Press RoomPhoenix Art Museum premieres two exhibitions; hosts films and free after-hours event
Phoenix Art Museum premieres two exhibitions; hosts films and free after-hours event
Nov, 20, 2023
Media Alerts
Phoenix Art Museum premieres two exhibitions; hosts films and free after-hours event
PHOENIX (November 20, 2023) – This December, Phoenix Art Museum will unveil exhibitions Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be SeenandLaura Aguilar: Nudes in Nature. PhxArt will open for free on Friday, December 1 for PhxArt AfterHours, with complimentary admission, live music, art-making workshops, and specialty food and drink experiences inspired by special-engagement exhibition Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory. Additional December programming includes a National Theatre Live simulcast screening, film screening of Tokyo Story, and much more.
FEATURED EVENTS PhxArt AfterHours December 1 | 5 – 9 pmComplimentary admission | Free-access event PhxArt AfterHours returns, activated by free admission to every gallery and exhibition, live music, art-making workshops, and specialty food and drink experiences inspired by special-engagement exhibition Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory. Programming includes:
A dance performance by Liliana Gomez (@lilianagomezdance) presenting CAMINANDO, with live music from Revizor (@revizormusic)
Collage-making workshop with artist Emily Costello (@emcostelloart)
Music by DJ Musa Mind (@musamind)Tatiana Crespo (@taticrespoarte), and DJ Cervantes Tercero (@crvnt3sphx)
Storytelling performances by Storytelling Institute at South Mountain Community College (@smccstorytellinginstitute)
Special exhibition tours + Spanish-language exhibition tour
The return of Open Voice, featuring dialogue between Martin Moreno (@martinmorenoarte), Annie Lopez (@annielopezartist), Liz Lerma (@lerma.liz), and Joe Ray (@joeraycr8iv), artists from the Movimiento Artistico del Rio Salado (MARS) Collective
PhxArt AfterHours are made possible through the generosity of APS .
Art Talk: Manjari Sharma December 16 | 1 pm Free for Members | $5 for the general public Presented in Whiteman Hall. Limited capacity. Hear from contemporary artist Manjari Sharma in conversation with Katherine Anne Paul, PhD, the Virginia and William M. Spencer III Curator of Asian Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art and Janet Baker, PhD, Curator Emerita of Asian Art at Phoenix Art Museum, as they discuss the works and themes in special-engagement exhibition Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen, opening on December 16, 2023 in the Katz Wing for Modern Art. Tickets are available for reservation here.
Art Talk is made possible by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
EXHIBITION OPENINGS Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen December 16, 2023 – April 14, 2024 Organized by the Birmingham Museum of Art, Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen showcases the remarkable work of global contemporary artist Manjari Sharma, who has photographically re-imagined encounters with Hindu deities in temple settings with custom fabrication. These portraits, which address issues of identity, multiculturalism, and personal mythology, are paired alongside historical sculptural objects from the collection of the Birmingham Museum of Art, many of which are on view publicly for the first time. By presenting these works together, the exhibition creates a dialogue about the longstanding, inextricable relationship between art and religion.
Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen is organized by Birmingham Museum of Art. The exhibition’s presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Janet Baker, PhD, Curator Emerita of Asian Art, and Rachel Sadvary Zebro, associate curator for collections, at Phoenix Art Museum, in collaboration with Katherine Anne Paul, PhD, the Virginia and William M. Spencer III Curator of Asian Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen is made possible through the generosity of Men’s Arts Council, with additional support from E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and Vermaland, LLC. 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.
Laura Aguilar: Nudes in Nature December 16, 2023 – November 17, 2024 Laura Aguilar: Nudes in Naturepresents nearly 60 photographic works that shed light on the groundbreaking career of Laura Aguilar (1959–2018), an artist who explored the intersectionality within her personal identity as a Chicana and a lesbian living in poverty and with depression and learning disabilities. Late in her career, Aguilar captured intimate portraits of nude, large-bodied women—including herself—in natural settings to highlight the inherent connections between nature and the female form. She created various series within this framework, and Laura Aguilar: Nudes in Nature brings together these photographs for the very first time.
Laura Aguilar: Nudes in Nature is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and the Center for Creative Photography. It is co-curated by Sybil Venegas and Christopher Velasco, trustees of the Laura Aguilar Estate. The exhibition’s presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Emilia Mickevicius, the Norton Family Assistant Curator of Photography at Phoenix Art Museum and the Center for Creative Photography. All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional significant support provided by Joan Cremin.
NOW OPEN Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory November 5, 2023 – February 5, 2024 Organized by Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive in collaboration with the Latinx Research Center (LRC) at UC Berkeley, Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory is the first major retrospective to explore the historically significant work and career of groundbreaking Chicana artist Amalia Mesa-Bains, whose large-scale installations draw inspiration from Mexican Indigenous ofrendas, descansos, altars, and other traditions that honor one’s familial ancestors.
Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory is organized by Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) in collaboration with the Latinx Research Center (LRC) at UC Berkeley. The exhibition is co-curated by María Esther Fernández, Artistic Director, The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum, and Laura E. Pérez, PhD, Professor of Chicanx, Latinx and Ethnic Studies, and Chair of the Latinx Research Center, UC Berkeley. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Christian Ramírez, the Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Community Art Initiatives.Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory is made possible by generous lead support from the Henry Luce Foundation and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The exhibition’s presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is made possible through the generosity of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Exhibition Endowment 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. In-kind support provided by Kimpton Hotel Palomar.
CLOSING SOON MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene Closing December 4, 2023 Featuring the dynamic fashions of the late designer renowned for revolutionizing American sportswear and presenting runway ballets.
MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene is organized by Phoenix Art Museum with the support of Authentic Brands Group, LLC. It is made possible through the generosity of Major Sponsors Ellen and Howard C. Katz, Partner Sponsor The Virginia M. Ullman Foundation, Contributing Sponsors Miriam and Yefim Sukhman, and Media Sponsor KJZZ/KBACH. Additional support provided by Arizona Costume Institute, the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Endowment Fund, and Kimpton Hotel Palomar.
Mission and Legacy is organized by Phoenix Art Museum. It is made possible through the generosity of Friends of Mexican Art.
OTHER EVENTS Storytime in the Garden December 6 | 10:30 am Free for Members | Included in general admission for the general public Advance registration recommended. Tickets are available for reservation here.
Storytime in the Garden is made possible 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.
National Theatre Live: Hamlet December 17 | 1 – 4 pm $10 for Members | $15 for the general public Presented in Whiteman Hall. Limited capacity. Tickets are available here.
National Theatre Live screenings are made possible by the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts.
Now Showing: Tokyo Story December 13 | 6 PM Free for Members | $8 for the general public Presented in Whiteman Hall. Tickets are available for reservation here.
Films@PhxArt is made possible by Fit Via Vi Films.
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 and Maricopa County Community College students*
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.
Free Admission for Maricopa County Community Colleges Students All Maricopa County Community Colleges students who attend any of the 10 colleges or affiliated skill centers 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.
PHXARTIST SPOTLIGHTS PhxArtist Spotlight is an ongoing series explores what inspires and motivates Valley creatives, while leveraging the Museum’s reach in its community to support and expand awareness of working artists. Hear directly from artists working in Arizona 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.
