MAIN GALLERY

She Says: Women, Words and Power presents a broad range of approaches contemporary women artists are using with the incorporation of text as an essential part of their artistic practice. Each artist creates and reflects the written word as a formal building block: as way to convey trauma, to assert sexuality, or to investigate power structures on all levels. The artists come from a wide range of backgrounds and are at different stages of their lives and careers, yet, for each one text acts as a powerful visual punch. Their use of text navigates a delicate balance between image and language, personal and universal, or politics and poetry. In their investigations and declarations, we find connection, identity, and a mirror reflecting not only ourselves but the world in which we live.

Featured artists for this exhibition include April Bey, Zoë Buckman, Lesley Dill, Meg Hitchcock, Sandra Ramos, Hadieh Shafie, and Betty Tompkins.

EXHIBITION SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: PRA Group with additional support from Arleen Cohen, Susan and Andy Cohen in honor of their mothers Irene Fritsch and Lolly Cohen, Jodi and Jay Klebanoff, Southern Bank, and Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.

MAIN GALLERY

Amplify focuses on the experiences of woman-identifying artists in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. Virginia MOCA curators have connected with curatorial colleagues and asked them to share their recommendations of woman-identifying artists who are exploring identity and the gendered roles of women. Constructs regarding a woman’s identity can be complicated and loaded with political agendas and nuances; yet they are also fascinating, beautiful, and filled with joy when embraced in all their forms. Through a variety of media and approaches, the artists in Amplify explore some of the many aspects of what it is to be a woman. They reveal common themes from an intersectional, and deeply personal lens.

EXHIBITION SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: PRA Group with additional support from Arleen Cohen, Susan and Andy Cohen in honor of their mothers Irene Fritsch and Lolly Cohen, Jodi and Jay Klebanoff, Southern Bank, and Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.

COMMUNITY GALLERY

Everyday Magic features a selection of recent photographs by Lauren Keim celebrating and exploring the vitality and beauty of overlooked moments in everyday life. Morning light illuminating a bedroom window, dishes at the kitchen sink, and a slept-in bed reveal intimate spaces in the artist’s home. Keim’s presence is evident in these photographs even if her body is absent. Her reverence for family can be seen in the heirlooms tucked into various corners of the interiors. Like the artist, we surround ourselves with everyday spaces and objects whose small details often unveil who we truly are. The nature of noticing is intuitive to Keim. She is most comfortable when she has a camera in her hand and is fascinated with making images that reveal simple moments that cannot be repeated. She pays attention to how light shifts throughout the day, often planning an image in advance and waiting in a particular location of her home to achieve her vision.

EXHIBITION SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: PRA Group with additional support from Arleen Cohen, Susan and Andy Cohen in honor of their mothers Irene Fritsch and Lolly Cohen, Jodi and Jay Klebanoff, Southern Bank, and Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.

Image: Lauren Keim, Free for the Strangest Adventures, 2020. Photography. Courtesy of the artist.

SATELLITE GALLERY

Virginia MOCA presents First Course, bringing together 12 artists from our region to provide a taste of their talent and artistic practice. The artwork featured in this exhibition, while vastly different in medium and theme, all have one thing in common: Virginia MOCA commissioned each of these artists to create new artwork in collaboration with a subject matter expert for the exhibition Nourish.

FLEMING GALLERY & SATELLITE GALLERY

This year Virginia MOCA will host its first juried teen exhibition during the Summer of Women. This exhibition will be open to young women ages 13-19. The entries will be juried by a committee of their peers, who will work closely with Virginia MOCA staff to curate a selection of artworks that display creativity and vision.

This exhibition will be shown in the Fleming Gallery at Virginia MOCA and our Satellite Gallery located at Towne Pavilion II in conjunction with the main gallery exhibitions She Says: Women, Words and Power, and Amplify.

EXHIBITION SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: PRA Group with additional support from Arleen Cohen, Susan and Andy Cohen in honor of their mothers Irene Fritsch and Lolly Cohen, Jodi and Jay Klebanoff, Southern Bank, and Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.

For over 25 years, we have maintained a strong tradition of celebrating regional artists through our annual juried exhibition, New Waves. Our story finds its roots in a concerned and connected artist community. Virginia MOCA has never lost the goal of keeping ties with the talented artists who live close to our doors.

As our community evolves, so will the museum and its traditions. This year, New Waves has become Made in VA. The new title reasserts our commitment to Virginia artists. We will continue to bring together jurors who are at the top of their field with the talented contemporary artists found in the Commonwealth. With the new name come changes intended to strengthen our award program and provide opportunities for the growth and professional development of the selected artists.