VMFA on the road

An Artmobile for the 21st Century

Tuesday, April 11th & Wednesday, April 12th, 2023

4:00-6:00 PM

Old Coalfield Parking Lot Next to Doughmakers

725 Park Ave NW, Norton, VA 24273

Free & Open to the public!

VMFA on the Road: An Artmobile for the 21st Century is coming to Norton with a new exhibition, Revealing and Obscuring Identity: Portraits from the Permanent Collection. This exciting exhibition of paintings, photographs, and prints explores portraiture through a variety of periods, cultures, and styles. Throughout history, traditional portraits have typically been reserved for the elite of society, signifying the sitter’s wealth, power, attractiveness, and intelligence. Over time, the genre has become more expressive. Many of the works in this exhibition explore themes about the nature of art, the perception of beauty, and the cultural influences on identity. Visitors will experience the shift that occurred in portraiture over the decades.

The exhibit features diverse works by more than 10 artists, including Kitagawa Utamaro (Japan), Gordon Stettinius (American), André L’Hote (French) and S. Ross Browne (American), are featured in the exhibition.

In 1953, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts became one of the first museums in the world to have an Artmobile. For four decades, as many as four Artmobiles toured 59 exhibitions and served more than 2.5 million Virginians. Due to conservation concerns and the fragility of traveling works of art, VMFA replaced the program in the early 1990s with a strategy to develop stronger partnerships with schools, community centers, and museums around the state.

VMFA relaunched its state-of- the-art traveling museum and art studio called VMFA on the Road in October 2018. The climate-controlled 53-foot Volvo trailer includes Wi-Fi to connect visitors with VMFA educators and interactive components to meet their 21st-century expectations. The main attraction of VMFA on the Road, however, is the opportunity for residents of the Commonwealth to see and experience authentic works of art from VMFA’s collection up close.

VMFA on the Road: An Artmobile for the 21st Century is coming to Downtown Norton with a new exhibition. Local students will tour the Artmobile during the day, and we’ll open to the public April 11- 12th from 4–6 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public during these windows.

Pro-Art partners with a variety of venues, therefore individuals with mobility issues are encouraged to call 276-376-4520 or email the Pro-Art office at pro-art@uvawise.edu to make arrangements for parking. For evolving conditions related to the global pandemic, inclement weather, or similar unforeseen circumstances, patrons are encouraged to check proartva.org for up-to-date information.