Imagine pulling into a suburban shopping center to buy a toaster and finding a department store that appeared to be falling apart with corners breaking away, walls peeling open like a giant cardboard box, or facades seemingly collapsing under their own weight. For...
The Branch Museum of Design is marking a period of transition with Undeniable, a new exhibition pairing fashion designer Christian Siriano and contemporary artist Ashley Longshore. The exhibition this week arrives as the museum undergoes a formal rebrand and leadership change. Formerly known as The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, the...
In the Richmond of 2005, Teddy Blanks was everywhere—playing packed shows with Ross Harman as the pop duo The Gaskets, writing sharp film reviews and interviews for the early issues of RVA Magazine, and even acting in a short film that, for me, still holds personal weight. He brought with him the energy of a dance party, a quick mind, great...
Richmond’s Woodland Heights neighborhood is kicking off a brand-new tradition this Friday, December 6th, with the Woodland Heights Art Walk, an open house event that promises to bring the community together through creativity and connection. Running from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the walk features an array of local artists showcasing their talents in a...
While the first thing you may notice about Ryan Ashley is that she is painfully beautiful to look at, don’t let that stop you from recognizing the absolute unit of an artist that she is. She’s a Pennsylvania native, an erstwhile New Yorker, and a current resident of Grand Junction, CO and Elysium Studios. She made her education at FIT in New York...
After a summer-long closure and with a new executive director Jessica Bell Brown at the helm, the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at Virginia Commonwealth University is set to reopen its doors this Friday, September 6th, from 6 to 9 p.m. The reopening marks the premiere of three new exhibitions that delve deeply into the private spaces...
Artists can have greater access to reality; they can see patterns and details and connections that other people, distracted by the blur of life, might miss. Just sharing that truth can be a very powerful thing. — Jay-Z Everybody knows about Richmond’s impressive street art and rightfully so. You can find 150+ larger-than-life murals throughout...
This question and answer session with Robert Beatty was conducted after the presentation of his experimental animation showcase at the Byrd Theater during the 2nd Richmond Animation Festival on Sunday night back in April. Filmmaker Dash Shaw moderated the event while fielding questions from the audience, which are also included in this...
Mark your calendars (or draw it on your leg?), but come October 18th, you should be in for Richmond at the Midlothian Doubletree Hotel for the 36th annual Richmond Tattoo and Arts Convention. Richmond had been ground zero for the explosion of interest in tattoo artistry, by sheer volume of tatted-up local residents and the glut of incredible...
First Friday is upon us once again and maybe, just maybe, the weather won’t be horrible. 1708 Gallery has a lot in store this month and I hope we all get to make there. 1708’s exhibition, The Den of Ingenuity, puts five of Richmond’s most potent and recognizable artists on the gallery scene. The curation reflects a consistent push from the talent...
