UPDATE, Feb.1, 2021: The "World Stage" exhibit wraps up on Feb. 7. The Nevada Museum of Art is accepting reservations to view the exhibit before it is taken down.
In March, as the pandemic reached critical mass, a new exhibition opened at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, then the institution’s doors closed two days later as the nation went into lock down.
The museum is again welcoming visitors, and the exhibition, : The World Stage: Contemporary Art from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, resumes for an extended run at the same time as its relevance is amplified by current events. Organized by JoAnne Northrup, the museum’s curator of contemporary art, The World Stage showcases 90 artworks by 35 renowned contemporary American artists.
“The exhibition is even more relevant and timely now,” said Amanda Horn, the museum’s senior vice president of communications. “The 35 artists share American identities, but are from very diverse backgrounds.” She said the exhibition is extended through early February to give community members a chance to experience the art and take part in programs and conversations with the artists, museum staff and each other.
Art and culture collide with current events
“We were very moved by the Black Lives Matter movement and determined it would be better for our whole community to leave this exhibition up for that extended period,” Horn said. “This exhibition provides a really powerful backdrop and platform to amplify artists of color, Black and indigenous artists, Chinese-American artists, Latinx artists who are in the exhibition. It provides the opportunity to have many public programs with these artists, virtually, in-person or a hybrid of those, to allow conversations — meaningful, critical conversations – to happen among those artists, members of the community and the museum staff.”
The exhibition title, The World Stage, is inspired by the name of a series of paintings by Kehinde Wiley, an artist in the exhibition who is best known for his presidential portrait of Barack Obama that hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. Other artists whose work is featured in the exhibition include Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Wendy Red Star, and Mickalene Thomas. A YouTube video offers more details of the exhibition.
Reservations required, precautions observed
The museum has reopened under new protocols. Advance Ticketing is available online (scroll down to tickets button) to minimize contact and limit attendance to allow for social distancing.
“We’re welcoming our community back to the museum,” Horn said. “Probably the biggest change is that we’re asking people to reserve tickets ahead of time. Members are admitted free, as always, but they also will need to make reservations.”
“We’re taking it slow, but the reopening is a sign of optimism. No big programs are planned, but there are many programs happening online, including classes and conversations… In a way, the pandemic has given us the opportunity to deliver many more programs through the hybrid model.” — Amanda Horn, vice president, Nevada Museum of Art.
Upcoming virtual programs announced
Sept. 11: “Sounding the Visual: Jean Michel Basquiat and Early Hip Hop.”
Sept. 25: “Artist Mildred Howard on Transcending Boundaries”
Oct. 9: “Vanessa German on the Cultural Ecosystem of Community”
Other exhibitions invite visitors
“A Sweet Life: Nancy Peppin”: This Twinkie-inspired exhibition features work by a well-known and much-beloved Reno-based artist, Nancy Peppin, who died in 2015:
“Animal Crossings”: This exhibition just opened, and is organized with the pandemic in mind.
In addition, the museum hosts many recurring online art discussions in both English and Spanish that invite people to explore a variety of exhibitions and work from the permanent collections. For those seeking a deeper creative experience, the institution’s E.L. Cord Museum School is offering a variety of online classes.
The museum’s art-making component of its Hands ON! Second Saturday series continues with Hands ON! at Home projects accessible from anywhere. The museum continues to offer free admission for families on the second Saturday of every month. Tickets must be reserved in advance.
SUPPORTING BLM MOVEMENT IS THE SAME AS SUPPORTING MARXIST KARL MARX. THE FATHER OF WHAT? THAT LED TO WHAT? SO co-founder of BLM openly claims on video that they, BLM, have ideologies. That is inline with them being trained organizers, and trained Marxist. Yet they are too stupid to realize that Marxists hate black people. In fact they would have been victims of hate and race crimes far worse than what the blacks are experiencing in America today. Just as Hoen is too stupid to realize what she is supporting by support for BLM! I am sorry anyone supporting Marxists ideologies is a communist. They are one in the same. That’s okay, that is why history is so important to not erase. Nonetheless, support communism, you are Anti American. Shut this down.
FACT CHECK: Although 2 of the 3 founders of the BLM movement made the comment in 2015, nothing in the movement’s stated goals/agenda on its websites or anywhere else can be construed as anti-capitalist. Somewhere between 15 million and 26 million people have so far marched with BLM in this country against systemic, institutionalized racism. “Marxism” is a dog whistle often employed to inspire unreasoned fear and has zero basis in reality when it comes to BLM. For the record, the RN&R’s editorial stand is 100% against racism and in support of the stated goals of the BLM movement.