March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 47 F

Maryland Hall: A Conversation with Tom Stoner

Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts (MHCA) will host A Conversation with Tom Stoner on Tuesday, April 24 at 7 pm in the Main Theatre.  The event, which is free and open to the public (RSVP to [email protected]), is held in conjunction with MHCA’s exhibit Glistening: Nature Mirrored in Video Art, the first all-video art exhibition ever to open in Annapolis.

Glistening is on display through May 5 in Maryland Hall’s Chaney and Martino Galleries, Room 308 and Lobby.  The exhibition features 17 video art works by 12 by artists representing 11 countries.  Drawn from the collection of Kitty and Tom Stoner of Annapolis, the exhibition delivers a survey of moving image work that spans 40 years.  The exhibition emphasizes the various ways contemporary artists use nature as their inspiration in their video art presentations

During the talk, Stoner will share the fun and challenges presented by collecting video art and present two special video art screenings: Travel, 1996-2013, by David Claerbout (Belgium) and Wooden Boulder, 1978-2003, by David Nash (UK).  Refreshments will follow in the galleries.  Stoner will be joined by Glistening exhibit curator Kelly Gordon, an internationally-known curator based in Washington, D.C., who will share insight about the evolution of video art.

Curator Gordon says, “The Stoners focus on acquisitions that celebrate nature and induce meditation.  Among the small group of those daring enough to collect video art work, few have integrated it as thoroughly into their home life style.  For Tom and Kitty, these works breathe side-by-side with their daily routines, at their threshold, in their hallways and even in their kitchen.”

“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 is 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 exhibited in Glistening include:  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, and Rapunzel 13, 2010, both by Jessica Steincamp (US).

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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