March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 48 F

First all-video art exhibition to debut at Maryland Hall

Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts (MHCA) will debut the first all-video art exhibition ever to open in Annapolis:  Glistening: Nature Mirrored in Video Art, on display from March 14 through May 5, features 10 works by artists representing 8 countries.  Drawn from the collection of Kitty and Tom Stoner of Annapolis, the exhibition and related programs deliver a survey of moving image work that spans 40 years.

This ’round-the-world-through-art can be experienced within just a few steps, not only within Maryland Hall’s Chaney and Martino galleries but also in surprising places around the building. Curated by Kelly Gordon, an international curator based in Washington, D.C., this selection emphasizes the various ways contemporary artists adopt advanced technologies, yet continue to refer to an age-old, classical inspiration: nature.

Most all of the works in the Stoner’s collection engage with the outdoors as well as with their personal aspirations.  TKF (founded in 1996), the Stoner’s foundation, is dedicated to sowing the seeds for a deeper understanding of the power of nature as a healing space for individuals and communities. TKF funded the creation of the labyrinth on Maryland Hall’s front lawn in 2001-2002.

From Kelly Richardson’s vision in Exiles of the Shattered Star, (2006), shot during a glorious dawn in the British Lake District to Jessica Steincamp’s digital meditation on a tree as it whirls through the seasons in Dervish 4, (2004), such expressions parallel the collectors’ reverence for the beauty, resonance and consolation landscapes can provide, whether real or imagined.

“What has surprised me most about building a media collection is the interactivity that exists between moving images and adjacent spaces. It’s like a large conversation…especially if the collection is focused on its content.  It will be thrilling for me and Kitty to share these compelling works with Annapolitans,” says Tom Stoner.

Curator Gordon adds, “Embedded in Glistening is an antidote to the frenetic dynamic driven by our obsession with personal devices.  While enabled by similar technologies, by contrast these works slow our pace and engage us collectively.  The depth of the Stoner collection provides a primer for all those curious about this flourishing dimension of contemporary art.”

In 1983, Tom and Kitty Stoner, native Iowans with a zest for life and art, were drawn to Annapolis for its historical charm, warm-spirited community and, like many, the great sailing. They shifted their collecting priorities to media work in 2005 and continue to seek distinctive ways to incorporate it throughout their household – from the front door to the kitchen. The Stoners’ passion for what’s new and what’s next fuels their fascination with 21st century art.  This is the most comprehensive public presentation of their collection to date.

Video art work to be exhibited in Glistening are:  Les Oiseaux, 2008, Laurent Grasso (France); Mermaids, 2011, Sigalit Landau (Israel); Revolution, 2010,  Jacco Olivier‎ (Netherlands); Morning after the Deluge, 2003, Paul Pffeiffer (US); Untitled, Harvest, 2005, Robin Rhode‎ (South Africa); Exiles of the Shattered Star,2006, Kelly Richardson (Canada);  Tops,‎ 2005, Miguel Angel Rios (Argentina);  Aire de Agua, 2009, Kim Sooja‎ (Korea); Dervish 4, 2004, Jessica Steincamp‎ (US); and Rapunzel 13, 2010, Jessica Steincamp (US).

Exhibit-related events include:

  • A free public opening reception on Thursday, March 14 from 5:30 to 7 pm, will feature brief remarks by Stoner and Gordon.
  • During the Annapolis Film Festival, from March 22 through March 25, an outdoor screen will feature Kelly Richardson’s work projected onto Maryland Hall’s building.
  • On Tuesday, April 24 at 7 pm (free)  A Conversation with Tom Stoner will explore the challenges presented by collecting media art and include display of two works not on view in the exhibition:  Travel, 1996-2013 by David Claerbout (Belgium) and Wooden Boulder, 1978-2003 by David Nash (UK).

Dedicated to “art for all,” Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts is the community’s arts center, providing lifelong opportunities in the arts for all ages. Serving 100,000 people each year, Maryland Hall educates, enriches and enhances lives through performances in our newly-renovated theatre, exhibitions in several galleries, education classes and workshops for all ages, and outreach programs that bring the arts to underserved students.

Maryland Hall is located at 801 Chase Street, Annapolis.  Gallery Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm.  For more information, call 410-263-5544 or consult www.marylandhall.org.

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