Vasari Art Codex

article local schedule Apr 30, 2026 visibility 3 link 2 artists

Modern art museum opens with a big gala and big art

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) opened in Virginia Beach with a sold-out gala, featuring an inaugural exhibition by New York-based abstract artist Nina Chanel Abney titled "The Pursuit of Happiness." The new museum, located on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University off I-64, offers a more accessible location than its previous oceanfront site, with 20 percent more gallery space and a 28-foot painting that allows visitors to feel immersed in the art.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 15, 2026 visibility 9 link 9 artists

Virginia MOCA opens new building with bold show, 'The Pursuit of Happiness.'

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (Virginia MOCA) has inaugurated its new, expanded facility on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University. The opening is anchored by a major solo exhibition titled "The Pursuit of Happiness" by acclaimed contemporary artist Nina Chanel Abney, alongside a group show, "Seamless: Art and Design." Abney’s exhibition features her signature large-scale, vibrant, and emoji-inspired works that explore the complexities of the American Dream, identity, and power structures through a lens of both visual seduction and narrative ambiguity.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jun 6, 2025 visibility 2 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

Artist Tammy Nguyen’s New Show Finds Heaven on Earth

Artist Tammy Nguyen presents her new exhibition "A Comedy for Mortals: Paradiso" at Lehmann Maupin New York, running from June 5 to August 15. The show is the final installment of a three-part series inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, following earlier presentations in Seoul (Inferno) and London (Purgatory). Nguyen, a 40-year-old painter, professor at Wesleyan, and founder of Passenger Pigeon Press, creates dense, polymathic canvases that weave together imagery from Dante's celestial journey with contemporary references, including Frankenstein, President Eisenhower's military-industrial complex warning, and drones. The exhibition explores paradise as a journey of endless knowledge, while also delving into darker historical events like the 1815 Mount Tambora eruption.

newspaper W Magazine open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Feb 9, 2026 visibility 5 link 1 artist, 2 galleries

New Rocky Mount Art Venue Celebrates With Gallery Opening

The Tar River Art Gallery in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, is hosting a winter exhibit opening and public reception on February 22, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Dunn Center on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan University. The exhibition features works from over 40 regional artists, including paintings, watercolors, pen-and-ink works, collages, assemblages, ceramic sculpture, metal art, fused glass, and handcrafted jewelry. The event is free and open to the public, with light refreshments and opportunities to meet the artists. The gallery builds on the legacy of the former Gravely Gallery, honoring Janice Gravely, and now offers expanded space for a broader range of mediums.

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person people schedule Jul 21, 2025 visibility 3 link 5 artists

Monarch Alumna to Lead Next Chapter for Art Museum

Alison Byrne, who began as an intern at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in 2000, has been named the museum's executive director as of late September 2024. Over 25 years, she rose through roles including curator of education and deputy director, and was named Museum Art Educator of the Year by the Virginia Art Education Association in 2020. Byrne will lead the museum's relocation in 2026 to a new 35,000-square-foot facility at Virginia Wesleyan University, featuring a 21% increase in gallery space. The inaugural exhibition will showcase works by contemporary artist Nina Chanel Abney.

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article local schedule Feb 19, 2026 visibility 4 link 1 gallery

Rocky Mount art venue celebrates exhibit with opening reception

The Tar River Art Gallery at North Carolina Wesleyan University is hosting a major exhibition opening and reception on February 22. The showcase features work from over 40 regional artists across a diverse range of mediums, including painting, ceramic sculpture, fused glass, and handcrafted jewelry. The event aims to introduce several new artists to the community while celebrating established local creators.

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article local schedule Sep 5, 2025 visibility 3 link 2 galleries

New Rocky Mount art venue celebrates with gallery opening

A new art venue, the Tar River Art Gallery, is opening in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, with a free public reception on Sunday, September 14th, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at the Dunn Center on the campus of N.C. Wesleyan University. The gallery expands the existing Gravely Gallery and will feature works by 40 local artists, including over 150 paintings, sculptures, and other creations, with music by cellist Jeff Hatley and light refreshments.

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article local schedule Apr 13, 2026 visibility 7

Texas Wesleyan Student Art Exhibition opens at the Bernice Coulter Templeton Art Studio

Texas Wesleyan University has officially opened its annual Student Art Exhibition at the Bernice Coulter Templeton Art Studio. The showcase features a diverse range of works created by the university's student body, highlighting the creative output and technical skills developed within the institution's art programs.

newspaper therambler.org open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Apr 11, 2026

Ross Art Museum: Fine Arts Graduating Seniors Exhibition Opening Reception

Ohio Wesleyan University's Department of Fine Arts is presenting its Fine Arts Graduating Seniors Exhibition at the Richard M. Ross Art Museum in Delaware, Ohio. The show features juried works by the OWU Class of 2026 and opens with a free public reception on Saturday, April 11, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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