Destination: New England - May/June 2024

DESTINATION: NEW ENGLAND

Summer—the season of carpe diem—is nearly upon us. Travelers are planning— and realizing all they need for that special summer getaway is right here in New England: relaxation, invigoration, fascination, and always a little education. There’s a museum for that! Have fun and pack lightly as you embark on an adventure of art and intrigue.

Stamford Museum & Nature Center

Stamford, CT

Stamford Museum & Nature Center is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community and beyond. Visitors can picnic on the Meadow, wander more than eighty acres of

nature trails, and explore educational and inspirational exhibitions in the Stamford Museum Galleries, located in the historic 1920s Bendel Mansion. Make sure to stop by and visit some of the animals at the Nature Center, including the Heckscher Farm, the otter pond and the wildlife exhibitions. Pat Musick: Our Fragile Home, on view through May 27, features work spanning the last three decades of Musick’s career. The collection of forty-eight pieces of mixed-media sculpture, painting and collage work explores the fragility and beauty of Earth, as well as the planet’s capacity for renewal. Upcoming, Under Pressure: Painting with Air is on view from June 13 to September 2. Under Pressure focuses on

the medium of airbrush, which was invented in the nineteenth century and has become a staple of contemporary commercial art. The exhibition features iconic artists such as Don Eddy, George Green and Jerry Ott as well as modern masters such as Alan Pastrana, Bruce Evans, Dru Blair, Cesar Santander and Hisaya Taira. Join Eddy at the opening reception on June 13, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Hammond Castle Museum

Gloucester, MA

Sitting on bluffs overlooking the Atlantic, the Hammond Castle Museum was built in the late 1920s by scientist, inventor and art connoisseur John Hays Hammond, Jr. (1888–1965). This June, the Museum presents five Pride-focused mini exhibits highlighting Queer figures who either visited the museum or were associated with Hammond. Join the Museum in celebrating with Abbadia Mare: A Night of Poetry & Pride on June 9 at 6:30 p.m. The night includes a reception and curated reading with community members reading works from Charles Olson, John Wieners, Robert Duncan, Gerritt Lansing, Daisy Alden and more, including recently unearthed poems by Hammond himself. This event is in association with Maximus to Aquarius: Gerrit Lansing and Set Magazine, on view June 7–13. On June 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., attend a family-friendly panel discussion of the hit show Bewitched and screening of the episode “Darrin on a Pedestal,” filmed on-location at the Hammond Castle Museum. From 5 to 10 p.m., catch a double feature of Tell Me, That You Love Me Junie Moon, partially filmed at the Museum, and cult 1974 hit The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This event is seventeen and older, with ages thirteen and up allowed only with parent or guardian present.

North River Arts Society 47th Annual Festival of the Arts—Marshfield, MA

Experience the vibrancy of creativity at the North River Arts Society’s 47th Annual Festival of the Arts, taking place on May 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the charming and historical Marshfield Hills Village. This free two-day festival features a juried fine art, photography and sculpture exhibit, judged by national, award winning artists and curators. Enjoy live musical and theatrical performances, local food trucks, bin-style art sales, a free craft tent, poetry

readings, silent auction items, street chalk art, a giant puppet parade and more. The festivities kick off with a block-party style Preview Party Fundraiser on Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m., offering an evening of culinary delights and live music. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate and support the vibrant arts community of the South Shore. Beyond its festive atmosphere, the Festival serves as the primary fundraising event for the North River Arts Society. Every

OF BASKETS AND BORERS

June 1 - September 14, 2024

Kara Walker, Exodus of Confederates from Atlanta. From Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated), 2005, offset lithography and silkscreen on

Jenkins & Co. and Sprüth Magers.

Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated), a touring exhibition that showcases Walker’s art alongside the Winslow Homer illustrations that inspired it, on view through May 27. Walker revisits the prints made by Homer during his time serving as a war correspondent for Harper’s Magazine, utilizing her signature silhouettes to introduce new elements. She surfaces race and gender-based biases, highlights profound sociopolitical inequalities, and brings to the fore a silenced history of violence that complicates Homer’s initial narrative. The Currier also presents the work of French artist Raphaël Barontini (b. 1984) in an exciting exhibition titled I live

contribution directly supports the organization’s mission of fostering participation and appreciation for the arts at the community level through accessible art classes, workshops, and events for individuals of all ages and skill levels.

Currier Museum of Art—Manchester, NH

The Currier Museum of Art is a central part of the New Hampshire art scene. The Currier’s current exhibitions include Kara Walker: Harper’s

NorthRiverArts.org

Fine Art, Sculpture, Photography, Live Performances, Live Music, Demos, Artisan Vendors, Children's Crafts, Giant Puppet Parade and so much more!

Left:

Somerset Textured paper, sheet: 39 x 53" (99.1 x 134.6 cm). © Kara Walker, courtesy of Sikkema

a journey of a thousand years, on view through June 23. The exhibition comprises about twenty works and is Barontini’s largest presentation to date at a U.S. institution. Closely following the commission titled We Could be Heroes at the Panthéon in Paris—part of the Carte blanche series organized by France’s National Monuments Center—the exhibition at the Currier features La Bataille de Vertières (2023) as its centerpiece, a monumental 65-foot-wide painting that first premiered inside the Panthéon and is on view here in the U.S. for the first time.

The Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University—Plymouth, NH

The Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University explores the art, culture, history, and environment of the White Mountains region through changing exhibitions, highlights from the permanent collections, and a rich array of programming. The

Museum is focused on a place and is dedicated to telling the stories of the people, plants and animals in the region of the White Mountains. Opening June 1, Of Baskets and Borers explores the past, present, and future of Indigenous basketry in the White Mountains of New Hampshire through the intersection between Indigenous basketry, brown ash trees, and the Emerald Ash Borer. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on May 31. The Museum of the White Mountains is housed on Plymouth State University’s gorgeous campus at the entrance of the scenic White Mountains. Explore the connection between art, culture and nature at this unique academic museum.

Wickford Arts Festival—Wickford, RI

Wickford Arts Festival returns to historic Wickford Village for its 61st year on July 13 and 14, with new hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wickford Arts Festival is an immersive art, culture and

PAT MUSICK

OUR FRAGILE HOME

UNDER PRESSURE PAINTING WITH AIR

Thursday, June 13 | 5 – 7 PM with a keynote talk by legendary artist, Don Eddy

entertainment experience offering fun for the whole family. The Festival transforms the easily accessible Wilson Park into an open-air gallery for visitors to peruse works by more than 200 new and returning artists from Rhode Island and beyond. The juried art show features carefully selected work in a variety of mediums, from ceramics, sculptures and paintings to photography, pyrography, wearable fiber arts and more. Numerous food trucks from some of Rhode Island’s best will be present. Complimentary shuttles courtesy of the North Kingstown Rotary will run from parking lots at Wickford Middle School and First Church of Science. Don’t forget to take the scenic Bush Hill Trail from Wilson Park to see local musical performances supported by the North Kingstown Arts Council. While in town, explore everything surrounding Wickford Village has to offer, including colonial homes, harbor views, boutique shopping and fine dining.

Jodi Manca

Artist

Traveling Exhibition organized by David J. Wagner, LLC stamfordmuseum.org