RICHMOND, Va. –– Gov. Ralph Northam announced that Commonwealth of Virginia employees, preschool and K–12 teachers (public and private), as well as active-duty military personnel and their immediate families can receive free admission to the groundbreaking exhibition "The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse" on view at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts through Sept. 6.
“I hope Commonwealth employees will take advantage of cultural opportunities like 'The Dirty South' exhibition at VMFA as more and more residents are getting vaccinations and Virginia begins to safely emerge from the pandemic,” said Gov. Northam.
"The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse" explores the roots of Southern hip-hop culture and reveals how the aesthetic traditions of the African American South have shaped visual art and musical expression over the last 100 years. Beginning in the 1920s with spirituals, jazz and blues, the exhibition interweaves parallels between music and visual art production of the Southern United States.The Dirty South features more than 140 works of art from an intergenerational group of artists working in a variety of genres from sculpture, painting and drawing to photography and film as well as sound pieces and large-scale installation works.
“We welcome our colleagues from the Commonwealth of Virginia to take advantage of free admission and come see this exceptional exhibition,” said Alex Nyerges, VMFA’s Director and CEO. “Visitors to 'The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse' will undoubtedly gain an appreciation for how African Americans in the South, through art and music, have had and continue to have a significant influence on our entire culture.”
More information about 'The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse" can be found at www.VMFA.museum.
Tickets for "The Dirty South" are on sale at www.VMFA.museum. The exhibition is free for VMFA members, children ages 6 and under, state employees and teachers, as well as active-duty military personnel and their immediate families; $12 for adults; $10 for seniors 65+; and $10 for youth 7-17 and college students with ID.
