This past summer’s road trip was planned so that we would wind up in Lexington, Kentucky to see our granddaughter in an equestrian event and oh were we wowed by the Midwestern art scene.
Our first stop was Indianapolis and I won't stand for anyone calling it “Indian-No-Place" anymore. The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields is a wonderful art museum. Also on its grounds is a beautiful botanical garden and the home of Lilly of the pharmaceutical company,
We also loved the Eiteljorg Museum of Native American and Western Art. The museum itself is a spacious new building located in the White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. The collection includes a display of diversity from photography, beadwork and works on paper and canvas, to beaver fur, hides and large installations that display these powerful works in a new and fresh contemporary way
We went on to Cleveland to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and I "boogied" through the floors. We entered through the special Hip Hop exhibition where we anticipated our own Saint Louis Art Museum's "The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century."
And of course, the Cleveland Museum of Art is terrific and then we veered off the course and went to The Akron Museum of Art which had wonderful displays of art and since our visit has opened the "RETOLD: African American Art and Folklore" exhibition. These stories teach about culture, the mysteries of life and the survival of a race of people bought and sold who continue to thrive in various aspects of an unjust society.
Pittsburgh was our next stop which has numerous high quality museums such as the Andy Warhol Museum, the contemporary Mattress Factory, The Carnegie and more, but we were in for a real treat when we found out about the City of Asylum which serves as a temporary safe house for writers in exile from around the world. Here the writers can continue writing and expressing their thoughts. Apart from a temporary residence, the writers benefits from medical coverage, a living stipend and further assistance for permanent exile. Book readings are regularly held. The center is also known for hosting the annual Jazz Poetry Concert in September on the Sampsonia Way.
Another surprise treat awaited us in Charleston, West Virginia when we ventured out to the State Capitol Museum. Not only were there fantastic displays of a historical nature, but we saw the works of the Sesquicentennial Artists' Invitational. From 1894 to now, art has always been an integral part of the state museum. The mission is dedicated to “inspiring, educating and enriching the lives of the public by instilling a deeper understanding and sense of pride through the collection, preservation and exhibition of diverse cultural and historic traditions,” says the wall text.
Charleston also has the Clay Art Center which houses a small gallery of visual arts which includes some very nice work, a state of the art theater and has spaces for all kinds of art classes.
And finally after this wonderful ride to art filled cities, we were in Lexington to watch our granddaughter do her riding and still managed to get to another museum, and what a museum this one was. The International Museum of the Horse, located in the Kentucky Horse Park, is the largest and most comprehensive museum in the world dedicated to exploring the important history of all horses and their impact on human civilization. Through the ever growing museum and archives it also serves as a resource for scholars and researchers throughout the world.
Our last stop was Louisville, Kentucky where we visited the Speed Museum of Art on the University of Louisville campus. This was yet another museum filled with gems. There were works by today's top of the line African American artists such as Amy Sherald who did a portrait of Michelle Obama and Yinka Shonibare who is actually of African descent. There was a gallery of works by the recently deceased Sam Gilliam.
I noticed that all of these exciting museums and art spaces had a message to the visitors about acceptance and diversity of all people and I felt thrilled to be a part of this evolving art world.
And we stayed in 21c hotels both in Lexington and Louisville. These museum hotels are actually considered one museum and is a multi-venue hotel located in nine cities. It is one of the largest contemporary art museums in our country and North America's only collecting museum dedicated solely to the art of the 21st century. The museum was founded in 2006 by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, philanthropists, preservationists and collectors committed to expanding access to contemporary art. Now St. Louis has its own fabulous 21c.
After visiting these other fine museum filled cities. I can say that St. Louis is really up to speed.
Nancy Kranzberg has been involved in the arts community for more than forty years on numerous arts related boards.