Press RoomPhoenix Art Museum premieres 2023 Arizona Artist Awards exhibitions; hosts free Family Funday; opens for special 4th of July hours
Phoenix Art Museum premieres 2023 Arizona Artist Awards exhibitions; hosts free Family Funday; opens for special 4th of July hours
Jun, 30, 2023
Media Alerts
Phoenix Art Museum premieres 2023 Arizona Artist Awards exhibitions; hosts free Family Funday; opens for special 4th of July hours
PHOENIX (June 30, 2023) – This July, Phoenix Art Museum will open for free on Sunday, July 30, for PhxArt Family Funday, with complimentary admission to every gallery and exhibition, live music, art-making workshops, and specialty food and drink experiences inspired by special-engagement exhibition, Juan Francisco Elso: Por América. PhxArt will also unveil the 2023 Arizona Artist Awards exhibitionsGabriela Muñoz & Jenea Sanchez: Empowered Fronterizx Bodies and the 2023 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards.Additional July programming includes the premiere of new original summer film series Cine Cubano, a series of artist talks, Storytime in the Galleries, and much more.
FREE-ACCESS EVENT PhxArt Family Funday July 30 | 10 am – 5 pm Complimentary admission | Free-access event Enjoy free Museum admission all day from 10 am – 5pm, including access to special-engagement exhibitions Juan Francisco Elso: Por Américaand MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene. Beginning at noon, the Museum will host live performances in the galleries, art making, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences for visitors of all ages and abilities, including:
Specialty food and beverage experiences with ARTenders, Churros Don Lencho (@churrosdonlencho), and Island Boyz Jerk Spot (@islandboyzjs)
… + much more!
PhxArt Family Fundays are made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Men’s Arts Council.
TEMPORARILY CLOSING You Who are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies (2005) by Yayoi Kusama Closing July 5, 2023 After being on view for more than a decade, infinity mirror room You Who are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies (2005) by Yayoi Kusama will temporarily close over the coming months to complete much-needed restoration work. The installation will reopen on September 9 during a Fireflies-themed Creative Saturday celebration in its new home next to the Art of Asia galleries on the first floor. In this more accessible location, visitors will get to experience the work in context with historical art forms and objects from Japan, many of which influenced Yayoi Kusama as she grew her practice and conceived her immersive art experiences.
PhxArt will open for special operating hours on July 4 from 10 am – 5 pm to provide an extra day of public access before the temporary closure.
OPENING SOON
Gabriela Muñoz & Jenea Sanchez: Empowered Fronterizx Bodies and the 2023 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards Exhibition July 19, 2023 – May 12, 2024 Gabriela Muñoz & Jenea Sanchez: Empowered Fronterizx Bodies and the 2023 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards Exhibition feature works by Arizona-based contemporary artists. The 2023 Arlene and Morton Scult Artist Awardees Jenea SanchezandGabriela Muñoz of Fronterizx Collective will showcase their latest projects and installations that investigate issues of power, labor, and transnational feminism. July 19, 2023 – May 12, 2024 Gabriela Muñoz & Jenea Sanchez: Empowered Fronterizx Bodies and the 2023 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards Exhibition feature works by Arizona-based contemporary artists. The 2023 Arlene and Morton Scult Artist Awardees Jenea SanchezandGabriela Muñoz of Fronterizx Collective will showcase their latest projects and installations that investigate issues of power, labor, and transnational feminism.
The 2023 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards Exhibition features works by emerging artists Yaritza Flores Bustos and Alejandro Macias. Born in 1997, Yaritza Flores Bustos migrated from Michoacán, México, at a young age with her family. They established a home in Maryvale, the Westside of Phoenix, something that Bustos states with pride. Her interdisciplinary practice works across media to develop a new archive that venerates the multiple languages her community utilizes to survive. Alejandro Macias’ practice mixes conventional, representational, and abstract approaches, a strategy that acts as a metaphor for his upbringing along the U.S.-Mexico border. His work explores themes of Mexican-American identity, assimilation, acculturation, repression, civil rights, immigration, cultural misconceptions, contemporary socio-political trepidations, and the ever-shifting American political landscape.
Arizona Artist Awards are made possible by the Arlene and Morton Scult Artist Award and the Sally and Richard Lehmann Emerging Artists Award with additional support from Cattryn Somers and Michael Cafiso.
Gabriela Muñoz & Jenea Sanchez: Empowered Fronterizx Bodies is organized by Phoenix Art Museum. The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of the Cohn Fund for Arts and Culture, a founding gift of the Phoenix Art Museum Education and Engagement Excellence Fund.
The 2023 Lehmann Emerging Artist Award Recipients exhibition is organized by Phoenix Art Museum. The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of the Cohn Fund for Arts and Culture, a founding gift of the Phoenix Art Museum Education and Engagement Excellence Fund.
All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation, with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
Juan Francisco Elso: Por América explores the significant career of the late Cuban artist, whose sculptures and installations examine the complexities of contemporary Cuban, Caribbean, and Latin American identities. Fashioned from natural, organic materials, featured works draw influence from Indigenous traditions, Afro-Caribbean religious beliefs, and the traumas of colonial oppression and are placed in conversation with paintings, sculptures and more by a group of 30 multigenerational artists active in the Caribbean and throughout North, South, and Central America. Through this contextual approach, the traveling survey illuminates Elso’s legacy and articulates a more expansive idea of the Americas, free of geopolitical borders and boundaries.
Juan Francisco Elso: Por América is organized by El Museo del Barrio and guest curated by Olga Viso, curator-at-large at Phoenix Art Museum and senior advisor at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, in collaboration with Susanna V. Temkin, curator at El Museo del Barrio. The exhibition is made possible thanks to major support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Commissions are made possible by VIA Art Fund and the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is made possible through the generosity of Partner Sponsors Sue and Bud Selig and Supporting Sponsors Men’s Arts Council, The Opatrny Family Foundation, the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Exhibition Endowment Fund, and the Joan Cremin Exhibition Endowment, with additional support from Kimpton Hotel Palomar.
FEATURED JULY EVENTS Cine Cubano – Una Noche (One Night) Summer Film Series Sponsored by Lisa Sette Gallery July 12 | 6 pm Free for Members | $8 for the general public Presented in Whiteman Hall PhxArt presents Cine Cubano, a four-film series sponsored by Lisa Sette Gallery that complements special-engagement exhibition Juan Francisco Elso: Por América and celebrates Cuba’s rich history and culture through the medium of cinema. All films are presented in Spanish with English subtitles.
Raul dreams of escaping to Miami, and after he is accused of assault, he convinces his friend Elio to help him complete the 90-mile passage across the ocean.Tickets are available for reservation here.
This film series is made possible by the Lisa Sette Gallery.
Art Talk: Fusing Culture and Art July 15 | 1 – 2:30 pm Free for Members | $5 for the general public Presented in Singer Hall Juan Francisco Elso merged multiple cultural and aesthetic traditions during his artistic career, an approach to art making that continues to inform the creative work of many artists today. Experience a roundtable discussion about polycultural identity in the making of the contemporary Americas with poet Anna Flores, in dialogue with artists and thinkers Estephania González, Carolina Aranibar-Fernández, and Estrella Esquilín. Tickets are available here.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
Art Talk: Juan Francisco Elso and Mexico July 19 | Noon Free for Members and the general public Presented on Zoom (in Spanish with live English interpretation) Learn about Juan Francisco Elso’s deep cultural and aesthetic ties to Mexico and Mesoamerican cultural traditions with Mexico City-based artist Magali Lara and Cuauhtémoc Medina, Chief Curator at University Museum of Contemporary Art in Mexico City. For more information, click here.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
Arizona Artist Awards are made possible by the Arlene and Morton Scult Artist Award and the Sally and Richard Lehmann Emerging Artists Award with additional support from Cattryn Somers and Michael Cafiso.
All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation, with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
OTHER EVENTS
Storytime in the Galleries July 5 | 10:30 am Free for Members | Included in general admission for the general public Advance registration recommended. Designed for our youngest PhxArt visitors (ages 0-5) and their parents or caregivers, Storytime in the Galleries is a wonderful opportunity to share the joy of early literacy, art-inspired play, and hands-on learning with family and friends. The Storytime in the Galleries series is offered on the first Wednesday of each month inside the Museum. Tickets are available for reservation here.
Storytime in the Galleries is made possible in part by the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts, The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs, and the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
William Herbet “Buck” Dunton followed his passion west to paint scenic southwestern landscapes, cowboys, and hunters. Join Museum Docent John Engen to explore the precision and hints of drama showcased in exhibition William Herbert “Buck” Dunton: A Mainer Goes West. For more information, click here.
Weekly Virtual Mindfulness Sessions July 6, 13, 20, 27 | Noon Free for Members | $5 suggested donation for the general public Scientific studies show the art of mindfulness can relieve anxiety, depression, pain, and stress and actually change the way we feel, think, work, and play by opening new pathways in the brain. Presented in collaboration with Hospice of the Valley, this free, 30-minute, at-home mindfulness session promotes living in the present. This session is hosted live on Zoom, a video-conference platform. More information available soon at phxart.org.
Lemon Art Research LibraryBook Club: Simple Verses by José Martí July 15 | 1:30 pm Free for Members and the general public Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library Join librarian Jesse Lopez for the next installment of the Lemon Art Research Library Book Club featuring Simple Verses by José Martí, a selection inspired by special-engagement exhibition Juan Francisco Elso: Por América. Learn how the renowned Cuban poet influenced Elso by examining a bilingual edition of Martí’s most well-known poems. More information available soon at phxart.org.
FREE-ACCESS PROGRAMS Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesdays Every Wednesday | 3 – 9 pm Voluntary-donation general admission SPECIAL-EXHIBITION TICKETS: $6 for adults | FREE for Museum Members, Maricopa County Community College students*, ASU students**, and active-duty military personnel*** From 3 – 9 pm every Wednesday, the Museum offers voluntary-donation general admission and reduced rates to view special-engagement exhibitions.
Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesdays are made possible by SRP and City of Phoenix. *The Maricopa County Community College District program at Phoenix Art Museum (MC3@PAM) is made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Men’s Arts Council. **Arizona State University Students will enjoy free general admission to PhxArt from May 6 through September 17, 2023, including admission into special-engagement exhibitions. Visitors must present an active student ID at the time of admission. ***Active-duty military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserves, and their families will enjoy free admission to PhxArt from May 20 through September 3, 2023, including admission into special-engagement exhibitions. Visitors must present an active ID at the time of admission.
Blue Star Museums Program From U.S. Armed Forces Day (May 20, 2023) through Labor Day (September 3, 2023), active-duty military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserves, and their families can enjoy free admission to Phoenix Art Museum through the Blue Star Museums program. Complimentary admission extends to special-engagement exhibitions. An active ID is required.
The Blue Star Museums program at Phoenix Art Museum is made possible through the generosity of Supporting Sponsor Shamrock Foods Foundation.
PhxArt AfterHours September 1 /// December 1, 2023 5 – 9 pmComplimentary admission | Free-access eventAt select times throughout the year, Phoenix Art Museum opens for free after dark for PhxArt AfterHours, activated by live music, art-making workshops, specialty food and drink experiences, and other performances and entertainment. Visit the Museum during an AfterHours event to expand the way you interact with art.
PhxArt AfterHours are made possible through the generosity of Partner Sponsor APS.
PhxArt Family Fundays July 30 /// October 29 10 am – 5 pmComplimentary admission | Free-access dayAt select times throughout the year, Phoenix Art Museum hosts PhxArt Family Fundays, an all-ages, free-access day with complimentary admission to every gallery and exhibition and arts-engagement programming suitable for visitors of all ages, interests, and abilities.
PhxArt Family Fundays are made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Men’s Arts Council.
Free Admission for Maricopa County Community Colleges Students Through the MC3@PAM program at PhxArt, all Maricopa County Community Colleges students who attend any of the 10 colleges or affiliated skill centers will enjoy free general admission to PhxArt, including admission into special-engagement exhibitions. Visitors must present an active student ID at the time of admission.
The Maricopa County Community College District program at Phoenix Art Museum (MC3@PAM) is made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Men’s Arts Council.
SCHOOL AND ADULT TOURS On-site school and adult tours have returned to Phoenix Art Museum. To learn more about school-tour offerings and planning a school visit, click here. For adult and college group tour requests, click here.
In addition, Phoenix Art Museum offers live virtual presentations for school classrooms and community organizations. For more information on Virtual Classroom Visits, click here. For more information on Virtual Presentations for Adults, click here.
School Tours and Virtual Classroom Visits are made possible in part by Carolyn Dunkin Schulte Educational Endowment Fund, The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs the and William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
PHXARTIST SPOTLIGHTS Presented by Phoenix Art Museum, PhxArtist Spotlight is a monthly series that explores what inspires and motivates Valley creatives, while leveraging the Museum’s reach in its community to support and expand awareness of working artists. Each month, the Museum highlights a different artist working in Arizona, posting a Q&A with the artist and images of their work on the Museum’s Instagram and Facebook channels and on the Museum’s bilingual blog. The artist is also highlighted in a monthly email sent to Museum Members, Circles of Support donors, and a subscriber list of more than 65,000 followers.For more information on the series, click here. For recent spotlights on Armida Kielty and Blaise Danio, click here.
About Phoenix Art Museum Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum has provided millions of guests with access to world-class art and experiences in an effort to ignite imaginations, create meaningful connections, and serve as a brave space for all people who wish to experience the transformative power of art. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, the Museum is a vibrant destination for the visual arts and the largest art museum in the southwestern United States. Each year, more than 300,000 guests engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 20,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design. The Museum also presents a comprehensive film program, live performances, and educational programs designed for visitors of all ages, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.
