VMFA Blog

A blog by staff and others about the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Impressions in black and white

This is the first in a series of blog posts discussing highlights of the exhibition A Celebration of Print: 500 Years of Graphic Art from the Frank Raysor Collection currently on display in VMFA’s Mellon Focus Galleries. Admission to this exhibition is free. As we celebrate VMFA’s 75th anniversary, we must consider this year one…

Jun Kaneko in the snow

Our friend Greg Holzgrefe at the Department of Conservaion and Recreation stolled the sculpture garden during our recent snow and shared this evocative photo. Enjoy these works by Jun Kaneko now, becuase this temporary exhibtion will close in February!

The Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and Emancipation

I firmly believe there is still a great deal to be learned about the crisis of the Civil War, its causes and consequences. As a fine-arts museum, VMFA has chosen to focus its sesquicentennial programming on art of the period that sheds new light on and encourages fresh interpretations of the dramatic events that divided…

An alternative sign for VMFA?

An irreverent friend sent this suggestion for an alternative sign in front of VMFA. I think it’s time for a good laugh and a moment of reflection on this historic nod to Americana. But seriously, we hope to hear from all sides of our sign issue at the public forum Tuesday, January 11 at 6…

VMFA event

Starting the year with random fun

VMFA has lots of friends and followers on social media. Over 9000 friends on Facebook almost 5500 followers on Twitter stay in conversation with VMFA with these dynamic communications tools. As we approached the magical 1.1.11 the date seemed too auspicious to ignore. So on New Year’s eve we announced a Flash Mob in the…

VMFA hosts public forum about digital imaging sign

VMFA invites Museum District, Fan District, and Boulevard Associations The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has heard both negative and positive comments from the community about the digital imaging sign that is planned for the museum’s front yard on Boulevard. I have invited neighborhood association members to a public forum at 6:00pm on Tuesday, January…

Tourists voice need for VMFA sign

We received the following unsolicited email recently: My wife and I recently visited the VMFA and were thoroughly impressed. What a beautiful campus! Such gorgeous galleries and collections! We have visited most of the grandest art museums in the US and the VMFA is up there with the best of them, including the Met Museum…

High Def Sign at VMFA

You may have heard that we are planning an electronic sign in front of VMFA.  Richmonders have watched the careful construction of this world-class museum for the past four years, and have witnessed its metamorphosis into the vital and welcoming museum that it is today. The Art and Architecture Review Board, the state authority which…

Mon Oncle: Both a Scathing Critique and Fanciful Delight

Friday Films is presenting yet another movie milestone this week at 6:30. Winner of a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Jacques Tati’s Mon Oncle (1958) will screen in VMFA’s grand Leslie Cheek Theater. Tati’s reputation as a darling of world art house cinema pretty much rests on his career output of 5 precious feature films…