Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Smith College Museum of Art has upcoming exhibitions, includes "A Dangerous Woman:The Art of Honoré Sharrer."
BY SARAH OLSEN ’18
Is your artistic soul being crushed by never-ending homework? Are you looking for something fun for the weekend? Do you want a thoughtful date destination to impress your significant other? You need art, and luckily, there are dozens of opportunities for an art fix within the Five Colleges. Here are the highlights:
Smith College:
If you’re taking a day trip to Northampton or have extra time between Smith classes, a stop at the Smith College Museum of Art is in order. According to the SCMA’s website, the museum is one of the leading academic museums in the nation. Works are divided between three floors depending on whether they were created before 1800, after 1800 or after 1950. Upcoming highlights include the exhibit “A Dangerous Woman: The Art of Honoré Sharrer.”
Amherst College:
The Mead Art Museum just opened new exhibitions this week. One exhibit, “Tell It Like It Is or Could Be,” features large-scale color photography by Cindy Sherman, Zackary Drucker and others. While a visit to the Amherst museum will broaden your art horizons, your taste buds will also benefit with a trip to Glazed doughnut shop before hopping on the PVTA back to Mount Holyoke.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst:
A venture to the University Museum of Contemporary Art will have to be postponed until the museum reopens Sept. 27. The upcoming exhibits, “5 Takes on African Art” and “42 Flags,” will be organized by student curatorial teams that consists of UMass graduate students of art history, studio arts, public history and Afro-American studies. The exhibits promise to be visually stunning and thought-provoking. An event not to be missed!
Hampshire College:
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is the perfect opportunity to revisit your stress-free childhood days. According to the museum’s website, the museum is the only full-scale museum of its kind. Not only will a visit be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but your childhood self will jump for joy as you’re surrounded with picture book illustrations from famous works such as “The Hungry Caterpillar.”
Mount Holyoke:
Love art but don’t want to leave campus? Mount Holyoke has two art museums that are sure to inspire your inner Picasso.
The Mount Holyoke College Art Museum is a collection of art, in its various forms, that’s situated only a short walk away from Prospect. A wandering student will find both modern and ancient sculptures, paintings and other art pieces in the gallery. Keep an eye out throughout the semester for museum events that offer students close encounters with art.
If you want to see what your fellow artsy MoHos are up to, check out the Blanchard Gallery. The student art gallery, located on the second floor of Blanchard, holds art that can be inspiring as well as inquisitive. A quick visit makes for an excellent study break.
Don’t have time to visit any of the above locations? Try a walk through the Mount Holyoke art department in the art building. Students’ paintings, sculptures and other art projects displayed in the hallway and throughout the building can serve as a quick soul booster. Some art has even been known to make its way outside, so keep your eyes peeled!