Albany Museum of Art Family Day salutes heroes
Special Photo: Albany Museum of Art
From staff reports
ALBANY ─ The city of Albany Recreation & Parks Department is joining again with the Albany Museum of Art to bring Family Day to southwest Georgia Saturday
Families are encourages to come out to the museum at 311 Meadowlark Drive in Albany from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for an artfully fun time, including kid-friendly take-home art projects such as suncatchers and super-hero masks. They also can participate in gallery scavenger hunts in the galleries.
“We are appreciative of our friends at Albany Recreation & Parks for their partnership in this successful, long-time collaboration,” AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem said in a news release. “It’s a terrific opportunity for your family to enjoy some quality time together in an art-rich space that brings out the creativity in children and adults alike.”
The theme for Family Day is “Heroes,” Vanoteghem said.
“Kids can write a letter to someone they admire — a doctor, firefighter, nurse, police officer, teacher, coach, parent, grandparent, or friend. It can be anyone,” she said. “Your young artist can cheer up their special hero by writing a letter to them. It will be an unexpected holiday gift that the recipient will never forget.”
The theme was inspired by the exhibition “Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice,” which is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and was made possible at the AMA through the support of Art Bridges.
Saturday is the final day to view the exhibition, which features the last works of Johnson, one of the most important African American artists of the 20th century. In the series, Johnson tells the stories of his heroes, including Harriet Tubman, Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, Marian Anderson, and others who fought for social justice and civil rights.
“William H. Johnson’s work is inspiring, and Family Day is the perfect time for the entire family to view these remarkable artworks that, until this year, had not been seen as a group in three-quarters of a century,” Vanoteghem said. “Saturday is the last chance for people in our region to see them here.”
AMA Executive Director Andrew J. Wulf said he hopes families will take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the series in Albany.
“We are thankful that we have had this opportunity to collaborate with the Smithsonian American Art Museum on this loan of important works,” Wulf said. “And we are most grateful to Art Bridges for making it possible for us to bring this important and fascinating exhibition to the residents of Albany and southwest Georgia.”
The Albany Museum of Art is located at 311 Meadowlark Drive, adjacent to Albany State University’s West Campus just off Gillionville Road. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is open to the public 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free.
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