For Immediate Release:
March 16, 2022
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Contact Director of Advancement:
Alexina Jones | ajones@benningtonmuseum.org
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Bennington Museum re-opens on Friday, April 1
with a slate of new exhibitions...
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Bennington Museum's major 2022 exhibit will explore the history and artistic depictions of Vermont’s state parks and other formally designated natural areas. From state forests to the Green Mountain National Forest, and the Appalachian Trail/Long Trail, these preserved and sometimes curated spaces provide year-round outdoor activities (and tourism) for skiers/snowboarders in the winter, and hikers and fishers from spring through autumn. Parks and the recreation opportunities they provide are an integral aspect of the state’s identity in the public imagination.
The exhibition will trace the history of Vermont’s wildscapes from the origins of nature tourism in the region in the mid-nineteenth century through the formal development of a state park system and national forest designation beginning in the 1920s through the 1940s. This exhibition connects past to present through thematically relevant artworks including Sanford Gifford’s painting of hikers/campers on top of Mt. Mansfield from 1859, Milton Avery paintings of Jamaica State Park (1935-1943), and contemporary pieces by regional artists (the latter a collaboration with the Bryan Memorial Gallery).
April 1 – November 6, 2022, Bennington Museum will showcase the historical story of Parks and Recreation.
July 2 – December 31, 2022, Bennington Museum will open an additional exhibit of contemporary works depicting Vermont’s State Parks.
June 23 – September 5, 2022, the Bryan Memorial Gallery will open an exhibit featuring contemporary works by regional artists.
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Parks & Recreation is powered in part by: |
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April 1 - June 22, 2022
Marion Huse, Sunday, 1937, oil on canvas
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Marion Huse (1896-1967) was an artist whose work spanned forty years and a variety of styles and subject matter. A native of Massachusetts, she achieved a degree of success unusual for a woman of her day, founding and operating the Springfield Art School from 1925 to 1940 and serving as supervisor of WPA art projects for western Massachusetts from 1936 to 38. In 1933 Huse established a studio in Pownal, Vermont, where she spent many of her weekends and most of her summers painting, before moving there permanently in 1940. This exhibition focuses on the work Huse created in southwestern Vermont during this period.
Huse was acknowledged as one of the pioneers of the serigraph, or silkscreen, as a fine art media. A few of her prints, depicting historic local landmarks and covered bridges, will be shown alongside her paintings. During the latter part of her career Huse transitioned into a more Expressionistic style, embracing brighter, non-associative color and more vigorous abstract brushwork.
This show will highlight a significant, but lesser-known historic woman artist, who created an important body of work in our figurative backyard during the mid-20th century.
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April 1 - June 5, 2022
Dobi Kye, self-portrait
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Bennington Museum welcomes student work back into our galleries after ceding the stage to the Teacher’s Art Show during the pandemic closure. The 2022 show will focus on the work of our region’s high school students and include work from Mt. Anthony Union High School, Southwest Tech, Grace Christian School, The Vermont School for Girls, Hoosac School, and Hoosick Falls Central High School. The Bennington area has a strong history of art education, and visitors to the show will be treated to the results through a variety of media including oils, pastels, ceramic, digital art and more. |
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For visitors who are interested in a guided experience, Bennington Museum is hosting the annual Spring Party celebrating the re-opening on Saturday April 2nd which will include a curator-led tour of the major season exhibit: Parks & Recreation.
Tickets may be purchased HERE.
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Bennington Museum presents and explores the rich culture of southern Vermont and neighboring regions from the 18th century to the present. Visit benningtonmuseum.org to learn more about virtual and in-person, year-round exhibitions and programming. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students over 18. Bennington Museum participates in NARM, Blue Star Museum, and the Museums for All initiatives. Bennington Museum is located at 75 Main Street in Bennington, Vermont.
Open Hours for April and May:
10am - 4pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
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Bennington Museum engages and transforms our visitors and our community by connecting you to the region’s diverse arts, rich history, and culture of innovation.
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