American folk art treasures grace Portland Museum of Art
PORTLAND, Maine – The Portland Museum of Art will host American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection from February 3 through May 7.
Featuring more than 70 significant works from the American Folk Art Museum’s collection, this exhibition offers insight into the diverse landscape of folk and self-taught art in the United States from the 18th century to the present day. Capturing thoughts and experiences, the dynamic artistic production on view functions as a witness to history, a carrier of cultural heritage, and a reflection of the world at large. The idea of art’s entanglement with our shared and complex past — and the ability of artists to speak to, counter, and articulate the nuances of those histories — animates this vibrant installation.
Four primary sections, organized under the titles Founders, Travelers, Philosophers, and Seekers, explore the roles, ideas and firsthand testimonies of artists of various backgrounds and perspectives. A wide range of forms — from quilts, embroidery and assemblages to pottery, paintings and sculpture — reveals aspects of American identity, nationhood and histories, and celebrates the multiplicity of insights art can offer on these questions. Through the interweaving of historical and contemporary works that speak to the beauty, complexity and contradictions of this country, American Perspectives affirms that everyone has a story to tell.
Each piece in the exhibition holds a unique and intimate viewpoint from a broad collection of artists. “The individual stories and ways that these works of art carry these stories forward is reflected beautifully in this show. Visitors have the opportunity to delve deeply — to go down a rabbit hole, so to speak — with each piece, and you can really fall in love with these objects and their makers,” said PMA’s Assistant Curator of American Art Ramey Mize, adding, “It’s an invitation to look closer and to look at things differently, to adopt a new perspective.” American Perspectives stages questions regarding U.S. identity, nationhood and histories, creating space for a multiplicity of viewpoints on these issues and embracing the dynamism and diversity of American life.
Visit the website of the Portland Museum of Art and see its dedicated page for American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection.