Worcester Art Museum to hold outdoor summer film series
Art films to be shown every Friday evening in August
Worcester, MA (July 1, 2019) Film and art lovers can enjoy the big screen under the stars this summer at the Worcester Art Museum. Every Friday evening throughout the month of August, the Museum’s Plein Air Film Series will feature a different art film shown outside in the Stoddard Courtyard.
The selection of titles, ranging from a documentary on the life of British fashion designer Alexander McQueen to a look at the early career of graffiti artist-turned-acclaimed painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, were chosen to stir the imagination with stories of extraordinary creativity and artistic courage.
The public is invited to bring blankets for relaxing on the lawn; café tables and chairs are also available for cabaret-style seating. Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase.
Tickets are $12 for Museum members, $16 for Nonmembers (includes admission for two for a return visit during regular Museum hours). For more information, visit worcesterart.org
Friday, August 9, 8 p.m.
Kusama: Infinity (2018)
A look at the life of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, creator of “Infinity Mirrored Rooms.” Now the top-selling female artist in the world, Yayoi Kusama overcame impossible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the world stage. For decades, her work pushed boundaries that often alienated her from both her peers and those in power in the art world. In spite of it all, Kusama has endured and has created a legacy of artwork that spans the disciplines of painting, sculpture, installation art, performance art, poetry and literary fiction. Directed by Heather Lenz.
Friday, August 16, 8 p.m.
Leaning Into the Wind: Andy Goldsworthy (2017)
This profile of British artist Andy Goldsworthy illuminates his exploration of the layers of his world and the impact of the years on himself and his art. As Goldsworthy introduces his own body into the work, it becomes at the same time even more fragile and personal and also sterner and tougher, incorporating massive machinery and crews on his bigger projects. Directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer, this exquisite film illuminates Goldsworthy’s mind as it reveals his art.
Friday, August 23, 8 p.m.
Faces Places (2017)
Legendary filmmaker Agnès Varda and photographer JR travel the French countryside, encountering people and places that become the subjects of their public art installations. Through chance encounters and prepared projects, they reach out to others, listen to them, photograph them, and sometimes put them on posters.
Friday, August 30, 8 p.m.
Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (2017)
This look at the early career of graffiti artist-turned-acclaimed painter Jean-Michel Basquiat follows the his pre-fame life and how New York City, the times, the people, and the movements surrounding him formed the artist he became. Using never-before-seen works, writings and photographs, director Sara Driver, who was part of the New York arts scene herself, worked closely and collaboratively with friends and other artists who emerged from that period.
About the Worcester Art Museum
The Worcester Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its exceptional collection of art. Dating from 3,000 BC to the present, these works provide the foundation for a focus on audience engagement, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its enduring relevance to daily life. Creative initiatives— including pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, fresh approaches to exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, and a long history of studio class instruction—offer opportunities for diverse audiences to experience art and learn both from and with artists.
Since its founding in 1896, the Worcester Art Museum has assembled a collection of 38,000 objects: from the ancient Near East and Asia, to European and American paintings and sculptures, and continuing with works by contemporary artists from around the world. WAM has a history of making large scale acquisitions, such as its Medieval Chapter House, the Worcester Hunt Mosaic, its 15th-century Spanish ceiling, and the Flemish Last Judgment tapestry. In 2013, the Museum acquired the John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, comprising two thousand arms and armor objects. It continues to commission and present new works, such as 2017’s installation of the interactive Reusable Universes and Organic Concept works by Shih Chieh Huang.
The Worcester Art Museum, located at 55 Salisbury Street in Worcester, MA, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the third Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $16 for adults, $6 for children 4-17, $14 for seniors 65+ and for college students with ID.
Admission is free for Museum Members and children under age four. On the first Sunday of each month, admission is free for everyone.
Museum parking is free.
For more information, visit worcesterart.org.