For 10 years, The Mississippi Story has been a part of the Mississippi Museum of Art. Beginning on August 21, 2017, 8,500 square feet of gallery space – currently containing the ongoing, free exhibition titled The Mississippi Story – will be transformed to make room for Picturing Mississippi, 1817-2017: Land of Plenty, Pain, and Promise, the largest art exhibition about Mississippi identity ever conceived, which in its totality will cover more than 16,000 square feet of gallery space. Picturing Mississippi will be an unprecedented bicentennial exhibition exploring two centuries of Mississippi statehood.
The Mississippi Story was curated by art historian Patti Carr Black and installed in 2007 in conjunction with the opening of the Museum’s modern building. A quote by Eudora Welty contextualized this thematic exploration of Mississippi art: “It seems to me that the art that speaks most clearly, explicitly, directly and passionately from its place of origin will remain the longest understood,” Welty wrote.
“The Mississippi Story was created to evoke a sense of place and to explore what it means to be immersed in Mississippi. It has served visitors spectacularly, a tribute to the vision of curator and Mississippi treasure Patti Carr Black.” said Betsy Bradley, Director of the Mississippi Museum of Art. “In the decade since we opened that exhibition, the Museum and the community have continued to evolve and grow. When we de-install the galleries of The Mississippi Story this summer and fall, it will not be a conclusion, but a continuation. We will immediately begin installing Picturing Mississippi, an unprecedented exploration of Mississippi identity through visual art, opening December 9, 2017. Meanwhile, we will be inviting public dialogue on multiple fronts about what stories, technologies, and experiences will compose the reimagined and expanded Mississippi Story exhibition of the future.”
Leading up to, and during, the de-installation process, the Museum will offer engagement activities and programming. Visitors can participate in self-guided tour of The Mississippi Story through Sunday, August 20. On August 11 and 18, visitors can enjoy “Off-Record Gallery Talks,” behind the scenes talks with longtime Museum staff. During the August 17 Museum After Hours, the public is invited to a farewell evening tour. From August 22-25, stop in for The Mississippi Story Unframed, a first-hand glimpse into the process of de-installation. After the de-installation is complete, visitors can view One Wall: Feature from the Permanent Collection, from August 22–September 4, where one artwork from the permanent collection is displayed, rotating every two weeks.
The majority of the approximately two hundred objects currently on view in The Mississippi Story will return to the Museum’s vault during the run of Picturing Mississippi. In the Fall of 2018, following the bicentennial exhibition, the Museum will install a reimagining of The Mississippi Story complete with new stories and voices, new acquisitions, new technologies, and fresh perspective – driven by public dialogue, visitor input, and emerging contemporary narratives.
To learn more about the Mississippi Museum of Art, participate in farewell programs, follow the progress behind-the-scenes, and share feedback as part of “The Story Continues…” campaign, click here.
The Mississippi Story was curated by art historian Patti Carr Black and installed in 2007 in conjunction with the opening of the Museum’s modern building. A quote by Eudora Welty contextualized this thematic exploration of Mississippi art: “It seems to me that the art that speaks most clearly, explicitly, directly and passionately from its place of origin will remain the longest understood,” Welty wrote.
“The Mississippi Story was created to evoke a sense of place and to explore what it means to be immersed in Mississippi. It has served visitors spectacularly, a tribute to the vision of curator and Mississippi treasure Patti Carr Black.” said Betsy Bradley, Director of the Mississippi Museum of Art. “In the decade since we opened that exhibition, the Museum and the community have continued to evolve and grow. When we de-install the galleries of The Mississippi Story this summer and fall, it will not be a conclusion, but a continuation. We will immediately begin installing Picturing Mississippi, an unprecedented exploration of Mississippi identity through visual art, opening December 9, 2017. Meanwhile, we will be inviting public dialogue on multiple fronts about what stories, technologies, and experiences will compose the reimagined and expanded Mississippi Story exhibition of the future.”
Leading up to, and during, the de-installation process, the Museum will offer engagement activities and programming. Visitors can participate in self-guided tour of The Mississippi Story through Sunday, August 20. On August 11 and 18, visitors can enjoy “Off-Record Gallery Talks,” behind the scenes talks with longtime Museum staff. During the August 17 Museum After Hours, the public is invited to a farewell evening tour. From August 22-25, stop in for The Mississippi Story Unframed, a first-hand glimpse into the process of de-installation. After the de-installation is complete, visitors can view One Wall: Feature from the Permanent Collection, from August 22–September 4, where one artwork from the permanent collection is displayed, rotating every two weeks.
The majority of the approximately two hundred objects currently on view in The Mississippi Story will return to the Museum’s vault during the run of Picturing Mississippi. In the Fall of 2018, following the bicentennial exhibition, the Museum will install a reimagining of The Mississippi Story complete with new stories and voices, new acquisitions, new technologies, and fresh perspective – driven by public dialogue, visitor input, and emerging contemporary narratives.
To learn more about the Mississippi Museum of Art, participate in farewell programs, follow the progress behind-the-scenes, and share feedback as part of “The Story Continues…” campaign, click here.
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