Asheville Art Museum holds an opening reception, tonight, for two new exhibits

The Asheville Art Museum hosts an opening reception for two new exhibits: “Selections from the Permanent Collection: 140 Years of American Art” and “Rebels with a Cause.” The reception takes place tonight, Friday, Sept. 27, from 5-7 p.m. Free to museum members or with regular museum admission.

About the exhibits:

Selections from the Permanent Collection: 140 Years of American Art
Saturday, September 14 – Ongoing

In this exhibition, Museum Curatorial staff examine the Collection from a chronological point of view while highlighting works of great interest. This ongoing installation will allow visitors to chart the evolution of American art from the late 19th century to the early 21st century.

While the Museum’s Permanent Collection primarily focuses on American art of the 20th and 21st centuries, there are a few notable art works from the 19th century that help set the stage for art at the dawn of the 20th century, such as Evening on the Hudson by George Inness.

From the early 20th century, the Collection includes art works by American Impressionists such as Childe Hassam and Myron Barlow. The period between World War I and World War II has often been noted for the prevalence of American Scene artists. Some, like Thomas Hart Benton, focused on rural America, while others, like Isaac Friedlander, depicted urban life.

Read the full description at ashevilleart.org

Rebels with a Cause
Saturday, September 28, 2013 – Sunday, January 26, 2014

Rebels With a Cause presents selected paintings, drawings and sculptures from the Huntsville Museum of Art’s recently acquired Sellars Collection of Art by American Women. This landmark holding celebrates the achievements of over 250 talented female artists active from the mid-19th to the mid-20th centuries. Many of these artists rebelled against the convention of their day by exhibiting alongside their male counterparts, receiving awards and pioneering the way for those who would follow. Today, art historians are rediscovering these artists’ accomplishments and establishing their rightful place in the expanding narrative of American art history.

The 53 works included in Rebels With a Cause embody the early influence that French Impressionism and its precursor, the Barbizon Style, had on American art. The exhibition also showcases works that adopt the various hallmarks of what became known as the American Impressionist style, as well as works that branch out beyond Impressionism’s strict definitions, reflecting more individual artistic approaches.

Subjects include accomplished floral compositions, still-life, elegant portraits, engaging genre scenes, and landscapes both intimate and panoramic, reflecting many different regions of the country and world.

This exhibition is organized and curated by the Huntsville Museum of Art.