NEW BRITAIN, Conn., March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of the centenary of women's suffrage in America, The New Britain Museum of American Art (NBMAA.org) is presenting 2020/20 + Women @ NBMAA, a year-long series of seven groundbreaking exhibitions devoted exclusively to the presentation of works by women artists. The exhibitions provide a 12-month platform for female artists in the context of this milestone year.
"The picture of American art of the 21st century is one of a rich and varied diversity, reflecting America's evolving national identity," said Min Jung Kim, Director of the New Britain Museum of American Art. "To be truly 'American' now means to embrace diversity. Yet 100 years after most women were granted equal voting rights by the 19th Amendment, women artists are still significantly under-represented – not only in the NBMAA's collection, but in most of the nation's art museums. Our initiative challenges this underrepresentation by celebrating the innovative work and outsized impact of female-identifying artists throughout American history. And we are doing this in one of the nation's oldest museums of American art in this country."
According to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, (https://nmwa.org/advocate/get-facts) the artists in most museums' collections are 87% male and 85% white. Only 27% of major exhibitions are devoted to women artists worldwide.
"Stanley Black & Decker is honored to support this ground-breaking exhibition of female artists at one of the country's oldest museum's devoted exclusively to American art," said Stanley Black & Decker President and CEO Jim Loree. "We are proud of all the female artists, the museum and Director Min as they continue to use art to elevate social dialogue and change. In celebration of International Women's Day, we are activating a number of programs to advance women across our organization. I truly believe in the power of inclusion and I will do all I can to make the Stanley Black & Decker workplace truly #equaleverywhere."
The New Britain Museum of American Art was chartered in 1853, just 10 years after Frederick Stanley founded the Stanley Bolt Manufactory in New Britain, CT, which later became Stanley Works before becoming Stanley Black & Decker in 2010. The two organizations have a long-standing history: the museum is located at the property that was once owned by former Stanley Works president William H. Hart, and Hart's home exists today as part of the museum. In addition, Hart's son-in-law was the museum's first director.
The artists selected for 2020/20+ Women represent diversity in race, ethnicity, age, experience, multiple perspectives, cultural backgrounds, career, geography and medium. Kara Walker, for example, explores race, gender, violence and identity in representations of the African American experience. Anni Albers is considered the most important textile artist of the 20th century, as well as an influential designer, printmaker and educator. Shantell Martin's work is unique in her innovative and multidisciplinary output – combining art, commerce and technology, while Jennifer Ma's interdisciplinary practice bridges installation, public art, performance and community engagement. Helen Frankenthaler has long been recognized as one of the great American artists of the 20th century.
The Museum will also present two group thematic exhibitions as part of the 2020 year-long program. One exhibition, Anything but Simple: Shaker Gift Drawings and the Women Who Made Them, features rare Shaker "Gift" or "Spirit" drawings created by women between 1843- 57, which are unique to the Shakers and to American religious culture. The other exhibition, entitled Some Day is Now: Women, Art, and Social Change, marks the centennial of American women's suffrage and features artists including Yoko Ono, Nancy Spero, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Carrie Mae Weems, and the Guerrilla Girls, among others, whose work advocates for social empowerment and change. Individually and collectively, the works by these artists challenge and inspire women and people of all genders, races, and ethnicities.
About the New Britain Museum of American Art:
The New Britain Museum of American Art (NBMAA) traces its beginnings to the New Britain Institute, which was chartered in 1853 to foster learning by a community of newly arrived immigrants who worked in the city's numerous factories. In 1903 John Butler Talcott, former New Britain mayor and chairman of the Institute's building committee, established the first purchase fund for "original modern oil paintings."
The NBMAA collection has grown to more than 8,300 works of art dating from 1739 to the present. With particular strengths in colonial portraiture, the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, and the Ash Can School, not to mention the important mural series The Arts of Life in America by Thomas Hart Benton, the collection remains a primary source of inspiration for many of the museum's exhibitions and programming.
Exhibitions continue to strike a balance between the historic and the contemporary, reflecting an American narrative comprised of a multiplicity of cultures, races, ethnicities, and perspectives. As one of the first institutions dedicated solely to American art, the New Britain Museum of American Art continues to play a vital role in illuminating our nation's diverse heritage and artistic advancements.
For more information about the Museum, visit www.NBMAA.org
About Stanley Black & Decker:
Stanley Black & Decker is a purpose-driven, $14 billion revenue industrial organization. Stanley Black & Decker has 60,000 employees in more than 60 countries and operates the world's largest tools and storage business, the world's second-largest commercial electronic security services company, a leading engineered fastening business as well as Oil & Gas and Infrastructure businesses. The company's iconic brands include Black & Decker, Bostitch, CRAFTSMAN, DEWALT, FACOM, Irwin, Lenox, Porter Cable and Stanley. Stanley Black & Decker is a company for the makers and innovators, the craftsmen and the caregivers, and those doing the hard work to make the world a better place. Learn more at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com.
SOURCE Stanley Black & Decker