the Station North Arts District this year with five site-specific public art installations and complementary monthly arts programming,” said Ellen Janes, Executive Director of Central Baltimore Partnership. “We are honored and thrilled to be awarded such generous support from Bloomberg Philanthropies and now the NEA to help us integrate even more local artists and creatives to be a part of what’s to come in the neighborhood.”

Inviting Light’s Organizers Seek:

  • Innovative projects by artists and creatives with backgrounds in performance, multimedia interventions, community workshops, or food-based activities that foster connection.
  • Proposals that explore the visual and metaphorical aspects of light, emphasizing themes of social and civic engagement.
  • Flexible approaches for evening events that adapt to site, weather, and duration, including multi-sited or series-based programming.

Over the past decade, stakeholders in Station North have identified poor quality or lack of lighting as a challenge to cultural activity, street life, and investment. Informed by the Station North Public Space Plan and Signal Station North, a two-year community engagement, planning, and prototyping project, Inviting Light’s five distinct artistic light installations will enhance the nighttime environment and accelerate the inspiring revival of Station North.

“Light is a crucial element of our public spaces that we often take for granted — it’s most noticeable when it’s missing,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “Planning documents frequently cover transportation, green spaces, or streetscapes, but few focus specifically on lighting infrastructure. Light shapes our experience in public areas in both obvious ways, like guiding our path, and in more subtle ways — it helps us track time, serves as a landmark, and creates a unique sense of place. We’re incredibly grateful for the generous support from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the National Endowment for the Arts to bring this bold vision to life in Baltimore. We look forward to seeing people ‘bring their light’ to Station North, visiting local businesses, exploring arts and culture, and reflecting the vibrant community spirit of our Arts District.”

About Station North Arts District: Station North, designated as one of the country’s first Arts and Entertainment Districts, has long been a hub for creative expression and cultural innovation. Through Inviting Light, the district continues to connect artists and audiences in meaningful ways. Follow @invitinglightbaltimore on Instagram or visit invitinglight.org to sign up for updates.

About the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge: The Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge brings together mayors, residents, and artists to develop temporary public art projects that address important civic issues in their communities. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies invited mayors of U.S. cities with 30,000 residents or more to apply for up to $1 million in funding to create temporary public art projects that address important civic issues and demonstrate an ability to generate public-private collaborations, celebrate creativity and urban identity, and strengthen local economies. More than 150 cities from 40 U.S. states applied. Bloomberg Philanthropies selected eight winning cities to develop projects focused on challenges related to climate change, equity, food insecurity, gun violence, homelessness, public health, and revitalization. Since launching in 2014, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge has spurred more than $100 million in economic benefits for participating cities and action across a range of civic issues. For more information, please visit publicartchallenge.bloomberg.org.

 

 

Eileen Koenigsberg as a child painting with her father, the late artist Peter Scholleck. —Courtesy of Eileen Koenigsberg

Filled With Art by Her Father Who Fled Nazi Germany, Eileen Koenigsberg’s Towson Home is Part Museum
by Lauren LaRocca
Published January 27 in Baltimore Magazine

Excerpt: Eileen Koenigsberg sits on a recliner in her living room in what would otherwise be a typical suburban home in Towson were it not for the gigantic abstract paintings surrounding her, taking up entire walls.

Over the past five decades and through several moves and life changes, Koenigsberg, 75, has lived with these large-scale paintings by her father, the late Peter Scholleck. In every room, his oil paintings, some of which are nearly sculptural in their thickness, hang on walls, making this house part home, part museum. Her Towson house is a showcase that ranges across spectrum of styles—abstract, figurative, still lifes, landscapes, even religious.

The paintings have a particular poignancy because Scholleck survived Nazi Germany in 1939, when he was just a teenager. Before he left, he witnessed untold horrors. And for Koenigsberg, it was more about the connection to her father who died at only 45.

 

 

Brinae Ali brings Baltimore history, artistic legacy, and percussive talent to Creative Alliance during Black History Month.
Press Release :: January 27

Creative Alliance’s Inaugural Resident Performing Artist Brinae Ali is redefining tap with innovative percussion techniques and cutting-edge technology to deliver new compositions that echo the defiance and Black consciousness of jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, and Charlie Parker.

Brinae Ali and the Baltimore Jazz Collective, featuring guest artist Wendel Patrick, offer you a rare seat in the room to witness the bebop spirit and legacy of Baby Laurence.

The Baby Laurence Legacy Project: Tracing Steps is a tribute to the legacy of Baltimore tap dance legend Donald “Baby Laurence” Jackson. This project, which has been in development since 2022, debuts its most recent performance component over two nights on February 21 and 22, 2025, during Black History Month. The performances celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Baltimore and the profound influence of Baby Laurence on the art of tap dance and jazz music.

The Baby Laurence Legacy Project is an integrated work of jazz tap dance and jazz music that investigates and celebrates Baby Laurence’s artistic and social influences on both genres. To capture and demystify the story of this iconic tap dancer from Baltimore, this project is more than just performance – it includes referential and new choreography and compositions, multimedia, and archival research tracing Baby Laurence’s footsteps in Baltimore, Harlem, and Washington, D.C. As band leader, lead vocalist, and tap dancer, Brinae Ali leads this creative venture in collaboration with a six-piece jazz ensemble, tap and contemporary dancers, actors, and a live DJ.

The night unfolds using dance, music, staged readings, archival film, and documents that bring Baby Laurence’s life into focus. Brinae Ali narrates his story using spoken word, contemporary tap choreography, live music, dance improvisation, and soundscaping integrating responsive electronic tap floors and a loop machine to create unique moments of artistry. Video mapping projections, lighting, and contributions from numerous artists push the boundaries of traditional tap performance.

The Baby Laurence Project is a platform to share a largely forgotten, yet familiar story of a native Black Baltimorean whose life and legacy resonates with many area residents today. The performance shows triumph – and struggle – and provides an authentic portrayal of the complexities of Baby Laurence’s legacy.

Audiences will emerge with a deeper understanding of the legacy of Baby Laurence, as well as, an increased curiosity about lives lost, stories left untold, and the importance of preserving Black culture and history for future generations.

PERFORMERS & COLLABORATORS:
Christina Carminucci (dancer, @xtina_nucci)
Ahadu Chase (drummer/dancer/actor, @cbandzzzzzz_21)
Alicia Lundgren (@dont_forget_to_have_fundgren)
Lebra Chase (poet/actor)
Baakari Wilder (dancer/actor, @baakari)
Hannah Lane (dramaturg/archivist)
Sarah Berns-Zieve (videographer, @bz_______)
Nicholas Young (electronic tap floor sound design)
Drew Florida (lighting director, @drew_florida_ld)
Sean Jones (trumpet/composer/musical director, @seanboymusic)
Todd Marcus (bass clarinet/composer, @toddmarcusjazz)
Kris Funn (bassist/composer)
Eric Kennedy (drummer, @erickennedymusic)
Wendel Patrick (turntables/sound architect, @wendelpatrickofficialmusic)

“I fundamentally believe that art has the power to be a catalyst for social change and transform the conditions of the human spirit. To be a Black American mother, born and raised in Flint, Michigan now living in Baltimore, many odds are against me because I dare to be an artist. As an arts practitioner, I have utilized the tools of dance, movement, sound, spoken word, and song to help me stay connected to history, culture, and humanity.” – Brinae Ali

 

 

Installation image of The DMV Collects the DMV courtesy of Kristofer Heng.

Last chance to see The DMV Collects the DMV on view through February 1st, 2025!
Newsletter :: January 23

The Kreeger Museum and The Washington Print Club are pleased to present The DMV Collects the DMV, on view at The Kreeger Museum through February 1, 2025.

The DMV Collects the DMV celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Washington Print Club by presenting an encapsulated history of regional artists and institutions selected from members’ collections. Forty-nine artists who lived or built their careers in the District-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) region are represented by works on paper, ranging from drawing, painting, and photography to print-making. This multigenerational assemblage of artists established and were supported by key educational institutions and print workshops. The Corcoran School of Art, Howard University, and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) provided valuable training, employment, and art community cohesion for decades. No fewer than five important print workshops were established by artists included in the exhibition: The Workshop Inc. (Lou and Di Stovall), Pyramid Atlantic (Helen Frederick), Handprint Workshop International (HPWI was established by Dennis O’Neil, who taught at the Corcoran and printed the work of several artists in the exhibit), Lily Press (Susan Goldman), and Sol Print Studio (Soledad Salamé).

-Laura Roulet, Guest Curator, The Washington Print Club

This exhibition is presented under The Collaborative, a program developed by The Kreeger Museum in 2021 to support Washington-area artists.

 

 

Jonathan Carney, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s top violinist, will retire in two years. (Eric Thompson for The Baltimore Banner)

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s longtime concertmaster to retire
by Rebecca Ritzel
Published January 22 in The Baltimore Banner

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s longtime concertmaster will retire at the end of the 2026-27 season after a 25-year career in Charm City, the orchestra announced Wednesday.

Jonathan Carney has served as the orchestra’s top violinist, highest-paid musician and de facto second-in-command since 2001.

Carney’s tenure is notable not only for his longevity, but for his commitment to the broader mid-Atlantic music community and his many recordings under the baton of former music director Marin Alsop. It was also marked by allegations of inappropriate behavior, ranging from a 2005 proposed sexual encounter to a 2018 temporary peace order after he allegedly threatened a Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra employee.

An international search for a new concertmaster will begin immediately, the orchestra said.

“Jonathan Carney’s leadership as concertmaster under three music directors has greatly contributed to the BSO’s artistic growth since the turn of the century,” Mark C. Hanson, BSO president and CEO, said in a statement. He also praised Carney’s participation in education, community and fundraising activities.

Carney is the longest-serving concertmaster in BSO history. He was appointed by former music director Yuri Temirkanov, and initially praised by fellow musicians for his congeniality and willingness to play low-profile gigs like school field trips. Although American, Carney came to Baltimore with his former wife, Ruth, and three children after a dozen years as concertmaster of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

“It has been my life’s greatest honor to lead the extraordinary members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as concertmaster this past quarter century,” Carney said in the release. For his “long-time service,” he will be given the honorary title of concertmaster laureate after retiring, a first for the orchestra.

Carney will appear “on a reduced performance schedule” beginning this fall, according to an internal email to BSO staff shared with The Banner.

Carney had been absent from several recent concerts conducted by Jonathon Heyward, the young conductor who succeeded Alsop in 2023.

Heyward, who was not made available for comment, will personally lead the search for a new concertmaster, the email to staff said. The BSO did not give a reason why Carney was leaving. As recently as November, BSO attorney and board member Stephen Shawe defended the rockier moments of Carney’s long tenure and gave no indication the concertmaster would be stepping down.

“Believe me, he is not a choir boy,” Shawe said late last year. “He’s been talked to.”

Allegations of inappropriate behavior first surfaced in 2006, when principal oboist Katherine Needleman told a union rep and orchestra personnel staff that Carney made a 3 a.m. visit to her hotel room while the orchestra was touring Spain. He initially denied the encounter and romantic overtures. But when Needleman raised the issue again 2017, in the wake of the #MeToo movement, the orchestra engaged a lawyer to investigate.

In her 31-page report, attorney Melissa McGuire absolved Carney of “illegal sexual harassment” and retaliation, though established the encounter occurred.

The report also uncovered a series of other issues. For example, multiple witnesses told the investigator that Carney once followed two female colleagues into a women’s restroom and wanted “to see them kiss.” Carney also admitted to romantic relationships with three other musicians who were either BSO members or substitutes, including one he initially failed to disclose.

Two former personnel managers shared evidence that Carney inappropriately sought BSO gigs for Julie Savignon, the substitute violinist who eventually became his second wife, even though students from the Peabody Conservatory ranked above her on the orchestra’s list of substitutes.

In 2016, a personnel manager requested all substitute violinists to re-audition or be eliminated from the roster. Sauvignon did not attend the audition and fell from third to twelfth on the substitute list.

The investigator recommended sensitivity training for Carney and warned him against lobbying for Savignon.

Arts organizations typically keep these reports confidential. The BSO only released a brief summary, however, the full report is now available via a Freedom of Information Act request to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where Needleman lodged a complaint. Some of those documents are also posted on her website, including sworn affidavits from two young Baltimore musicians. One alleged he talked about her breasts in front of others, and the other alleged she was verbally harassed. Carney denied both allegations through his attorney, Baltimore Symphony donor Neil Ruther, and was suspended from the BSO while the matter was pending.

The most recent eye-brow raising incident involving the concertmaster occurred in March 2022, when the BSO attempted to suspend Carney for making a rude remark about guest pianist Benjamin Grosvernor while the audience applauded.

That concert series happened to mark the first time Heyward guest conducted the BSO. In a statement released via his publicist, Grosvenor said orchestra staff handled the situation “with the utmost sensitivity and respect.”He received a letter of apology from the orchestraand considers the matter closed.

According to Ruther, Carney successfully overturned the suspension via union arbitration.

Carney’s retirement announcement has prompted other BSO supporters and alumni to reflect positively on his time in Baltimore. Former assistant concertmaster Igor Yuzefovich, who now serves as the BBC Symphony’s top violinist, said in a Facebook message that “It was an immense honor” to play alongside Carney.

“Jon is one of the Concertmaster titans of our era, someone who infused his musical personality and style into every note he played, and elevated and inspired the sound and artistic involvement of everyone around him on the stage,” Yuzefovich said.

Rebecca J. Ritzel is an arts and culture writer from Baltimore.

This story was republished with permission from The Baltimore Banner. Visit www.thebaltimorebanner.com for more.

 

 

Photography by Mike Morgan

Wendel Patrick Brings a Hip-Hop Degree to the Peabody Institute
by Max Weiss
Published January 23 in Baltimore Magazine

Excerpt: Wendel Patrick’s first memory is actually a dream. It was a recurring dream that he had for years, well into adulthood. It started when he was about 2, maybe even younger. The dream had no people in it. No light. But there was a steady sound—a beat. Something about that beat made Patrick realize he wasn’t alone.

“And then at some point, the rhythm—the thing that was repeating—became more intense and rapid, and then it stopped,” Patrick says. “And there was nobody else. I knew I was by myself.”

When he could find the words, maybe he was 3 or 4 by then, he asked his mother about the dream. She burst into tears.

Years later he would find out that he had a twin who died in childbirth. The twin’s name was…Wendel Patrick Gift.

 

 

Dan Rodricks in a scene from his play, “Baltimore You Have No Idea,” staged last month. (Todd Douglas/Bold Yellow)

A new Baltimore Brew contributor: Former Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks
by Fern Shen
Published January 25 in Baltimore Brew

Excerpt: One reason the Baltimore Sun’s Dan Rodricks has been celebrated over his 46 years of writing columns is that his opinion pieces – whether blazing with indignation or bubbling with delight – were always anchored by shoe-leather reporting and diligent research.

That goes back to his start in the business: Rodricks was hired as a reporter when he arrived here from Massachusetts.

“My first day on the job in September 1976, the city editor of the Evening Sun told me to go to the old federal courthouse on Calvert Street to help two senior reporters cover a trial,” he recalled.

“‘Who’s on trial?” the novice scribe wondered.

“The governor,” the editor said, referring to Marvin Mandel, who was later convicted and went to federal prison for mail fraud and racketeering (only to have his sentence commuted by President Ronald Reagan).

“Right then and there, I thought my newspaper career was off to a pretty good start,” Rodricks said, recalling his early days reporting at the Evening Sun, shifting three years later to writing a column that was soon moved to the newly consolidated morning and evening editions of The Sun.

 

 

Meander Art Bar to Open in Baltimore on February 1, 2025, Offering a New, Creative Concept for the Community
Press Release :: January 26

Meander Art Bar is set to open its doors on February 1, 2025, marking the next chapter of a space that has been known as Saunter Corner Bar since its opening in September 2024. What started as a cozy neighborhood bar focused on simplicity and creating meaningful experiences has now evolved into something new and groundbreaking.

While Saunter Corner Bar has been a beloved spot for great cocktails, perfect burgers, and intimate conversations, Meander Art Bar takes it a step further. The venue will introduce an innovative and immersive concept that blends food, drink, and art, offering patrons an opportunity to unleash their creativity while enjoying their time with friends and family.

In addition to an expanded menu featuring new and exciting dishes and drinks, Meander Art Bar will offer a unique art experience that Baltimore has never seen before. Guests can look forward to curated art kits provided right to their table, with everything they need to explore their artistic side. Whether it’s watercolor painting, charcoal sketches, air-dried clay, beadwork, or coloring, Meander will provide the tools, the space, and the support. You bring your imagination — and together, we create something memorable.

Meander Art Bar is the brainchild of Martha Robichaud, a Baltimore native who is passionate about blending art and community in a way that’s accessible and engaging. The venue is designed to be a gathering place where creativity thrives and connections are made over shared experiences.

“Meander Art Bar is about more than just enjoying a meal or a cocktail; it’s about coming together to create, explore, and connect with others in a meaningful way,” said Robichaud. “I can’t wait to share this new experience with the people of Baltimore.”

Meander Art Bar is the first of its kind in Baltimore and promises to offer a dynamic, interactive, and unforgettable experience. So, whether you’re a seasoned artist or looking to try something new, we invite you to come in, relax, and let your creativity flow.

Opening Date: February 1, 2025
Location: 1801 E Lombard St
Website: meanderartbar.com

About Meander Art Bar: Meander Art Bar is an innovative cocktail bar and creative space located in Baltimore, MD. Offering a unique blend of fine drinks, creative experiences, and community engagement, Meander Art Bar encourages guests to tap into their artistic potential while enjoying exceptional food and drinks in a warm, welcoming environment. Founded by Martha Robichaud, Meander is the first bar of its kind in Baltimore and aims to become a cornerstone of creativity and connection in the city.

 

 

Washington County Maryland Fine Arts Museum Announces Major Donation From Baltimore Area Collector
Press Release :: January 29

The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (WCMFA) in Hagerstown, MD, announces an extensive and  significant donation of artworks and material related to the late 19th century American Painter-Etcher Movement.

A gift from retired Baltimore area historical architect and collector David G. Wright, FAIA (Fellow American Institute of Architects, ret.), of Brooklandville, MD, the entire donation includes 1200 prints, 200 books (including those authored by Wright) and research materials as well as a generous cash contribution to support the management and curation of the works. The Wright Collection represents more than five decades of research and connoisseurship as Wright developed his interest in etchings by prominent, late 19th century American artists who focused on integrating etchings into the artistic portrayal of America’s natural beauty started by the Hudson River Valley School artists. The museum received the first portion of the donation in August 2024, with additional gifts anticipated to arrive in 2025 and 2026.

Major artists included in the collection are Thomas Moran (1837–1926), his wife Mary Nimmo Moran (1842–1899), Peter Moran (1841–1914, Thomas’ younger brother) and his wife Emily Kelley Moran (1841–1903), additional Moran family members, R. Swain Gifford (1840–1905) and Henry Farrer (1844–1903.  The two Moran wives are among women pioneers in the art of etching.

“Our museum is noted for our collection of American art,” said WCMFA board president Jim Holzapfel, “and this very generous donation is an important contribution to the American Painter-Etcher Movement works we already have in our permanent collection, which includes two Thomas Morans.  In fact, Moran’s Lower Manhattan from Communipaw, New Jersey (1880) was the museum’s first purchase in 1940, after the initial founding donation of approximately 100 works from William Henry Singer and his wife Anna Brugh Singer.”

Wright’s financial contribution, also to be provided incrementally, is being used in a number of key ways to support the collection—including purchase of new, fireproof, enclosed storage cabinets for works on paper, photography equipment for documenting the collection, and new collections management software, which will allow the museum to provide searchable online access to their entire collection.  One of Wright’s personal objectives was that his collection be available to other scholars and the public through high-quality images that allow for real appreciation of the beauty and detail of the artworks.

While Wright insists his etchings be available to see online in detail, WCMFA executive director Sarah J. Hall said his support is helping to fulfill other museum goals.

“One of the important pieces of this is online access; digitization not only makes the prints available, but also David’s years of research and scholarship. It’s really pretty thrilling,” Hall said.

“I see this as a moment when David’s generosity perfectly mirrors the growth trajectory of the museum: we’re working on plans for facility and program expansion and this gift contributes to the development of our collection, as well.  It adds to our strengths, and will position us to become a center for research into this period.”

David Wright became interested in etchings while a student at Harvard, because his roommate was the grandnephew of collector Thomas Harrison Garrett, who bought James Claghorn’s famed print collection that remains a major part of the Baltimore Museum of Art’s collection. Wright developed a passion for the genre and is a board member of the American Historical Print Collectors Society. He first became familiar with the WCMFA in 1979 when he was a young architect in Baltimore, brought in to discuss a possible commission. Another firm was awarded the job, but Wright says he continued to follow the WCMFA.

“I fell in love with this museum, which is the only art museum in Maryland other than two in Baltimore, to be accredited.  It understands what it meant to be a first-class place,” Wright said.

The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, located on Hagerstown’s historic City Park lakefront, was established in 1931 by William H. Singer, Jr. and Anna Brugh Singer and has an extensive, world-class permanent collection of close to 8,000 paintings, drawings and prints from the 16th century to the present by celebrated and diverse artists, as well as sculptures from ancient Egypt. The Museum offers tours, classes, educational programs and community events and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.  Closed Mondays and major holidays.  Free admission and free parking. For more information: wcmfa.org.

 

 

courtesy MoCA Arlington

A new pop-up exhibition launched at the Crystal City Metro Station
Press Release :: January 29

A new pop-up exhibition launched at the Crystal City Metro Station, where customers and the community can enjoy the vibrant colors and creations of two artists from the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (MoCA Arlington).

Today, Metro’s Art in Transit Program in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington and sponsored by the National Landing Business Improvement District (BID), revealed the temporary new exhibition, which will be on view through summer 2025. The initiative features two of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington resident artists, Emily Fussner and Stephanie Lane. The pop-up exhibition, curated by MoCA Arlington’s Curator & Resident Artist/Collector Liaison Amanda Jirón-Murphy, is a dynamic installation designed to elevate public spaces with art.

The art installation adorns the construction barricade surrounding the station’s entrance during the escalator replacement initiative. The series of artworks will serve to enhance the visual appeal and customer experience around the station.

“We are thrilled to work again with the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington to highlight the work of local artists to turn a functional construction site into a lively and colorful environment for the enjoyment of customers and the surrounding community” said Metro Art in Transit Program Manager Laurent Odde. “Thanks to the support of the National Landing BID, this project provides the public with an opportunity to enjoy the arts as part of their daily lives.”

Metro’s Art in Transit Program works with visual and performing artists, other arts professionals, architects, engineers, community organizations and representatives, and jurisdictional arts councils to develop projects and performances that reflect the spirit and vitality of the region. As part of its mission, the Art in Transit Program strives to enhance the appearance of construction by incorporating visual artwork into improvement projects at Metro stations and facilities.

“We’re proud to support this captivating public art installation that highlights local artists and aims to uplift and inspire our community,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, National Landing BID President & CEO. “Our collaboration with MoCA Arlington and WMATA demonstrates our dedication to reimagining public spaces and enhancing our streetscapes, ultimately creating a more vibrant and engaging transit experience.”

“The Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington is honored to partner with WMATA’s Art in Transit Program and the National Landing BID to bring dynamic contemporary art into public spaces for our community to enjoy,” said Catherine Anchin, the museum’s Executive Director. “Artists Emily Fussner and Stephanie Lane share a studio at MoCA Arlington, and through their work, visitors will be able to see the exceptional quality and innovation that our regional artists bring to the contemporary art field.”

The pop-up art exhibition, located at 1750 S Clark St, Arlington, VA 22202, will be seen by thousands of Metro customers and people passing by each day until the construction project concludes.

About the Artists

Emily Fussner is a visual artist whose work highlights and transforms peripheral patterns of cracks, light, and shadows found in everyday spaces. She holds an MFA from George Mason University and was awarded a 2018-2019 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Graduate Fellowships. She is currently one of ten artists-in-residence at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington.

Stephanie Lane works across various media and explores ideas about opposites, merging, emergence, and boundaries. In addition, she works as a fine art photographer. Lane attended the Corcoran College of Art and Design and holds a BGS from the University of Maryland. She is currently one of ten artists-in-residence at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington.

 

 

Header Image: Tom Green, Message, 2008. Screenprint. Collection of Brigitte Reyes and Lawrence Mills Davis.

Related Stories
Baltimore art news updates from independent & regional media

This week's news includes: Glenstone Museum announces new exhibitions, the sublime Amy Sherald, Savannah G.M. Wood awarded Tabb Center humanities fellowship, from France to Baltimore, Ky Vassor installs work at Govans Presbyterian Church, remembering Susan Alcorn, and more!

A Conversation with the Instrument Maker on Rediscovering Play, Ancient Traditions, and Peace Through Sound

"I like to think that sound has information, so when we build and play and listen to these kinds of instruments today, it's like opening a portal to an experience that was designed in another time, in another world."

The best weekly art openings, events, and calls for entry happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas.

This Week:  A Media Quilt Project video installation opening reception, TINY Art Soiree at Hotel Indigo, "Obscured Legacy" film screening at MCHC, BSO at the Lewis Museum, Future Histories opening reception at the Driskell Center, Inviting Light Kick-Off at the Parkway, and more!

Visual Art that Feeds the Soul, Inspires the Mind, and Wrests You Out of the Grip of Wintry Online Malaise

This month, I am sharing four major exhibits with you that will restore your faith in humanity, inspire you to dream big and convince you to bundle up and head back out into the real world.