Featured Events

Join Mary Holland, the Thomas C. Gordon, Jr. Director of the Studio School for an exploration of three masks in the permanent collection. This program is inspired by the special exhibition, Congo Masks: Masterpieces from Central Africa.

Dr. Manuel Jordán, a specialist on the Chokwe-Lunda cluster of peoples, will discuss masking traditions from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This lecture is inspired by the special exhibition Congo Masks: Masterpieces from Central Africa.

In 1914, famed photographer Edward S. Curtis recorded the traditional way of life and ceremonies of the Kwakwaka’wakw peoples on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, by making one of the first feature-length motion pictures. In the Land of the Headhunters is a story of love and revenge that showcases magnificent war canoes, totem poles, rituals, costumes,…

In the vast and culturally diverse Congolese region of Central Africa, masks function as performance objects in rituals, ceremonies, worship, and entertainment. Masks represent the artisans and performers who brought them to life, as well as varied communities, belief systems, and natural resources. Be inspired and create a mask that reminds you of your community…

The American Civil War was precipitated by the issue of slavery, and the industrial-level slaughter made it the bloodiest war ever fought by the United States. Why, then, was there so little painting during the Civil War depicting race, slavery, and the battlefield? Taking Johnson’s painting in the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine…

Join us for a talk that explores the importance of initiation rites and masks for the Southern Kuba from three perspectives: the significance of the forest as the place where male initiation rites take place; the importance of male authority; and the acquisition of secret knowledge, including mask making.

Dr. Sarah Eckhardt, curator of Working Together: Louis Draper and the Kamoinge Workshop will provide an overview of the exhibition that features photography from the Kamoinge Workshop, an artist collective founded in New York City in 1963. Nell Draper-Winston, sister of the photographer Louis Draper, will join Dr. Eckhardt in conversation to discuss her brother’s…

Take part in workshops inspired by Fine Art and Flowers! Impressed by Nature with Celeste Johnston Discover how to make prints with plants. Get Tickets Floral Card Making by Paper Source Learn to create paper flowers and assemble them on handmade cards. Get Tickets

The three-course, seated luncheon will take place in the Marble Hall. A select menu includes wine, with vegetarian and gluten-free options available. During the luncheon, our wonderful VMFA models will be showcasing the newest trends in jewelry and accessories from the VMFA Shop! All jewelry and accessories will be for sale in the VMFA Shop.…