Kusama’s Pumpkin

through Nov 1, 2020

The Springfield Museum of Art is pleased to present a major work of art by internationally acclaimed artist Yayoi Kusama. Pumpkin, a large bronze sculpture by Kusama is on loan to the Museum through the beginning of November from the collection of Angela and Scott Crabill.

Kusama, widely considered one of the most popular and important artists of our time, is known for her extensive use of polka-dots, Instagrammable mirrored infinity rooms, and her fascination of pumpkins. Pumpkin is on display as part of a larger installation of work titled Celebrating Women. This exhibition, celebrating the centennial of women’s suffrage, features both favorite and rarely seen objects from the Museum’s collection created by female artists.

74th Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition

Saturday, Aug 15-Oct 11, 2020

The Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition has been a fixture of the Museum’s programming since its inception in 1946. Each year, participation in the exhibition is open to all members of the Museum, and the show includes both highly accomplished, professional artists and emerging talents alike. Through this annual experience, we celebrate our community’s creative spirit and gain inspiration from regional artists.

This year’s Exhibition features over 100 pieces of work selected by juror Mary Gray, who also chose Best of Show, Second and Third place and Honorable Mentions. The People’s Choice award this year goes to Brian Willams, for “Persephone.”

What Makes Me Feel Safe? (Chakeres Gallery)

Aug 1, 2020 – Jan 3, 2021

We know life has been challenging the past few months. We also recognize art has the capacity to provide respite, beauty, and can calm our anxieties. Explore what makes you feel safe in the revamped Art Lab. This space has been updated to provide a low touch, safe space for engagement for visitors of all ages. Along with art featured from our collection will be minds-on activities designed to support conversation and inspire the observation of emotions. Consumable packets of materials will be provided to support your exploration of the question: what makes me feel safe?

Vision 2020: Dayton/Kyoto Print Exchange 10th Exhibition (Beach Gallery)

Jul 15-Oct 4, 2020

Since the early 2000s, the Dayton Printmakers’ Cooperative and Kyoto, Japan’s Gen Studio Group have shared artwork as part of an international print exchange. The show highlights a range of printmaking processes including etching, intaglio, silkscreen, and wood block relief.

Beneath the Smokestacks: Paintings by David Knapp (Halley & Klein Galleries)

Jul 15-Nov 29, 2020

David Knapp thoughtfully depicts scenes of labor in foundries through this series of colorful paintings. A foundryman and artist, he intimately understands the processes, machinery, and physical skills required of metalcasting. In his art, Knapp chooses to highlight the people who work in foundries recognizing that the buildings and machinery are stagnant without their dedicated labor. Beneath the Smokestacks seeks to shed light on efforts of the laborers while preserving the rich, industrial history of foundries. Each piece depicts a foundry from around the country including Cast-Fab Technologies in Cincinnati, Ohio and Springfield’s own, O.S. Kelly Company.

David is a 1959 graduate BSME from Lehigh University. In 1962, he began his foundry career in Pittsburgh, mastering the mechanics of manufacturing some of the largest steel castings in the world. After decades in shop operations, Knapp settled into business development and spent 18 years with a family-owned iron foundry in Calera, Alabama. Well beyond traditional retirement, David traveled much of North America on company business and combined his passions for foundry history and large industrial paintings. Since last Fall, he has retired but continues to pursue his passions full time.

The Liyana Project (Beach Gallery)

May 25-Jun 29, 2020

Presented by ArtsAlive! and Springfield City School District

What happens when a school district embraces art, storytelling, and film?

The ​Liyana​ Project is the phrase being used by educators in the Springfield City School District to describe the infusion of art and narrative inspired by the documentary film, ​Liyana​. Educators and students at Springfield High School, Shaefer Middle School, and Kenwood Elementary School chose to work together, and independently, on projects ranging from collaborative stories, short films and masks this year. The artworks are on display at the Springfield Museum of Art until June 29, 2020, in the Beach Gallery.

Cowboys & Hatters (Halley & Klein Galleries)

Feb 1-May 31, 2020

Cowboys & Hatters seeks to expand the viewer’s understanding of the historical and sociological evolution of men’s hats through the exhibition of a vast array of authentic hats, related memorabilia, and photography. Ranging from cowboy hats, beaver fur caps, and classic top hats, among others, the show demonstrates the pivotal role hats have played throughout the centuries. Additionally, the exhibition includes insight into hat making processes. All works are from the collection of Dr. Debbie Henderson.

Dr. Debbie Henderson is the costume designer for the Wittenberg University Department of Theatre and Dance. In her work, Dr. Henderson researches clothing worn in other centuries and other countries while attempting to discover the attitudes clothing conveys and inspires. This interest prompted her interdisciplinary doctoral work on the history and manufacture of the man’s hat, undertaken through the Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Henderson is the author of Cowboys and Hatters: Bond Street, Sagebrush, & the Silver Screen (Wild Goose Press, 1996), The Handmade Felt Hat (Wild Goose Press, 2001), Hat Talk (Wild Goose Press, 2002), and numerous journal articles.

Color Improvisations 2 (McGregor & Deer Galleries)

Jan 4 – Apr 5, 2020

Color Improvisations 2 is an international quilt exhibition curated by
Nancy Crow, one of the most celebrated and influential quilt artists
of the past forty years. The show features 50 large, improvisational
quilts by 43 artists from Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland,
Japan, Scotland, and the United States.

All of the quilts, made specifically for this exhibition, highlight the
artists’ ability to create abstract compositions on a large scale with
pieces measuring up to 90 x 90.” Each work was machine-pieced
and quilted, with many including hand-dyed fabrics that make this
collection of quilts truly unique. The Springfield Museum of Art is the
only U.S. destination to exhibit all 50 quilts in one venue.

Opening Reception: Saturday, Jan 4, 5:30-7pm

Exhibition Sponsor:

Packed II: Works by Nicki Crock (Chakeres Gallery)

Oct 12, 2019–Feb 23, 2020

This solo exhibition features a range of works from Columbus, Ohio artist Nicki Crock. Through installation, sculpture, and performance, she explores issues of home and community as well as the role of place and transformation. Having lived in one home for the majority of her childhood, it wasn’t until her later teen years that she embarked on a nomadic lifestyle, searching to recreate a sense of the familiar while also embracing the differences of each new domicile. Her art reflects this push and pull, evoking at once a sense of nostalgia while also suggesting the excitement of the unknown.

Opening Reception: Saturday, Oct 5, 5:30-7pm

Exhibition Sponsor:

Ohio Designer Craftsmen: Best of 2019 (McGregor Gallery)

Sep 20 – Dec 15, 2019

Ohio Designer Craftsmen: The Best of 2019, Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition showcases 88 contemporary works of fine craft by 74 artists, with sixteen pieces selected for awards of excellence. Now in its 35th year, the exhibition features a wide array of mediums, including textiles, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, fiber arts, glass, and furniture design. This year’s juror, Stefanie Kirkland, Director of Exhibitions at the Craft Alliance Center of Art + Design, states, “Craft has a rich background of production and functionality alongside a means of expression…. In this exhibition, there are masterfully designed objects that introduce non-traditional materials and use traditional techniques in unexpected ways.”

Opening Reception: Saturday, Oct 5, 5:30-7pm

Exhibition Sponsor: