Dear Friends,
Summer at NMOA flew by. It was wonderful to see so many of you at the 50th annual Black Film Festival, Pride Ball, and Jazz in the Garden.
As one season ends, we are energized for a new one to begin. The calendar of change is part of the rhythm of any major museum, a process we call rotation. No, we are not actually going around in circles. A rotation, in museum-speak, is the changing of artworks on display in our galleries. The Newark Museum of Art has the 12th largest collection in the nation, and a core part of our mission is to care for those objects, many of which are the finest existing examples in the world.
Rotations protect artworks from damage from light or humidity and help fragile materials – like cloth and paper – last longer. Rotations also allow a greater number of examples from our world-class collection to be exhibited over time – a boon for our visitors and NMOA’s learning and engagement mission.
Major rotations take years to develop, and our remarkable curatorial team is planning significant changes, installing 85 new artworks in our Arts of Global Asia and Seeing America galleries this season alone! Plan to visit us for fresh inspiration.
Also plan to join us for Fiesta Latina – a celebration of live music, dance, and activities showcasing the cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean on Saturday, September 28. You can also register to vote at the event with Mana Contemporary’s Project 270 and I Am A Voter.
The signature exhibition of the Newark Arts Festival, featuring brilliant emerging and established New Jersey artists, will be hosted by NMOA for the third year in a row. Experience this year’s theme — Radical Reimagining – at the opening night Pink Ball on October 9. Mark your calendars!
This fall, we will undergo major renovation of our Learning and Engagement Art Center in the South Wing building to better serve students and audiences. Spanning four levels, the project will bring improved access, upgraded HVAC, better lighting, and a refreshed assembly space. Hospitality is at our core, so we will minimize disruption to your Museum art journey as much as we can while we make fabulous enhancements for future visits. We thank you in advance for your patience.
See you at the Museum!
Linda C. Harrison
Director and CEO
The Newark Museum of Art
