The Westmoreland’s Summer Exhibition, Block Party: Community & Celebration in American Art, Brings Impressive Art to the Region
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The Westmoreland’s Summer Exhibition, Block Party: Community & Celebration in American Art, Brings Impressive Art to the Region
GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania (June 7, 2023) – The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is excited to announce Block Party: Community & Celebration in American Art, which opens on Sunday, June 25, and will remain on view through Sunday, September 17, 2023. Block Party will take over most of the Museum—the largest footprint of any featured exhibition presented at The Westmoreland to date.
The exhibition brings important artworks to the region ranging from room-size painting installations and large-scale videos, like Drive-By (2011) by well-known performance artist Nick Cave (b. 1959), to extraordinary examples of historical American art, such as The Circus (1912) by accomplished realist painter George Bellows (1888–1925). The exhibition features work from The Westmoreland’s permanent collection, including the notable recent acquisition, Mrs. Peanut Visits New York (1992/1999) by pioneering video artist Charles Atlas (b. 1949), amplified by key loans from institutions such as The Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas; and Columbia Museum of Art and The Johnson Collection, both in South Carolina.
“The show mixes well-known artists with understudied ones, and while so many artists in Block Party are historical or well-established, this will be the first museum presentation for many others. We drew loans from artists’ studios and distinguished museums and foundations from Arkansas and Illinois to New York, Massachusetts, and South Carolina,” stated Chief Curator Jeremiah William McCarthy. The exhibition is organized by McCarthy, with Danny Volk, Terra Foundation for American Art Curatorial Fellow.
Block Party uses the World War I innovation of the urban block party as a lens to view artists’ ideas on celebration and community. The artworks—nearly seventy-five works from twenty-eight artists and one collective of makers—explore similar themes and artistic tendencies to create neighborhoods of ideas within the Museum’s galleries. Some artists explore the idea of a universal language of communication, speaking directly to how community is formed. Other artists featured in the exhibition investigate the visuals of rituals, performances, and the patterns that structure our day-to-day life.
Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of Westmoreland County, the exhibition honors the past and gestures toward possible futures by focusing on the intersection of community and celebration in historical and contemporary American art.
Like different “blocks” within the Museum, the Robertshaw Gallery, the Atrium stairwell, the Cantilever Gallery, and the Museum’s Paneled Rooms, will be activated for this exhibition. With no true beginning, middle, or conclusion, the exhibition is intended to be open-ended and provoke new insights and discoveries.
“Visitors will experience this engaging exhibition throughout many of the Museum galleries, finding joy and surprise as they encounter these works. Also, as always, there is a great suite of programming and events planned throughout the summer tied to the exhibition that we invite the community to come experience and enjoy,” added Suzanne Wright, Interim Director/CEO.
For a listing of upcoming events and programs related to Block Party, visit the Museum’s website at thewestmoreland.org/events. Planned programming includes Art on Tap happy hour events on two select Friday evenings prior to the Greensburg Summer Sounds concert series, an Explore Tour with McCarthy, and the Museum’s very own Summer Saturday Block Party celebration.
This exhibition is generously supported by The Heinz Endowments, The Hillman Exhibition Fund of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, and The Fine Foundation.
About The Westmoreland Museum of American Art:
Western Pennsylvania’s only museum dedicated to American art, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, is a place to share meaningful cultural experiences that open the door to new ideas, perspectives and possibilities. The Westmoreland’s extraordinary permanent collection with its strong focus on the art and artists of Southwestern Pennsylvania is complemented by an impressive temporary exhibition schedule featuring both nationally traveling exhibitions and those organized by the Museum. Additionally, The Westmoreland presents a full slate of community-oriented programming as well as special events. More information is available at thewestmoreland.org and on the Museum’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles.
General admission to the Museum is free with advance online registration recommended. The Museum’s operating hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am-5pm. One can find information on registering for a visit at thewestmoreland.org/visit.
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