The Magazine of the Birmingham Museum of Art - Winter Spring 2021
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Medium The Magazine of the Birmingham Museum of Art Winter · Spring · 2021
Contents Medium · Winter / Spring · 2021
Art + Exhibitions 4
Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Ways of Seeing: Buildings + Monuments
An Epic of Earth and Water:
Clare Leighton and the “New England Industries” Series
Wall to Wall: Merritt Johnson
Ways of Seeing: The Art of Trade, Travel, & Transportation
Programs + Events 11
News + Giving 12
CultureBridge Update
Tribute + Memorial Gifts
Corporate Partners
Impact Report 15
Introduction
Impact
Financial Statement
Acquisitions
Support
Adama Kouyaté, Malian, (born 1927, Bougouni, French West Africa, died Clare Leighton sketching a study for Grist Milling, about 1950, Clare
2020, Mali), Man on Motorcycle, 1954–1955 (original), this edition printed Leighton Collection. Yale Center for British Art, Friends of British Art Fund
later, gelatin silver print, Gift of Peter Stepan, Intercultural Projects, Munich
2001.44, © Adama Kouyaté In 1938 researchers read newspapers and periodicals and cut out arti-
cles for the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library (now the
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture). Jacob Lawrence did his
research here. National Archives, Harmon Foundation Collection
After closing to the public for COVID-19 precautions,
BIR MIN G H A M MUSEUM O F A R T
2000 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. the Museum reopened on October 6, 2020.
Birmingham, Alabama 35203 For further information, please visit www.artsbma.org/covid-19.
2
Director’s
Letter
Dear Member,
The past year has given the old expression “hindsight is 20/20” new meaning. In January of 2020,
as we began the year with the sense of optimism and resolve that typically accompanies new be-
ginnings, we never could have imagined the challenges ahead. As I reflect upon the past year, one
word captures my feelings better than any other: gratitude. Gratitude for you, our loyal patrons,
who never wavered in your commitment to this institution through these difficult times. Gratitude
for the many who reached out to check on both our finances and morale, and to ask how they
could help. Gratitude for our exceptional staff who have demonstrated their creativity, resourceful-
ness, and resiliency throughout the pandemic, finding new ways to connect with our community
even when we were closed to the public. Thank you one and all for bolstering this institution during
one of the most fraught episodes in our history. Your support continues to make all the difference.
Despite the pandemic, the new year brings a renewed sense of determination and hope. We
I would maintain that were pleased to reopen to the public on October 6, and since that time, we have welcomed more
thanks are the highest than 7,000 visitors through our doors. At a time when we are hungry for enrichment and entertain-
form of thought, and that ment beyond the confines of our own homes, the Birmingham Museum of Art can provide exactly
gratitude is happiness that. With 150,000 square feet of interior space and a rigorous cleaning protocol, we offer a place
where you can explore and experience art forms and ideas from myriad cultures through human
doubled by wonder. history without ever getting on a plane (or in a time machine!).
Among our current exhibition offerings, it has been a distinct privilege to host Jacob Lawrence:
Gilbert Keith Chesterton
The American Struggle, which runs through February 7. This is the third Jacob Lawrence exhibition
(1874–1936)
the BMA has hosted in its 70-year history and a rare opportunity to see this important body of
English writer, philosopher,
work brought together in one exhibition. The Washington Post called the Struggle series “a nation-
and literary and art critic
al treasure” and counted the exhibition among “the best visual art of 2020.” In its nationwide tour—
which includes Greater Boston, New York, Seattle, and Washington, DC—all of the other venues
will charge visitors between $12 and $25 per person to access the exhibition. At the Birmingham
Museum of Art, admission is free thanks to the generosity of our incredible presenting co-spon-
sors Alabama Power, Vulcan Materials, and The Warner Foundation. We are also grateful to PNC
for making possible Wall to Wall: Merritt Johnson, an innovative, site-specific exhibition in which
paintings of the Alabama landscape by Johnson, an Alaska-based artist, have been enlarged to
cover the entirety of the cafe and lobby. The result is a unique, immersive experience, providing
visitors the opportunity to reflect on both the beauty and fragility of the natural environment of our
ecologically diverse state.
While our programming will remain virtual until we can safely hold public gatherings again, we
will continue to provide an exciting array of changing exhibitions and rotations in our permanent Elias Hendricks Jr. and his children Elias III and Shia presented Jacob
Lawrence their version of the “Migration Series” during the artist's visit to
collection galleries. If you haven’t visited the BMA in a while, please consider spending some time Birmingham in 1993.
with us to experience the power and wonder of art first-hand … no Zoom required!
Yours in art,
Graham C. Boettcher, PhD
The R. Hugh Daniel Director
3
Art +
Exhibitions
Exhibition Through February 07 · 2021 · Jemison Galleries
Jacob Lawrence
The American Struggle
O pening in late November, Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle is the first major exhibition hosted by the BMA since the Museum reopened
its doors to the public in October 2020. For the first time in more than sixty years, this exhibition reunites the panels of Struggle: From the History
of the American People (1954–56), an important if underrecognized series by the celebrated modern artist Jacob Lawrence. Originally conceived as
sixty works spanning subjects from the American Revolution to World War I, the series ultimately resulted in thirty small-scale tempera paintings. These
works represent familiar and unfamiliar historical moments from 1775 to 1817—ranging from politician Patrick Henry’s famous speech with the line,
“give me liberty or give me death!,” to the migration of Americans to lands west of the Mississippi River called westward expansion.
Lawrence and Libraries series. The exhibition not only showcases received narratives, Lawrence reworked
Of Lawrence’s paintings, scholar, cura- Lawrence revising the myths of American what he read in history books as he created
tor, and artist Deborah Willis writes: “Few history, it also foregrounds the extensive the Struggle series. He took everything he
modern paintings can claim their origins in research he conducted at the 135th Street accessed at the 135th Street Branch of the
a library. But before Jacob Lawrence ever Branch of the New York Public Library (now New York Public Library and used it to cre-
picked up his brush, he often went to the li- the Schomburg Center for Research in Black ate a new understanding of American history
brary and researched or wrote the text for Culture) in preparation to paint. From 1949 that centered the contributions of people of
the story he was about to tell. To an artist to 1954 Lawrence researched the history color, immigrants, and women.
like Lawrence, a library is the soul of history; of the early United States, reading primary
its resources are like sketches for undevel- sources, history books, and news clippings
oped ideas. Lawrence the storyteller used before putting brush to panel. Most of the
the library to interpret, study, and create series’ panels are accompanied by quota- Jacob Lawrence, We have no property! We have no wives! No children!
We have no city! No country! — petition of many slaves, 1773, Panel 5,
works about particular historical or con- tions from historical texts, but Lawrence was 1955, from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–
temporary events.” Libraries and archives not a conventional history painter. Instead 56, Collection of Harvey and Harvey-Ann Ross. © 2019 The Jacob and
Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society
helped Lawrence create the epic Struggle of feeling wedded to historical timelines or (ARS), New York
4
The local presentation of the exhibition
is presented by Alabama Power, Vulcan
Materials, and The Warner Foundation
In 1938 researchers read newspapers and periodicals and cut out articles for the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library (now the Schomburg Center Librarian Ellen Tarry conducts story time at the Washington Branch Library, circa 1950. The Booker T. Washington Branch Library was later renamed Smithfield Jacob Lawrence Though My Eyes virtual program featuring Erin Leann With Additional Support From
for Research in Black Culture). Jacob Lawrence did his research here. National Archives, Harmon Foundation Collection Branch Library. Birmingham, Ala. Public Library Archives Mitchell (top) and Steven Mark Finley, Jr. (bottom).
City of Birmingham
National Endowment for the Arts
From the Schomburg Center to and challenges American history to accom- What picture would Jacob Lawrence paint The Robert R. Meyer Foundation
Smithfield pany the exhibition. today? These panels were featured in a pro- Alabama State Council on the Arts
Around the same time, in 1956, Birmingham jection within the exhibition. Jefferson County Community Service Fund
inaugurated its Smithfield Branch Library, History Forward Given the exhibition’s rich mining of Lydia Eustis Rogers Fund
the first building created to support a library In addition to working with Reba Williams at American history, we connected the Struggle Mr. and Mrs. William C. Hulsey
for Black residents of the city. Formerly the Smithfield Branch Library, we partnered series to classrooms across the Greater The Dora and Sanjay Singh Endowment for
known as the Booker T. Washington Library, with local artists Erin Leann Mitchell and Birmingham area through Alabama Course Global Arts, Culture, and Education, a fund
Smithfield traced its roots to 1918, when it Steven Mark Finley, Jr. to offer reflections of Study focused virtual tours and artmak- at the Community Foundation of Greater
was founded as the first library in the state on the panels that inspire them and their ing activities. Students were encouraged to Birmingham
for Black communities. These firsts were practice in our Jacob Lawrence Through think critically about American history and
significant, as libraries in the city were segre- My Eyes virtual series. We also wanted to current events and respond through the cre- This exhibition has been organized by
gated until 1963. “African Americans strug- hear from our communities on Lawrence’s ation of their own Jacob Lawrence-inspired the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem,
gled for access to libraries in Birmingham, paintings, and though we could not connect panel. The BMA partnered with Birmingham Massachusetts, and was co-curated by
Alabama,” Reba Williams, current Librarian through in-person programs, we partnered City Schools to provide free panel painting Elizabeth Hutton Turner, Professor of
Reba Williams discussing the history of the Smithfield library during a virtual program.
at the Smithfield Public Library, shares in the with Local Voices Network (LVN) to create art kits for students across the district and Modern Art at the University of Virginia
exhibition. “However, none of this stopped a series of intimate virtual conversations on featured student interpretations in the exhi- and Austen Barron Bailly, formerly PEM’s
their desire to learn and gain what their issues most affecting us today. Inspired by bition’s digital interactive. hearing-impaired visitors, pinch to zoom Curator of American Art with support from
white counterparts had easily accessed.” Lawrence’s series, these conversations fo- Although we had to limit the amount of images of the panels to see the fine details, Lydia Gordon, PEM’s Associate Curator of
The exhibition highlights the parallels be- cused on the ways in which resistance and interactive material included in the exhi- quick guides to the exhibition and Jacob Exhibitions and Research at PEM.
tween Smithfield’s history and that of the resilience has shaped our personal experi- bition available to touch, the pandemic of- Lawrence, and additional information on the
Schomburg Center, where Lawrence re- ences and is part of a broader history of the fered us an opportunity to further highlight newly discovered panel. Several of the stops This project is supported in part by the
searched. Williams has shared her research American people. For those who would rath- our smartguide as an incredible digital re- also investigated the archival resources National Endowment for the Arts. To find
on the legacy of the Smithfield Branch er channel their ideas into images, we asked source readily available through your phone. Lawrence used for research, including those out more about how National Endowment
Library in the gallery and in a public program, visitors to reflect on Lawrence’s work and Our smartguide featured seven sections found at his own local library. for the Arts grants impact individuals and
as well as curating a reading list that expands make their own panels based on the prompt, complete with closed captioning for our communities, visit www.arts.gov.
Art + Exhibitions | 5
The Emily Lyons Project: CHOICE/VOICE
Carrie Mae Weems, known for her work in photography, focus-
es on the power of social justice and human rights. In the center
A ll Things Bright and Beautiful brings together works pri-
marily from the Museum’s permanent collection that look
at themes of power and agency. This exhibition takes its name
photograph, Weems stands in a black robe in front of the New
Woman All Women Health Care clinic in Birmingham. In 1998,
the clinic was bombed by Eric Rudolph, a terrorist who had pre- Family Lineage (Nephew)
from a painting by Amy Sherald, whose portraits depict Black viously attacked the Centennial Olympic Park, a lesbian bar, and
sitters with pride, dignity, and joy, representation historical- an abortion clinic in the Atlanta area. The blast injured nurse Anne Samat uses the power of personal relationships and emo-
ly only afforded to white people. Some artists in the exhibition Emily Lyons and killed Robert Sanderson, a Birmingham po- tions in her sculptural portraits. Family Lineage (Nephew) is a
look towards power in other creative endeavors, such as music. lice officer and guard for the clinic. In the flanking photographs, portrait of her nephew and shows the connection and transfer
Others contemplate the hidden potential of everyday objects Lyons stands solemnly before the clinic in a white robe, almost of tradition, knowledge, and physical familiarity from one gen-
by transforming them into works of art. Several artists engage as a monument to both the victims of the bombing and the work eration to the next. Samat highlights the power of everyday
the representation of space and architecture—including mu- of the clinic for women’s health. Weems created this work in objects that are often overlooked, like brooms and rakes held All Things Bright & Beautiful is made possi-
seum spaces—to discover the dynamics of power. Considered support of Planned Parenthood of Alabama, an organization together with Malay weaving traditions. She takes great care ble by Virginia and John Hillhouse.
together, these works illustrate the importance of being seen, still under duress today. In May 2019, the Alabama government in each twist, braid, and turn of yarn to create these intricately Additional support is provided the City of
choosing how to be depicted, and telling one’s own history. voted to ban nearly all abortions in the state. The law was legally woven sculptures of her family members. Her work and process Birmingham, the Alabama State Council on
challenged in November of 2019, which has put a delay on im- mirror the necessity of investing time and energy to nurture the Arts, and the National Endowment for
Take a look at two new additions to the exhibition! plementing the law. personal relationships that become a source of power. the Arts.
Exhibition Through January 2 · 2022 · Pizitz Galleries
All Things Bright
Carrie Mae Weems, born Portland, Oregon 1953, The Emily Lyons Project: Anne Samat, born Malacca, Malaysia 1973, lives and works in Kuala
CHOICE/VOICE, 2009, archival pigment prints (triptych), Collection of Lumpur, Malaysia, Family Lineage (Nephew), 2019, textile, mixed media,
the Art Fund, Inc. at the Birmingham Museum of Art; Gift of Ellen and Max Courtesy Michael Straus T.2020.211a-b, Courtesy of the artist and MARC
Michael, AFI.159.2016a-c, © Carrie Mae Weems STRAUS Gallery, NY
and Beautiful
Art + Exhibitions | 6
Exhibition Through March 14 · 2021 · Bohorfoush Gallery
WAYS OF SEEING
Buildings + Monuments
D on’t miss Ways of Seeing: Buildings and Monuments, an exhibition of more than sixty rarely
seen objects from the Museum’s collection. The exhibition draws visitors’ attention to often
unexamined buildings and monuments through the work of artists, designers, and architects. It
through color and texture. She engages with the Museum’s wooden stairs and Frank Stella’s Flin
Flon VI by crocheting a work “to actually move traffic up the stairs and have our guests take more
than a passive look at [the Stella].”
considers how artists have explored architecture and the built environment, including spaces that
are very close to home. Within the exhibition, many works ask you to look at the Museum itself in
new ways.
The exhibition begins with two preparatory drawings for Valerie Jaudon’s Blue Pools Courtyard,
a work in the Museum’s Sculpture Garden. Blue Pools Courtyard is a site-specific garden that
incorporates tile pools, brick and bluestone paths, and cast iron benches. When visitors think of Ways of Seeing: Buildings and Monuments
Jaudon’s work they may recall the glimmering pools circulating water over abstract motifs created Ways of Seeing: Buildings and Monuments is is presented by The Philip A. Morris Fund for
with inlaid tile. Although her work has evolved with changes made in the Sculpture Garden over part of the BMA’s Ways of Seeing exhibition the Design Arts, a fund of the Community
time, these drawings reveal that her original conception was much larger than just the garden’s series that explores themes, perspectives, Foundation of Greater Birmingham, with ad-
central pools. When you move through this space, you move through her work of art. Of her ex- and ideas from across the Museum’s glob- ditional support from bDot architecture and
perience working on the garden and pool, Jaudon said they “greatly expanded the scope of [her] al art collections in the Bohorfoush Gallery. the Dora and Sanjay Singh Endowment for
working process. … I had to deal with architecture, landscaping, horticulture, engineering, irriga- This initiative is made possible with support Global Arts, Culture, and Education, a fund
tion, and climate.” from the Alabama State Council on the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater
While Jaudon’s work reveals one artist’s close collaboration with architects and designers and the National Endowment for the Arts. Birmingham.
to build a museum space, the exhibition concludes with an installation that asks visitors to think
about how artists can reshape the way we look at the Museum. Birmingham-based artist Chelsea
Wilkerson created an artwork inspired by our space, collection, and the practice of yarn bombing,
Top: Visitors stand in front of the preparatory drawings for Valerie Jaudon's Blue Pools Courtyard
where an area is covered with knitted or crocheted fabric. Wilkerson created New Loop on Life,
inspired by the ways in which yarn bombing draws our attention to everyday spaces and objects Bottom: Installation view of Chelsea Wilkerson's New Loop on Life with Flin Flon VI in the background.
Art + Exhibitions | 7
Exhibition Through May 2 · 2021 · Arrington Gallery
An Epic of Earth and Water
Clare Leighton and the “New England Industries” Series
T here’s still time to see artist Clare explores Leighton as an artist, her process, Clare Leighton sketching a study for Grist Milling, about 1950, Clare
Leighton Collection. Yale Center for British Art, Friends of British Art
Leighton’s phenomenal New England and the Wedgwood commission. Fund; Compositional Study for Grist Milling, about 1950, graphite, cray-
on, gouache and ink wash on paper, Collection of the Art Fund, Inc. at the
Industries series, made for Wedgwood be- A fully-illustrated catalogue to accompa- Birmingham Museum of Art; The Buten Wedgwood Collection, gift through
tween 1948 and 1952. Leighton, a British- ny the exhibition will be published, but has the Wedgwood Society of New York , AFI.1229.2008; Clare Leighton carv-
ing the woodblock for Grist Milling, about 1950, Clare Leighton Collection.
American woodblock printer, spent more been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yale Center for British Art, Friends of British Art Fund; Clare Leighton
rolling the ink on the woodblock for Grist Milling, about 1950, Clare
than two years exploring New England and To preorder, please contact the BMA shop at Leighton Collection. Yale Center for British Art, Friends of British Art Fund;
getting to know both the land and its people museumstore@artsbma.org. Photograph of Clare Leighton rubbing the back of the paper with a spoon,
about 1950, Clare Leighton Collection. Yale Center for British Art, Friends
as she worked on the design of each print. of British Art Fund; Clare Leighton peeling the print off the woodblock for
Grist Milling, about 1950, Clare Leighton Collection. Yale Center for British
Together, the series of twelve industries rep- Art, Friends of British Art Fund; Clare Leighton (American, born England,
resent the heart and soul of New England: 1898 –1989), Grist Mill, 1949–50, wood engraving on paper, Museum
purchase with funds provided by the Wedgwood Society of Washington,
whaling, cranberrying, marble quarrying, D.C., Inc., Adele Ierubino Barnett, Founder, 2018.18; Designed by Clare
Leighton (American, born England, 1898–1989), Wedgwood (England,
maple sugaring, cod fishing, ship building, est. 1759), Grist Milling, 1952, glazed and printed earthenware (cream-
farming, tobacco growing, logging, grist An Epic of Earth and Water: Clare Leighton ware), Collection of Thomas Richard Broker
milling, ice cutting, and lobstering. Typical of and the “New England Industries” Series is
Leighton’s work, each design—from the fig- made possible by Thomas Richard Broker;
ures included to the vignettes of tools and the Marguerite Jones Harbert and John
assorted equipment associated with the in- M. Harbert III Fund; the Dora and Sanjay
dustry—illustrates the dignity of hard labor Singh Endowment for Global Arts, Culture,
through the use of powerful lines and rich and Education, a fund at the Community
tones of black and white. Foundation of Greater Birmingham; and an
An Epic of Earth and Water highlights the anonymous donor.
twelve wood engravings created by Leighton Additional support is provided by the City
for Wedgwood juxtaposed with the twelve of Birmingham, the Alabama State Council
corresponding creamware plates produced on the Arts, and the National Endowment for
by the company in 1952. The exhibition the Arts.
Art + Exhibitions | 8
Exhibition Long Term Installation · Main Lobby + Oscar’s Café
Wall to Wall
W
erritt Johnson
I n October, the Birmingham Museum of Art reopened its doors to the public with a re-envisioned
lobby and cafe area featuring the work of Alaska-based artist Merritt Johnson. Johnson’s instal-
lation stretches across the two largest spaces in the Museum and is the largest site-specific work
Visitors to the museum are surrounded by Johnson’s work as soon as they enter the main lobby
or the cafe space. The wallpaper extends from floor to ceiling, immersing the viewer in Cahaba
lilies, and the sky bending over Red Mountain, for example, or the man-made mountain at the
About Merritt Johnson
Merritt Johnson was born in West Baltimore and spent her childhood navigating between trees,
tarps, concrete, and culture. Johnson’s work is rooted in her experience as a cis-gender pansexual
ever installed at the Museum. This visionary project brings together the landscapes and histories industrial superfund site at 35th Avenue North. In one section of wallpaper, fences in the land- woman of mixed (non-status) Mohawk, Blackfoot and Settler descent. From this perspective, her
of Birmingham with the architecture of the Museum. scape are abstracted into dynamic geometric designs. Fences and barriers are a recurring motif in work, as she states, “asserts agency for mixed bodies, and allegiance with land and water.”
The BMA invited Johnson to visit Birmingham in February 2020, and during her trip she asked Johnson’s work, evoking the human attempt to define boundaries, and assert ownership, inclusion, Johnson earned her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and her MFA from Massachusetts
to explore the landscape and watersheds of Birmingham. She walked on Red Mountain, and and exclusion. College of Art. Johnson’s work is in many public and private collections including The Birmingham
along the Cahaba River, and met with community members including Charles Scribner, Executive Of these works Johnson says “These paintings are love letters to land and water, and the resil- Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL and The Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, NM.
Director of the Black Warrior Riverkeeper. She also visited industries located near the city center, ience and wisdom they contain. They are acknowledgments of the weight recent human behavior
and sites of industrial waste, such as Village Creek, and nearby residential neighborhoods. has placed on them, and on the gravity of the imbalances current human behavior enforces.” The
After visiting Birmingham and learning about its environment and inhabitants, Johnson creat- Museum has purchased all four of Johnson’s original paintings for the permanent collection.
ed four large-scale works that the Museum has photographed and turned into vinyl wallpaper. In Wall to Wall is a new ongoing project at the Birmingham Museum of Art that commissions con-
each work, Johnson considers the land and water of Birmingham while also exploring the ways temporary artists to make wallpaper inspired by Birmingham. Recognizing the lobby and cafe as
humans have devalued these natural resources in search of profit. Johnson was influenced by the vital places of exchange and communal gathering, the Birmingham Museum of Art seeks to utilize Wall to Wall is presented by Additional support is provided by the Alabama State Council
impact of coal and steel on our environment and the communities of color that live near the pol- these walls with work made uniquely for those spaces. on the Arts; the National Endowment for the Arts; The
luted streams and on the land poisoned by these companies. The resulting works both celebrate EyeSight Foundation of Alabama; and the Dora and Sanjay
the natural land and beauty of Alabama, and mourn for the ecosystems devastated by human Singh Endowment for Global Arts, Culture, and Education, a
interaction. fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.
Art + Exhibitions | 9
WAYS OF SEEING April 17 · 2021 – January 2 · 2022 · Bohorfoush Gallery Exhibition
The Art of Trade, Travel, & Transportation
T ravel, trade, and transportation: these
three “T’s” are a crucial hub in our lives
and thus a rich topic for artists. In this fifth
this image projects a young man going
somewhere; full of success and potential.
Louise Nez’s colorful weaving showcas-
iteration of the Museum’s inter-depart- es mostly Diné (Navajo) men, women, and
mental exhibition series Ways of Seeing, children who traveled to an open-air market
the Bohorfoush Gallery will feature over 70 to shop, sell, and socialize. Look closer. Can
works of art displayed in two rotations over you find one tourist attending this market?
an extended eight months. Organized in Sadanobu’s richly layered print illustrates
seven concise sections to showcase meth- a locomotive on the railroad that connect-
ods of traveling by land, sea, and air and to ed the robust Japanese port cities of Kobe
reflect individuals who travelled by neces- and Osaka and opened in May 1874. This
sity, as tourists, or to enact trade. Even how genre of print (bunmei kaika-e) lionizes
fashions—particularly those foreign to the Japan’s modernizing into an industrialized
artists and their intended audiences—will be nation. These prints were collected not
featured as they demonstrate forms of arm- only by tech-enthusiast Japanese buyers,
chair travel. Some of the included works of but also by foreigners as global tourism to
art explore innovations in transportation: the Japan boomed in the late nineteenth centu-
development not only of planes, trains, and ry—largely thanks to innovation in steamship
automobiles, but also motorcycles, ships, transportation.
boats, and hot air balloons. Other works of art Like these three examples, all the featured
attempt to preserve a fleeting moment—the works of art in the exhibition are drawn en- Lanka, and the United States of America—in- Adama Kouyaté, Malian, (born 1927, Bougouni, French West Africa, died
2020, Mali), Man on Motorcycle, 1954–1955 (original), this edition printed
motion of a waterfall viewed by tourists, con- tirely from the Museum’s permanent collec- cluding a number of Alabama artists. later, gelatin silver print, Gift of Peter Stepan, Intercultural Projects, Munich
trasting older ways of life with newer trends. tion, many of which have never before been Humanity is constantly adapting. Even in 2001.44, © Adama Kouyaté
All these works are enlivened by our imagi- shown to the public. Nearly all media will be this digital age—and through a pandemic— Louise Nez, Diné people (Navajo), Native American, (lives and works in
Tuba City, Arizona, Navajo Nation), Pictorial Textile (Market Scene), Early
nations—creating a type of mental travel in- represented ranging from paintings, prints, access to affordable, reliable, and safe trans- 21st century, wool, dyes, Collection of the Art Fund, Inc. at the Birmingham
herent in our mind’s eye. drawings, and photographs, to quilts, weav- portation is vital to life. Our feet (or wheels) Museum of Art; Gift of Marilyn Smith AFI.113.2011
For example, Adama Kouyaté’s elegant ings, jewelry, sculptures, and decorative arts propel us to gather food to eat, reach shelter Hasegawa Sadanobu II 二代 長谷川貞信 also known as Konobu I 初代
小信, Japanese, (b. 1848 – d. 1940), Train at Ikuta-machi in Kobe, About
photograph portrays a stylish gentleman in glass, ivory, and cloisonné. Works range for protection as well as access to work and 1910, Meiji period (1868–1912), woodblock print, ink and color on paper,
seated on a spotless Velosolex French mo- widely in date, from the second to the twen- connections to communities that are neces- Gift of Lt. Col. and Mrs. Charles C. Bennett 1998.35.8
torcycle. Look closer. Behind him is a paint- tieth centuries. And the globe is represent- sary to thrive. Visit the exhibition to time travel
ing of a boatman on a river—contrasting an ed through artists from China, Cote d’Ivoire, around the globe and reflect on the benefits
older, man-powered form of transport with England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mali, and costs of travel, trade, and transportation.
a machine-powered motorcycle. Together, Navajo Nation, Scotland, South Africa, Sri
Art + Exhibitions | 10Programs + Events
All Virtual Local Voices Network Community Conversation on Jacob
Lawrence: The American Struggle
Art After 5
March 5 · 2021 · 5–9pm
Film
Gather
February 3 · 2021 · 5:30–7:00pm March 25 · 2021 · 6–7:30pm
Celebrate women’s history month and tune in for a virtual party in the name of
During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, our Join us for this community conversation inspired by our current exhibition, Jacob women’s empowerment! Gather follows the stories of Native Americans on the frontlines of a growing
top concern remains the health and safety Lawrence: The American Struggle. In partnership with the Local Voices Network movement to reconnect with spiritual and cultural identities that were devastat-
of our visitors, staff, and patrons. Therefore, (LVN), these small group conversations offer a space to share your perspectives ed by genocide. An indigenous chef embarks on an ambitious project to reclaim
any programs and events will be held virtu- and concerns for our community while listening to others’ stories of resistance ancient food ways on the Apache reservation; in South Dakota a gifted Lakota
Panel Discussion
ally for the foreseeable future. We are con- and resilience. These conversations are recorded and transcribed with the goal high school student, raised on a buffalo ranch, is proving her tribe’s native wis-
The History of Linn Park
tinuing to host a vibrant weekly offering of of offering media, local leadership, and the greater public a window into the most dom through her passion for science; and a group of young men of the Yurok
March 11 · 2021 · 6–8pm
programs, from interviews with local artists important community concerns and ideas. To sign up, visit LVN.org, select “Join tribe in Northern California are struggling to keep their culture alive and rehabil-
in our ArtBreak series to virtual parties fea- a Conversation.” As part of Ways of Seeing: Buildings and Monuments, this panel discussion itate the habitat of their sacred salmon. All these stories combine to show how
turing custom cocktails, art making kits, per- explores the history of Linn Park. Executive director of the Jefferson County the reclaiming and recovery of ancient foodways is a way forward for Native
formances, and DJ sets as part of Art After Memorial Project, Joi Brown, along with JCMP Fellows, will join curatorial assis- Americans to restore health and vitality to their people. Following the screen-
5, to panel discussions on issues affecting tant Hina Zaidi, who led the research project on the contested history of Linn ing will be a live Q&A discussion with Nephi Craig, a White Mountain Apache/
Panel Discussion
our communities today. Visit our website for Park’s Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument for the exhibition. This panel Navajo executive chef and founder of the Native American Culinary Association,
Jacob Lawrence & History Forward
more information. will focus on events that have shaped the park, from the first documented lynch- and Twila Cassadore, who has been working with San Carlos Apache, White
February 5 · 2021 · 6–8pm
ing in Jefferson County to the building of the Confederate monument. We take Mountain Apache, and Yavapai peoples for the past 25 years, conducting inter-
We close the BMA’s presentation of Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle this historical account into the present day by speaking with local community ac- views with elders to bring information back into the community to address health
with a community discussion analyzing the ways Lawrence may see the world tivist and comedian, Jermaine “Funnymaine” Johnson, who catalyzed the remov- and social problems.
Explore these and all of our other virtual pro-
today. Inspired by Lawrence’s depiction of underrepresented histories in his se- al of the monument in May 2020.
grams on our website at artsbma.org.
ries of paintings, we highlight organizations in Birmingham that do the same by
creating platforms for unheard voices.
Art in Conversation
Led by Manager of Public Programs, Carey Fountain, this conversation will in-
ArtBreak Cahaba Lilies
clude Tim Majors, founder of grassroots social justice and community advocacy
Women Artists of Alabama Apr. 15 · 2021 · 10:30am–11:30am
group BhamStands, and T. Marie King, local activist and Alabama lead for Local
March 16 · 2021 · 12–1pm
Voices Network, an organization dedicated to facilitating, archiving, and uplifting Join us for an in-depth discussion on the environmental realities of the Cahaba
community voices through public conversations. This panel discussion will con- Dr. Graham C. Boettcher, The R. Hugh Daniel Director of the Birmingham River lilies, one the subjects within our latest exhibition, Wall to Wall: Merritt
sider how representing community perspectives empowers and transforms our Museum of Art, will provide a richly illustrated overview of significant early Johnson.
present, as well as our history. 20th-century women artists of Alabama, including Clara Weaver Parrish, Carrie
Hill, Anne Goldthwaite, Zelda Fitzgerald, Geneva Mercer, and Lucille Douglass,
among others.
ArtBreak
ArtBreak
Logging in Alabama
Confronting an Ugly Past, Building a Beautiful Future: The
Apr. 20 · 2021 · 12–12:30pm
Legacy of Jim Crow at the Birmingham Museum of Art
February 11 · 2021 · 12–1pm Inspired by Clare Leighton's work and the twelve industries she highlighted in
her Wedgwood commission, this ArtBreak speaks to the logging industry in
In this virtual talk, Dr. Graham C. Boettcher, The R. Hugh Daniel Director of the
Alabama. Join us for a virtual conversation with Jeff Moon, executive director of
Birmingham Museum of Art, will discuss the Museum’s history in the era of
Alabama Loggers Council (ALC), to discuss the ways logging has contributed
segregation and trace the integration of its collections and exhibition program.
to the state. ALC works to enhance the public image of logging and the forest
Boettcher will also present new information about Corietta Mitchell, who in
industry as a whole. In addition to its advocacy, ALC's activities include the devel-
1963, became the first African American artist to exhibit at the BMA.
opment of safety programs and logger education and training.
11News + Giving
Culture Bridge Update
By Angela May, Assistant Curator of Education
In April 2020, the BMA launched Culture for Alabama students. Another new feature
Bridge: eLearning Across Asia, an educa- is a lesson plan on the Silk Road that allows
tional resource website for educators and students to become ‘merchants’ who can
students. Culture Bridge provides innovative market items from the BMA’s collection on
concepts for virtual education through a free social media platforms.
and accessible digital platform featuring en- Over the summer and through the fall
gaging videos, interactive images, art activi- semester, we presented Culture Bridge in
ties, quizzes, quick guides, and more. several virtual conferences and workshops
The launch of the website was accelerated including ACAA (American Curators of
due to the pandemic and, as a result, this vir- Asian Art), AAEA (Alabama Art Education
tual learning platform helped bridge the gap Association), JCAE (Jefferson County Art
for educators and parents racing to find ac- Education), and three workshop series for
cessible pathways to online learning. NCTA (National Consortium for Teaching
Since its launch, the website has seen About Asia).
over 11,000 pageviews and 3,000 video And although the resources were specif-
views. The number of available resources ically designed to connect to Alabama core
has quickly increased from 52 to 93 and in- standards, this website has not only been
cludes expanded content such as Bitmoji used in Birmingham classrooms (in-person
classrooms, digital worksheets, and puzzles. and virtual), but our reach has expanded
One of the most recent additions to the internationally with resources being used
website is a music tutorial by internationally worldwide, including views in Asia, Australia,
renowned Indian vocalist Ramneek Singh, Europe, Africa, and South America.
who created a custom curriculum exclusively
12Tribute + Memorial Gifts Corporate Partners
Gift date range for this edition of Medium is May 1–September 30, 2020 Founder’s Circle Chairman’s Circle
In Honor of: In Memory of: Mrs. Jane Nabers McFadden Mrs. Carolyn S. Wade Altec Industries, Inc.
2020 Museum Ball Committee Ruby S. and John P. Ansley Mr. and Mrs. William J. Cabaniss, Jr. Ms. Olivia E. Alison Arlington Properties, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Brooke Johnston, Jr. Ms. Sallie S. Aman Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt R. Haskell Ms. Evelyn T. Andrews BL Harbert International
Ms. Laurie W. Haworth Mr. and Mrs. William A. Bowron, Jr.
Dr. Graham C. Boettcher Mr. Harold I. Apolinsky Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Ms. Jane D. McGriff Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balliet, Sr.
Ms. Joyce Benington Mrs. Elberta G. Reid Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC
Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Miller, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. J. Claude Bennett
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur K. Foster III Eivor and Alston Callahan Mr. and Mrs. Walter E. Shackelford Dr. Graham C. Boettcher Jemison Investment Co., Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Hoover Ms. Karin E. Callahan
Mr. James R. Nelson Mrs. Lella C. Bromberg Milo’s Tea Company
Dr. Mariya Sweetwyne
Mr. Melford T. Cleveland Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balliet, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. Coleman
Mrs. Gwen Knowlton New Capital Partners
Mrs. Linda C. Cleveland Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Erdreich, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Francis H. Crockard, Jr.
Mr. Sam Knowlton, Jr. Debardeleben Foundation Red Diamond, Inc.
Mrs. Anne Welch Debardeleben Mr. and Mrs. Maurice O. V. Green
Mrs. Jeanne Rogers Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balliet, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Prince Whatley II Dunn Construction Co. Stewart Perry Construction
Mr. E. Mabry Rogers Mr. and Mrs. Felix M. Drennen III Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Erdreich, Jr. Wells Fargo
Dr. O. G. Robinson, Jr.
Dr. David A. Skier Dr. Wayne H. Finley Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Fischbach
Mr. and Mrs. Albert S. Naughton
Eve, Henry, Jeff, Aimee, and the Skier Family Mr. and Mrs. Victor H. Hanson III Debardeleben Foundation
Mr. Sheldon Schaffer Mr. and Mrs. Bernard T. Frei Director’s Circle
Dr. and Mrs. David A. Skier Mr. Robert Harvey
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Knowlton, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. William W. French III
Eve, Henry, Jeff, Aimee, and the Skier Family Mr. and Mrs. John S. Hornsby
Mrs. Eleanor L. Sklenar and Mr. Herbert A. Sklenar Mr. and Mrs. James S. M. French BBVA Compass
Paschal G. Shook Sustainer’s Circle
Mrs. Nan G. Skier Mrs. Elberta G. Reid The Hackney Foundation Inc. Marx Brothers, Inc.
Mr. Hatton C. V. Smith
Dr. Graham C. Boettcher Mr. James D. Hanemann
Mr. and Mrs. Victor H. Hanson III Mrs. Monteray "Monty" Scott Stabler Ram Tool and Supply Company
Ms. Myla E. Calhoun Mr. David Hawkins
Mrs. Murray B. Johnston Mr. and Mrs. Jack S. Allison
Mr. and Mrs. Norman B. Davis, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Meredyth R. Hazzard, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Anderson Mrs. Kathy Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Mark L. Drew Till, Hester, Eyer, & Brown, P.C. Curator’s Circle
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Hulsey Ms. Melanie Ball
Mr. and Mrs. Bernard T. Frei Ms. John Hillhouse
Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert E. Johnston, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balliet, Sr.
Mrs. James A. Livingston Mrs. Judy Horton bDot Architecture
Ms. Cynthia L. Martin Ms. Joyce Benington
Mr. and Mrs. C. Randall Minor Mr. and Mrs. William C. Hulsey Dunn Investment Company
Mr. and Mrs. G. Gray Plosser, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John H. Burton, Jr.
Mr. John Mitchell and Mrs. Joyce Crawford Mitchell Ms. Virginia E. Jackson
Mr. and Mrs. Arie Raviv Mrs. Bunny Cothren Precision Graphics
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Montgomery III Mrs. Crawford T. Johnson III
Ms. Marsha Robins Ms. Julie Dilworth and Mr. Lee Dilworth Synovus Bank
Mr. and Mrs. James K. Outland Mr. and Mrs. J. Brooke Johnston, Jr.
Mrs. Virginia H. Scruggs Mrs. Susan Drummond
Mr. and Mrs. Joel B. Piassick Mrs. Sue Ann Burt Jolly
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Sullivan Mrs. William W. Featheringill
Ms. Kimberly Richardson Mr. Randy Lingo Benefactor’s Circle
Ms. Lois A. Gaeta
Dr. Lindsay S. Robison and Mr. J. Andrew Robison Mr. Frederick Kraus Mr. George G. Lynn
Mr. and Mrs. Frank C. Galloway III
Dr. Sanjay and Mrs. Dora E. Singh Mr. and Mrs. Sam Knowlton, Jr. Mr. Henry S. Lynn, Jr. Christie’s
Mrs. Karlen Garrard
Ms. Sonja Q. Smith Mrs. Ann Bairnsfather Lambert Ms. Ann Mahorner Each year, our Corporate Partners provide critical
Mrs. Johnie W. Gieger Four Corners Custom Framing Gallery
Mr. and Mrs. Troy Wallwork Ann Snuggs Ms. Kimberly F. Matthews
Mrs Lee Anne Hagan support for the Museum’s programs, exhibitions, Hughes and Scalise, P.C.
Ms. Caroline Wingate Mr. and Mrs. Crawford L. Taylor, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John L. Hillhouse, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Hobart McWhorter, Jr.
and most importantly, keeping the Museum free Kassouf & Co., P.C.
Dr. Robert Collins Mr. James G. Lambert Ms. Dean Hoskins Ms. Katherine S. Milnor
Ms. Stephanie Corwin Mr. and Mrs. Frank Moody of charge for our visitors. Ranging from our hands- Levy’s Fine Jewelry Inc.
Dr. Graham C. Boettcher Mr. Robert Hereford
Mr. and Mrs. William Fyfe Mr. Steven L. Reider and Ms. Terri Denard Mr. and Mrs. James King Mrs. Julie Obering on interactive space, Bart’s ArtVenture, to family National Cement Company of Alabama, Inc.
Ms. Margaret D. Harrill Mrs. Betsy Schmitt Mr. and Mrs. Gerson M. May Mr. Deforest Preston festivals, school tours, studio classes, and more, O’Neal Industries
Mr. Timothy Johnson Ms. Ann Snuggs Mrs. Kathy Perdue Mr. and Mrs. M. Williams Goodwyn, Jr.
Corporate Partners are vital to ensuring that our Pizitz Management Group
Ms. Elizabeth Sanfelippo and Ms. Katie Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Crawford L. Taylor, Jr. Mrs. Dorothy B. Shiland Mr. and Mrs. Allen D. Rushton
Ms. Elizabeth E. Swift Ms. Marianne Schoel Family and Youth Programs allow nearly 35,000 Williams-Blackstock Architects
Mr. Rick Latham Mr. and Mrs. Mell G. Smith
Ms. Jenna Wingate Ms. Kristin Sosnowsky Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Simpson children each year to create, read, dance, and ex-
Mr. and Mrs. Albert S. Naughton
Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Sprague Mrs. Peter G. Smith plore while celebrating cultures and traditions from
Dr. Edward Humes Laughlin Ms. Kate C. Stockham
Mrs Debbie Stout around the world. Thank you to our Corporate
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balliet, Sr. Dr. and Mrs. Roger Suttle
Mrs. Kim West
Mr. and Mrs. Lee J. Styslinger, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mike D. Thompson Partners for helping to connect all of Birmingham to
Mr. and Mrs. J. David Woodruff, Jr.
Mrs. Margot K. Marx Mr. and Mrs. G. Ruffner Page, Jr. the experience, meaning, and joy of art.
Mr. Walter R. Voigt
Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Blumberg Mrs. Elizabeth W. Ratliff For more information about the BMA’s Corporate
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balliet, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Larry G. Fine Mr. and Mrs. George F. Wheelock III
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy A. R. Callahan Partner membership program or to involve
Mrs. Sylvia Goldberg Ms. Jennifer Williams
your company, please contact Courtney Walls at
Mr. John F. Wallace II
Mrs. Bonny Picard 205.254.2600 or cwalls@artsbma.org.
News + Giving | 13Shop the World
Hours Telephones
Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–5pm Main Office Maye Head Frei
Sunday, Noon–5pm 205.254.2565 Chairman of the Board
Closed Mondays and select holidays
Public Programs Graham C. Boettcher
Oscar’s at the Museum
205.254.2856 The R. Hugh Daniel Director
will be closed until further notice.
Museum Tour Cate McCusker Boehm
Clarence B. Hanson, Jr. Library
205.254.2964 Editor
By appointment: library@artsbma.org
Membership James Williams
The Museum Shop
205.254.2389 Designer
Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–4pm
Sunday, 1–4pm
Development Sean Pathasema
Closed Tuesdays
205.254.2600 Photographer
Members receive a 10% discount;
Membership inquiries to:
205.254.2777;
Facilities Rental membership@artsbma.org
museumstore@artsbma.org
Jestina Howard, Special Events Editorial inquiries to:
205.254.2681; jhoward@artsbma.org cboehm@artsbma.org
Board of Trustees
Mrs. Maye Head Frei, Chair; Dr. Sanjay Singh, Vice Chair; Ms. Myla E. Calhoun, Secretary; Mr. Braxton Goodrich, Endowment Chair;
Mr. Joel B. Piassick, Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair; Mrs. Patricia Wallwork, Governance Chair; Mr. Norman B. Davis, Jr.; Mr. Mark L. Drew;
Dr. George T. French; Mr. C. Randall Minor; Mrs. Joyce Crawford Mitchell; Mr. James K. Outland; Mr. G. Ruffner Page, Jr.; Ms. Kimberly Richardson;
Mr. J. Andrew Robison, of counsel; Mrs. Nan Skier; Mrs. Kelly Styslinger
Chairmen Emeriti: Mr. Thomas N. Carruthers, Jr.; Mrs. Margaret Livingston
Trustee Emeritus: Mr. Henry S. Lynn, Jr
Director Emeritus: Mrs. Gail C. Andrews
The mission of the Birmingham Museum of Art is to spark the creativity, imagination, and liveliness
of Birmingham by connecting all its citizens to the experience, meaning, and joy of art. The Flip Coat can be worn either short or long to accommodate the changing weather, your daily The Museum Shop is open and ready to
endeavors, or simply your mood. The generous fit allows for comfortable layering with a shawl welcome you with new products, new safe-
collar that can wrap you in luxurious folds of fabric or be pulled up over your head like a hood. This ty precautions and touch-less payment op-
dynamic garment makes a strong first impression, guarantees a second look and is always ready tions. Prefer to shop in the comfort of your
for your next adventure. home? Visit the new online store at:
Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. A portion of the general operating budget is supported by the City of
Birmingham and a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
$395 · Unisex · Available in multiple colors shop.artsbma.org
14Impact Report Introduction 2019–2020
Dear Friends,
Beginning with the winter 2018 issue, we committed to including the annual report from the Especially deserving of mention is the exhibition Celestia Morgan: Redline—presented by The With appreciation,
previous fiscal year in Medium, our member magazine, as a way of living up to the standards of Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family—a series of photographs and small sculptures by the Birmingham-
transparency and accountability that are central to the integrity of public institutions and are core based artist Celestia Morgan, in which she explores the impact of housing discrimination wrought
values of this city’s administration. The annual report not only provides us with a platform through by the practice of “redlining” Black, Latino, and Jewish neighborhoods as “undesirable,” making
which to share our finances with our supporters, but also with an important opportunity to thank access to bank financing all but impossible for their residents. Recently, AL.com named Morgan
all those whose contributions of funds or works of art have advanced this museum and enhanced one of “Alabama’s 2020 Entertainers of the Year,” writing, “[I]n a year when art institutions around Graham C. Boettcher, PhD
its collections. the country are issuing symbols and statements of solidarity amid calls for racial justice, Morgan’s The R. Hugh Daniel Director
When the burgeoning pandemic caused the Birmingham Museum of Art to shutter on Sunday, exhibit shows that art is one of the most powerful forms of bearing witness.” Thanks to funding
March 15, 2020, we immediately set to work devising and implementing ways we could still have from the Sperling Family Charitable Foundation in memory of David and Natalie Sperling, the
a meaningful impact on the community we serve. We were heartened to find that even while our Museum was able to acquire Morgan’s entire Redline series for its permanent collection.
brick-and-mortar presence was closed, we could still fulfill our mission of connecting people with The Museum gratefully acknowledges the exceptional service of James Outland, who stepped
the experience, meaning, and joy of art. It is in this spirit that going forward our “Annual Report” down as chairman of the Board of Directors at the end of the 2019–2020 fiscal year after serv-
will be called our “Impact Report.” The English-born American author and motivational speaker ing four years in the role, in which capacity he shepherded the Museum through the leadership Maye Head Frei
Simon Sinek once stated, “Genius is in the idea. Impact, however, comes from action.” Our talent- transition of its executive director. A member of the board since 2012, James continues to serve Chair, Museum Board of Directors
ed team of museum professionals is full of great ideas, but it’s how we put those ideas to work for on the Museum board’s Executive Committee. On July 1, 2020, Maye Head Frei, chairman of
our community that really matters. Birmingham-based Ram Tool Construction Supply Company, assumed duties as Museum
This Impact Report covers the fiscal year from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, comprising a nine- board chair. Frei has served on the board since 2012, most recently as chair of the Governance
month period of “normal” operations and a three-month period when all of our programming went Committee. Additionally, the Museum wishes to express its deep appreciation to outgoing long-
virtual. During that period, the BMA presented Barbie: Dreaming of a Female Future, an immense- time board members Nan Skier, Dr. George French, and Judge Houston Brown for their unwav-
ly popular exhibition that took a critical look at Barbie on the occasion of her 60th anniversary by ering dedication to this institution during their tenure. Thanks are also due to Carol Clarke, John
showing artists’ interpretations of Barbie in a life-size dream house, created by women artists and Montgomery, Kimberly Richardson, Andy Robison, and Sonja Q. Smith for their service as annual
makers. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of The Warner Foundation, as well as many other members during the 2019–2020 fiscal year. Ms. Richardson, president and owner of Kimberly
supporters, we had the privilege of showing Blackout: Silhouettes Then and Now, organized by Richardson Consulting, LLC, specializing in federal grants writing, will continue on after being
the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, which traced the fascinating history of this time-hon- unanimously approved by the board to serve out a vacant unexpired term, while Mr. Robison will
ored art form in the United States and showed how silhouettes are still being used by artists today serve in an “of counsel” capacity.
in poignant and inventive ways. Despite or perhaps even because of the challenges we faced in the last quarter of the fiscal year,
Concurrent with Blackout, our Ways of Seeing series continued with a focus on portraiture, the Birmingham Museum of Art’s commitment to its mission is stronger than ever. We hope you
drawing broadly on our permanent collection from a rare Renaissance-era portrait to contem- will enjoy reading how we’ve impacted our community, and want you to know that without your
porary photography to examine how artists have pictured themselves and others across time. loyal support, none of it would have been possible.
15Impact
Works in the Collection 26,156 82,139 Overall Attendance
A combination of 26,156 paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, works on paper, photography, and Before the BMA closed to the public due to the global pandemic, we proudly offered free
videos comprise the Museum’s collection of art from around the world which spans from ancient admission to 82,139 visitors. The central part of our mission is to ensure that people from all
to modern times and includes Asian, European, American, African, Pre-Columbian, and Native backgrounds have access to high-quality art experiences.
American art.
91,191 Social Media Presence
Studio School 260 The BMA has an increasingly large social media presence among Alabama’s cultural institutions
The BMA’s dynamic Studio School classes taught 260 emerging artists to sculpt, paint, draw, and with 91,191 individuals following Museum activities and updates.
sketch, using art from our exhibitions and collection as inspiration for a wide range of art classes.
Tours / Program / Services / Workshops 592 23 Sensory Empowerment Tours
Specially-trained docents guided 23 veterans through the Museum’s collection with Sensory
Education is at the core of what we do and this year, the BMA offered 592 tours, programs, Empowerment Program (SEP) tours. Using verbal descriptions, tactile models based on original
services, and workshops free of charge to members of the Birmingham community. artworks, specially selected sculptures, and music, these tours allow visitors to experience art in a
way they may not be able to on their own.
Digital Visits 260,655 32 Teen BMA
260,655 digital visits to the BMA’s comprehensive website content which ranges from live virtual
performances to art activities and our digitized global collection. 32 teenagers participated in our Teen BMA program which encourages young creatives to get
engaged with the Museum at an early age and empowers them to create opportunities for other
2,669 young people to get involved in the arts.
Members & Volunteers (Participation in arts activities increases tolerance. Twelfth graders who participate in the arts are 40 percent more likely to have friends from different racial groups
As the only global collection in Alabama, the BMA is central to the cultural vibrancy of our and are 29 percent less likely to feel that it is “okay” to make a racist remark. // source: Catterall, J., Dumais, S., & Hampden-Thompson, G. (2012). The Arts and
Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longitudinal Studies. (Research Report #55). National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 20 January 2018
community. Our continued success is the result of a supportive community, a membership base from https://issuu.com/ metrisarts/docs/adding-it-up-final-draft-web)
10,694
of more than 2,669 households, and a volunteer program of nearly 200 individuals who provided
a combined total of 3,166 volunteer hours to the Museum.
Bart’s ArtVenture
Children Served 14,548 Our interactive family gallery, Bart’s ArtVenture, welcomed 10,694 children. This colorful and
dynamic space introduces children to art concepts and the BMA’s collection through hands-on
learning, special exhibitions, and art making projects.
As research continues to prove that art builds empathy and enhances cognitive thinking, the
38,913
Birmingham Museum of Art provided 14,548 children with engaging art experiences both in and
outside the Museum walls. smartguide Stops Visits
72
38,913 visits to our smartguide stops. The smartguide enhances each visit by supplementing
Culture Bridge Resources art works with informative content ranging from quick guides to artists, interactive images, audio,
video, games, and more.
At the beginning of the global pandemic when students and teachers were faced with virtual
instruction, the BMA promptly launched 72 art-related digital learning resources on its new
Culture Bridge platform. 15
In one year, our team produced 15 digital and in-person exhibitions representing work by artists
Exhibitions
around the world and here in Birmingham. All were offered free of charge to the public.
Impact Report | Impact | 16You can also read
