The ICA’s ‘Great Force’ opens tonight at First Friday
Iman Mekonen, Spectrum Editor The Institute for Contemporary Art’s newest exhibition, Great Force, will open tonight at its First Friday celebration. The exhibition features pieces from 24 established and emerging artists and focuses on subjects of black and white racial inequality, comparing and contrasting slavery and contemporary racial oppression. The artwork within the exhibit includes […]
Sculpture professor digs into the past — literally
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Casts of hands, knees, rocks and coins are all part of the newest exhibit from VCUarts professor of sculpture and extended media Corin Hewitt. Hewitt visited the Institute for Contemporary Art on Wednesday to speak about his career and current project, “Shadows are to Shade,” which is on display at the […]
Contemporary artists envision identity, purpose in new ICA galleries
Andrew Ringle, Spectrum Editor The Institute for Contemporary Art opened a pair of exhibitions Saturday featuring artists Cauleen Smith, Irena Haiduk and Martine Syms, who address themes of identity, history and modernization. In efforts to reimagine the gallery space, Smith uses film, video and sculpture in “Give It or Leave It.” Colorful film gels cover glass […]
New ICA exhibits engage audiences in reimagined spaces
Andrew Ringle, Spectrum Editor On Saturday, the Institute for Contemporary Art will open a pair of new exhibitions, prompting audience interaction and spatial reinterpretation of the building’s first two floors. Two of the artists behind the new installations are people of color, and all three are women. “In immersive experiences in the galleries, these artists offer […]
Lecturer discusses menthol cigarette use in black community
Walter Chidozie Anyanwu Contributing Writer Companies have intentionally marketed menthol cigarettes to African-American communities for more than 50 years, according to a lecture presented Nov. 5 at the Institute for Contemporary Art. The VCU Psychology Department hosted presenter Phillip Gardiner, program officer of the Tobacco-Related Disease Program at the University of California at Berkeley. Gardiner […]
Journalism professor screens gerrymandering documentary pending midterm elections
Walter Chidozie Anyanwu Contributing Writer The Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU hosted a screening Wednesday of the 2016 documentary film “GerryRIGGED: Turning Democracy on its Head” by Bill Oglesby, assistant professor of journalism at the VCU Robertson School. The film highlights the challenges posed by the current redistricting system, which creates an avenue […]
New ICA exhibits capture essence of fall, engage art lovers
Andrew Ringle Contributing Writer Under the high ceilings of the Markel Center, a towering steel structure climbs toward the sky. Long-leafed plants flow throughout its frame and shea butter sculptures pepper the corners and edges of the pyramidal shape. On the floors below, eerie tones float from glass bodies, occasionally creating a random sense of […]
New director emphasizes ICA’s international role
Georgia Geen Managing Editor Dominic Willsdon’s first impression of Richmond was strong — one of scenic walks along the James River and visits to Carytown’s iconic bookstore, Chop Suey, places he considers just as valuable to visual culture as art galleries. Set to begin his position as executive director of the Institute for Contemporary Art […]
Worth the hype? The CT Staff reacts to ICA opening
The VCU Institute for Contemporary Art opened on April 21 with a block party following years of construction and a change in directors. The ICA’s inaugural exhibition, “Declaration,” centers around art’s transformative political power. A conglomeration of works by renowned local, national and international artists, the exhibition attracted a large crowd to the three-floor Markel […]
Retired VCUarts dean appointed as new ICA Director
Retired VCUarts Dean Joe Seipel will serve as Interim Director of the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) following Lisa Freiman stepping down from the position earlier this month. The ICA is set to open on April 21. Seipel said he will likely continue to hold the position of interim director until around April, pending the […]