Mècanism, La mècanisme de la multiplication des dèsirs by Ramon Alejandro on display at the American Visionary Art Museum. Image: American Visionary Art Museum.

ART NEWS: American Visionary Art Museum is 21. In celebration, the museum has put together some amazing Fall shows that will reposition Outside art and artists to the center.

BY KAZAD

BALTIMORE, MD. — Like many of the other museums in Baltimore, the American Visionary Art Museum has a lot for art lovers this Fall. Located in the Federal Hill neighborhood, the art museum continues to present outsider art in the most conducive setting. Although many of the works on display are by self-taught artists, they are nonetheless unique.  From new installations to permanent collections, there is so much to see this Fall at the Museum.

Yummm! The History, Fantasy, and Future of Food, Oct 8, 2016-Sept 3, 2017

Twenty-one years after it was formed, the American Visionary Art Museum has become one of the major art museums in Maryland. Its preference for presenting outsider art has made it one of the unique places to visit for art lovers and tourists.

American Visionary Art Museum at 21

In celebration of its 21st birthday anniversary, the Museum is hosting Yummm! The History, Fantasy, and Future of Food. The exhibition features artworks by 34 visionary artists, who express their thoughts about food in view of the growing world population. The artists join forces with food scientists, farmers, nutritionists, environmental activists, psychologists, poets, and humorists who publicly navigate the complexities of the human relationship with food.

Matt Sesow: Shock and Awe, through June 2017.

Matt Sesow, detail: A Choice, 2016. Acrylic/oil on stretched canvas, Collection of the artist. Image: American Visionary Art Museum

On the third floor of the Museum is Matt Sesow: Shock and Awe. The exhibition features paintings by the Washington, D.C.-based self-taught artist Matt Sesow.  The paintings which are “raw, visceral, good to the bone” are in the Zanvyl A. Krieger Main Building.

Included in the exhibition are more than 150 paintings. While a collection of the works celebrates the first 100 American soldiers killed in the Iraq War, others honor nature. Sesow’s odd, yet, remarkable depictions of animals and birds show Sesow’s unrestrained imagination. 

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Additionally, his autobiographical paintings open a window into his life, especially his love for those who strive to help others. His collection of paintings paying tribute to humanitarians is telling on the artist’s perception of life.

Matt Sesow: Shock and Awe is the first exclusive show by the artist at the  Museum. Rebecca Alban Hoffberger,  Founder and Director of the museum curated the show.

 Permanent Collection- Ongoing.

Anonymous, Recovery, Applewood figure, c.1950. Image: American Visionary Art Museum

The museum’s permanent collection continues to be a point of attraction for visitors to the American Visionary Art Museum. Just recently, the museum updated works in the Rebecca and Joseph Meyerhoff Gallery on the first floor, and second floor Gretchen V. and Samuel M. Feldman Gallery.

 The galleries feature rotating selections from the museum’s permanent collection. With over 4,000 visionary works from all over the world, the presentations are always fresh and new for visitors to the American Visionary Art Museum. Some of the artists in the collection include Loring Cornish, Howard Finster, Ted Gordon, Christine McCormick, Mary Proctor, Martin Ramirez, Judith Scott, and many others.

Jim Rouse Visionary Center

The Jim Visionary Center combines three floors of excitement at the Museum.  On the first floor is the Visionary Village, a large arena filled with sculptures. Here, there are London’s Cabaret Mechanical Theatre automata; Baltimore Painted Screens & Rowhouse Theater, and Kinetic Sculptures. Others include DeVon Smith’s World’s First Robot Family; Andrew Logan’s Divine; Leonard Knight’s God is Love Balloon; David Best’s Baltimore Blues Community ArtCar Project; and many other exciting projects.

On the second floor is The Hall of Social Visionaries. This section features an interactive exhibition on Jim Rouse: Remembering Jim into Our Future.  In addition, the second floor has two classrooms, which hosts workshops for students and art professionals. The Thou Art Creative Classroom and The Creative Social Activism Classroom have helped in fostering art appreciation and global innovations.

The third floor of the museum is known as The Center for Visionary Thought and Expression. The ban-styled hall has a capacity of 500. However, the major point of fascination here is the access to the David Hess’ 38-foot wide Bird’s Nest Balcony. Visitors get the opportunity of a panoramic view of the  Visionary Museum Campus building.  From this vantage point, visitors can also see wildflower garden, along with historic Federal Hill & downtown Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

Outdoor Sculptures & Amenities:

Outdoor Sculptures & Amenities is one of the favorite places for visitors to the American Visionary Art Museum. It includes exceptional works that have been a major attraction for art lovers and tourists to Baltimore.  Some of the outdoor sculptures include Dick Brown’s Bluebird of Happiness; Dr. Tom Evermor’s 40-foot steel Phoenix, and Andrew Logan’s 8-foot Cosmic Galaxy Egg. Others are Adam Kurtzman’s 11-foot Giant Golden Hand and Giant Neon Spangled ‘O Say Can You See’ Sign among several others.

American Visionary Art Museum has a lot for art lovers. Will you be visiting the museum soon? Join the art conversation: Share your thoughts and comments.

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