The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Baltimore, Maryland, specializes in preserving and displaying outsider art. Located at 800 Key Highway, the museum is a great place to see some of the world’s most fascinating and unique art. Here, you’ll find exhibits exploring race and gender as well as the impact of technology in everyday life.
AVAM’s mirrored mosaic facade
The American Visionary Art Museum celebrates the art of self-taught, untrained artists. The museum was founded by Rebecca Alban Hoffberger, a former Development Director at Sinai Hospital, who was impressed by the art created by patients in the hospital’s People Encouraging People program. The program helps psychiatric patients return to the community. Although the art on display at the museum is often raw and unpolished, visitors can enjoy the beauty of these works of art.
AVAM is an unconventional art museum, but its mission extends far beyond intuitive artistry. Curator Kathy Hoffberger, who has been curating exhibits for 25 years, has combined science, social justice, humor, history, philosophy, and spirituality in her curatorial style. Her exhibits and events are fueled by intuition, and the structure of the museum allows for freer exploration.
The museum is situated at the base of historic Federal Hill, adjacent to downtown Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Its campus features three renovated historic industrial buildings. The AVAM is open to the public and contains a museum store and a cafe. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
AVAM’s annual Kinetic Sculpture Race
The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Baltimore, Maryland, hosts the annual Kinetic Sculpture Race, a human powered sculpture race. This year’s theme is “Mysteries & Tall Tales.” Teams compete in a race across Baltimore Harbor in miniature models of famous works of art.
This year’s race features a smaller version of Fifi, the gaudy pink French poodle that’s the headliner of the event. Other notable works include a series of wooden critters by Clyde Jones, a robotic family by Devon Smith, and an “Alien vs. Angels” chess set created by Lyle Estill.
Students at Jemicy High School have been a part of the race since 2004. They design and build the racers during the Industrial Design class and have won several awards. In the past, Jemicy students have won the Spirit of the Glorious Founder award and the People’s Choice Award.
The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) is a nationally designated museum and an education center. The museum’s mission is to preserve and exhibit visionary art. The organization’s exhibitions and programs showcase the work of talented, self-taught artists. It also promotes visionary art and raises public awareness of it.
The race begins at 10 a.m. and continues throughout the day. Teams of all sizes can participate. There are more than 20 teams registered, and late entries are still possible. If you’re interested in participating, complete the registration form by 4:30 p.m. on April 1.
AVAM’s exhibits explore race and gender
The Visionary Art Museum is an institution that focuses on original, thematic exhibitions that explore themes of race, gender, and social justice. Their exhibitions blend art, philosophy, and humor with a message of social justice. The museum’s focus on diverse subjects has resulted in exhibitions on topics ranging from hunger to public health to environmental issues to healing.
The Visionary Art Museum’s exhibits explore gender and race in ways that transcend traditional definitions. The museum’s mission is to foster an understanding of art by exploring the intersection of race, gender, and class. It has hosted artists from all backgrounds and has a permanent collection of over 4,000 pieces. Its permanent collection includes works by visionary artists such as Leo Sewell, Leonard Knight, and William Kurelek. The museum’s campus also features a Tall Sculpture Barn, Wildflower Garden, and Jim Rouse Visionary Center.
The Visionary Art Museum also has an exhibition dedicated to women, which features exclusively female artists. This exhibition is part of the museum’s “2020” programming initiative, which celebrates the important contributions of women artists. Although “visionary art” has many definitions, the term refers to art that is created with an inner vision and is more often classified as folk art because it is traditionally considered “outsider” art.
This exhibit will be on view until September 6, 2020. To learn more about the exhibitions at the American Visionary Art Museum, visit their website. Admission to the museum is free, and admission is free for children under the age of 18. The museum’s website provides information on hours and ticket prices.
Founder Rebecca Hoffberger announced her intention to step down from the museum’s leadership next spring. She co-founded the museum with her late husband and has served as its sole director and primary curator for the past two decades. Her farewell and 26th Anniversary Gala raised more than $300,000 for the museum.
“Mankind” by Nancy Burson consists of dozens of photographs of people from different ethnic groups. The exhibit has a decidedly Asian look, a reflection of the fact that Asian ethnic groups currently make up the majority of the world’s population. The project was inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel “The Lathe of Heaven.” Moreover, Burson’s piece explores the possibility of a piece that shows how mankind would look if all races merged.
