The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Mattatuck Museum announces summer art shows
WATERBURY — The Mattatuck Museum announces three new summer exhibitions. Shipwrecks: Duty of Memory, and The Garden, open on May 22; Mystery & Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellow Folk Art, opens on May 29.
These exhibitions offer a variety of subject matter from photographs of abandoned ships around the world, to abstract elements of nature, to the historic folk art of two fraternal organizations, according to the museum.
An exhibition celebration will be held from 1-3 p.m. June 5, with remarks from Mattatuck Museum Director, Bob Burns, at 1 p.m. Families are invited to participate in the Exploration Activities in the Studio.
During the celebration, Manager of Public Programs, Elise Vanase, will be on hand to preview the exciting lineup of summer program offerings. The Art of Yum Café will be open with delicious meals, snacks, coffees, and sweet treats available for purchase. Admission to the Summer Exhibitions Celebration is free for Museum Members and children under 5, and $5 for the public. Pre-register at mattmuseum.org/calendar or call 203-753-0381 x130.
The Garden, on view from May 22-Aug. 28, features the interdisciplinary works of eight artists. The exhibition addresses the sensory aspects of nature while embodying the artists’ emotional journeys over the course of this turbulent decade. Textiles, paintings, and ephemera in a variety of materials combine to form an elemental space. The Garden, organized by Wylie Contemporary of Mechanicsville, Virginia, seeks to create a refuge through an immersive experience in art, reminding visitors of the beauty of nature and the joy of life outside the digital sphere, according to the museum.
Since 1969, photographer Stefano Benazzo has captured images of boats stranded on shores and shipwrecks across the world. Benazzo, a retired Ambassador of Italy and former diplomat at the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C., carried out his photographic project on four continents; his work brought him to the coastlines of Italy, Greece, Portugal, Iceland, Mauritania, Namibia, Turks & Caicos Islands, South Georgia, Chile and Falkland/Malvinas. In Shipwrecks: Duty of Memory, on view from May 22 through August 28, 2022, his photographs record the tragic fates of these vessels and hint at the stories of the individuals who once sailed them. Through his
work, Benazzo intends to preserve the memory of these shipwrecks and their sailors long after the vessels themselves are erased by the actions of waves and weather. This exhibition features 60 of Benazzo’s haunting photographs, exhibited for the first time in Connecticut, according to the museum.
Mystery & Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellow Folk Art, on view May 29Sept. 4, brings to light the hidden histories of the Freemasons and the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows — two fraternal brotherhoods with
deep roots in American history. Objects featured in this exhibition convey the secretive practices of fraternal organizations through their rich symbolism and unusual imagery. To members, this iconography emphasizes the core values of fellowship, labor, charity, passage, and wisdom, yet the images appear puzzling to the uninitiated. Mystery & Benevolence was organized by the American Folk Art Museum, New York, N.Y. from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.
The Mattatuck Museum has developed a host of programs inspired by this exhibition for students, families, and adults interested in a variety of subjects, including art, history, literature, and music. During the celebration, Manager of Public Programs, Elise Vanase, will be on hand to preview the exciting lineup of summer program offerings. To learn more about these summer programs, please visit mattmuseum.org/calendar.
Economic & Community Development/CT Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Museum is a founding member of the Consortium of Connecticut Art Museums and is a member of the Connecticut Art Trail, a group of 21 world-class museums and historic sites (ctarttrail.org).
The Mattatuck Museum is located on the Green in Waterbury at 144 West Main Street. The museum is open for timed admission,
The Mattatuck Museum website, mattmuseum.org., outlines the museum’s updated guidelines for visitors, including what to expect on your visit, cleaning and safety protocols, and frequently asked questions. Face masks are not required indoors.
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