Next Saturday, students, art fanatics and families alike will gather at the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) for the opening of the 18th annual thematic exhibit, The Art of Storytelling: Lies, Enchantment, Humor and Truth, which explores society’s use of visual narrative to convey stories through mediums such as graffiti, film, sculpture and embroidery, and will display work from more than 30 visionary artists.
For those unfamiliar with the AVAM, the institution only displays art created by “visionaries,” or self-taught individuals with no classical art training.
Visionary art differs from folk art in that it cannot be attributed to a specific culture, and is not created in keeping with a specific tradition. Some visionary art is not even considered art by its creator, but rather a mere expression of creativity.
The Art of Storytelling—the second exhibit co-curated by Hoffberger and founder/sponsor of Washington, D.C.’s H Street Festival, Mary Ellen Vehlow will display contemporary visionary multi-media works that broach a range of subjects.
Works on display include the paper cutouts of featured TED talk speaker Béatrice Coron and postcards from Frank Warren’s renowned PostSecret project, in which anonymous senders create artistic cards confessing their most intimate secrets.
As per usual at AVAM, the more peculiar the art the better.
The exhibit will include other visual delights such as embroidered works created on a bike pedal, a solar powered roving sewing machine, and filmed accounts of how individuals received distinctive body scars.
While the aforementioned works may sound childish or kooky, a more serious side of storytelling is displayed as well.
The Art of Storytelling includes Holocaust survivor Esther Krinitz’s 26-piece embroidered account of her experiences in Poland and Leslie Hope’s documentary, What I See When I Close My Eyes, on street-dwelling Cambodian children’s wishes for the future.
A section entitled “Lies, Loshon Hora & True Confessions of Bullies & The Bullied Innocents,” which explains the Internet’s role in the generation of fallacious and malicious content.
Those new to the museum should be sure to explore the AVAM’s Permanent Collection Gallery as well, which consists of a rotation of 4,000 works.
The Permanent Collection Gallery spotlights Lusitania, a spectacular 16-foot long model of an early 20th century ocean liner made entirely of toothpicks (194,000 to be exact!) and five gallons of glue, which artist Wayne Kusy spent around two and a half years constructing.
After taking in all the main building has to offer, visitors can delight in the Tall Sculpture Barn and the Jim Rouse Visionary Center. The former, previously the Four Roses whiskey warehouse, serves as home to the museum’s large sculpture collection and includes a usable, life-size chess set by artist Lyle Estill created solely from recycled objects. The latter contains kinetic sculptures and David Hess’ 38-foot wide Bird’s Nest Balcony, a metal structure affixed to the side of the building which offers a birds-eye view of the AVAM and Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
The American Visionary Art Museum is the destination for the curious, and The Art of Storytelling is not to be missed.
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