ArtYard’s gallery reopens this weekend for Invisible, an exhibition featuring the work of twelve artists whose practices examine omitted histories, imperceptible forces, and unspoken narratives which render that which is apparent, misleading, or incomplete. In illuminating invisible forms of labor, unspoken emotional states, and unnoticed effects of human presence, the exhibition examines what the author Svetlana Alexievich calls “the missing history — the invisible imprint of our stay on Earth and in time.”
To celebrate, we hope you can join us the evening of Saturday, Jan. 15 for the exhibition opening, featuring appearances of some of the featured artists and remarks by Jill Kearney, Invisible’s curator and ArtYard’s founder and executive director.
We will hold two 90-minute time blocks for visitors to experience Invisible — at 5 and 6:30 PM with limited capacity at each to allow for social distancing. Masks and proof of vaccination and valid identification are required to attend. No refreshments will be served. Starting Sunday, Jan. 16, visitors are welcome to stop by with masks and proof of vaccination anytime during regular gallery hours, 11 AM to 5 PM on Wednesdays through Sundays.
A hint of what’s to come this year
We are excited to announce that the McDonnell Theater will open in March. We received the final building approvals necessary and are gearing up to launch programming that showcases all the theater has to offer toward our mission to present transformative artwork, foster unexpected collaborations, and incubate original new work.
Over the next months, we’ll announce performances that include a music series in partnership with the Frenchtown Bookshop, mini film festivals, a dance performance resulting from our new building’s inaugural residency, theatre events, and literary readings and talks, as well as events related to our exhibitions.
We are delighted to share we are working with two new curators that will help shape our theatre and music programming. Deonté Griffin-Quick, an actor, arts administrator, and consultant with a proven track record of envisioning and implementing change at the local and regional levels, will co-create an artistic vision for ArtYard’s theatre program and foster relationships with diverse artists to inform collaborations. Scott Sheldon, co-owner of the Frenchtown Bookshop, comes to ArtYard as concert curator after creating, presenting, and promoting a large concert series, The Sanctuary Concerts, in Chatham.
Stay tuned for further updates about other percolating partnerships and collaborations.
Lastly, we are grateful for the flexibility of our community and for helping us create robust programming that has allowed art to flourish during difficult times. Over the last two years, we have come together virtually and in-person to experience the transformational power of art and creativity through roughly 30 communal interactions.
We hope to see you soon for Invisible and other provocative art, performance, and creative mischief.
Until then, take care.
