'Man Ray Day' Community Festival Explores U.Va. Art Museum's New Exhibition

August 6, 2010 — The University of Virginia Art Museum will hold "Man Ray Day," an afternoon of fun and hands-on creativity, on Aug. 21, from noon to 3 p.m.

The event will feature tours of two new exhibitions at the museum that feature the artist's work, musical and dance performances, art-making activities and refreshments. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to learn traditional African dance to the sounds of the Charlottesville Community Drum Choir, and accordionist Dale Wise will play traditional French music. Art-making activities will include Polaroid and pinhole portrait photography, mask making, cyanotype prints and gourd instruments. The University of Virginia Art Museum Volunteer Board will provide food.

The event is planned to highlight the opening of the new exhibition, "Man Ray, African Art and the Modernist Lens," on view Aug. 7 through Oct. 10. The exhibition features photographs produced by American artist Man Ray (1890-1976) in the 1920s and 1930s.

In addition to providing fresh insight into Man Ray's photographic practice, the exhibition raises questions concerning the representation, reception and perception of African art as mediated by the camera lens. A companion exhibition of works from the permanent collection, "African Art: Beyond the Modernist Lens," will also be on view Aug. 14 through Dec. 23.

The exhibition is funded in part by the Terra Foundation for American Art; the National Endowment for the Arts, as part of the American Masterpieces program; and the Dedalus Foundation Inc.

"Man Ray" is made possible at U.Va. through the support of the U.Va. Art Museum Volunteer Board, the Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Charitable Trust, an anonymous donor, Arts Enhancement, Arts Council, Arts$, Precision Sports Services Inc., The Carl H. and Martha S. Lindner Center for Art History, Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies and the Corcoran Department of History. Community sponsors include Albemarle Magazine, The Hook, The Links Inc. and Virginia Equipment Rental.

For information, call 434-243-2050 or e-mail museumoutreach@virginia.edu. The museum is located at 155 Rugby Road, a short walk from the Rotunda, across the street from Madison Bowl. Free parking will be available on the day of the event at the Culbreth Road Parking Garage.

— By Jane Ford

Media Contact