On the hunt for a fun, interactive way to explore Providence’s art scene? Don’t miss the last Gallery Night of the year this upcoming Thursday (November 17)!
Every third Thursday of the month from March through November, galleries, museums, and other creative spaces open their doors to the public and provide free access to the arts in an event called Gallery Night. Participants can choose to ride on a trolley, take part in a walking tour, or even create their own self-guided tour to visit the various sites. Half the spots on each tour can be reserved in advance, but feel free to show up the night of—multiple tours take off from the Graduate Hotel at various times from 5pm-7pm, so there are plenty of options.
Gallery Night is a fun way to not only learn about art history from experienced tour guides, but also to meet artists, collectors, curators, academics, and other prominent members of the Providence art scene. Many of the artists whose art is featured in the various galleries and museums will be present to discuss their works. Each location on the tour offers a distinct art experience, so there will be something to pique the interest of every type of art lover. If you end up going to Gallery Night, email us at artreview@brown.edu—we’d love to know your thoughts!
When a group of Ethiopian artifacts went on special display at the V&A in 2018, they reopened an 11-year debate about the state of these objects and their repatriation. As the V&A faced mounting pressure to confront its colonial legacy over the return of the Mäqdäla Crown—an artifact bound to a defining moment in Anglo-Ethiopian history.
As the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens its newest exhibition on Raphael’s works, Alexandra reflects on his piece Portrait of Young Woman with Unicorn alongside Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine. In particular, she considers symbolism of animals and the relationship between technology and visual analysis.
The Culture Wars of the eighties saw a struggle for dominance between queer rights and conservatism. Campbell considers how prominent artists at the time pursued confrontational thematizations of queerness that destabilized public consensus on sexuality, race, and religion, transforming art into a confrontational political battleground.