Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Connecticut
Who was the seventeenth-century carver known as Master of the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian? We may never know the identity of the anonymous artist esteemed for his intricate depictions of dramatic and emotional scenes in ivory and boxwood, but this summer the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is offering an opportunity to appreciate two of the artist’s most exceptional works: The Fall of Man and Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. The exhibition Stories in Ivory and Wood Told by Master Carvers features these sculptures alongside works in ivory and wood by the artist’s contemporaries. Make sure to check here to plan your trip.
LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, New York
Jack Lenor Larsen was one of the most admired American textile designers of the twentieth century, as well as an icon of taste and style. LongHouse Reserve, the sculpture garden and arboretum that Larsen created in East Hampton, NY recently opened an exhibition that acts as a window into the private life of the creator-collector entitled Jack, Larger than Life. The exhibition boasts more than 100 objects from the LongHouse Reserve’s collection, including some fifty Larsen textiles, items from his wardrobe, and furniture and art from the designer’s home. The eclectic collection offers visitors the opportunity to see inside the mind of an influential creator. If you’re looking for a way to escape the summer heat, make sure the LongHouse Reserve is on your list, and don’t forget to check here to plan your trip.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
Nonagenarian and billionaire investment manager Fayez Sarofim is known not just for his business savvy but also for his love of the arts. As a life-long collector, Sarofim has accrued an impressive array of American paintings, from schools ranging from impressionism and abstract expressionism to pop, minimalism, and more. At the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, more than 200 works from Sarofim’s collection are now on view in the new exhibition Three Centuries of American Art – Antiquities, European and American Masterpieces from the Fayez S. Sarofim Collection. Grouped in thematic galleries, the exhibition is a meticulous representation of American painting that is an absolute must-see. Make sure to check here to plan your trip in advance.
Flint Institute of Arts, Michigan
As pride month winds down, some of us might not be ready to end the celebration. Luckily, the Flint Institute of Arts is the perfect place for those of us looking for another way to honor queer history and artists. Donated by Flint native Jack B. Pierson, the twenty-four works that make up the exhibition Political and Personal: Images of Gay Identity give museum-goers an opportunity to see works by both well-known and lesser-known gay artists in conversation. Pierson’s personal collection illuminates the multi-dimensional essence of twentieth-century gay identity. Make sure to plan your trip here before the exhibition closes on July 11.
