July at the Springfield Art Museum

Temporary Museum Closure: July 5 - July 8

The Springfield Art Museum will be closed to the public Tuesday, July 5 through Friday, July 8 for repairs, resealing, and restriping of the existing parking lot, which will continue to serve the public as new parking lot improvements are made along the northside of the Museum's grounds throughout the Master Plan construction process. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause patrons who planned to visit the Museum during those times.

For more information about the Museum's Master Plan, please visit our website, or read our full news release on the temporary closure.

Fresh Rotations: Asian Art

Beginning July 9, Hartman Gallery

When the Museum re-opens to the public on Saturday, July 9, five new objects will have rotated onto view in our survey of Asian Art from the Museum's permanent collection located in our Hartman Gallery. Rotations will include several new acquisitions, including a kimono and several additional depictions of the Buddhist bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of Compassion (also known as Guanyin and/or Kannon). Rotating works of art on and off of view helps conserve and preserve our artwork and allows us to feature a more equitable selection of Asian art objects present in our collection. This rotation was curated by Museum Registrar Kyle Clymore.  

Yoko Ono: Mend Piece and The Open Window Close

Closing July 10, Eldredge & Armstrong Galleries

Both the traveling exhibition Yoko Ono: Mend Piece and the focus exhibition The Open Window close on Sunday, July 10 at 5 PM. This is your final opportunity to view and participate in both exhibitions. Since opening on April 9, thousands of visitors have created small sculpture from pieces of broken porcelain in our Eldredge Gallery, and enjoyed works that follow or challenge the metaphor of Alberti's window in our Armstrong Gallery.

Yoko Ono: Mend Piece is organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA).
The presentation of Yoko Ono's Mend Piece (Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York City version) is part of Art Room, an ongoing series of contemporary art installations organized by the AFA. Support for the Springfield Art Museum’s presentation of Yoko Ono: Mend Piece is generously provided by lead gifts from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Melinda J. McDaniel Charitable Trust, UW, Bank of America, N.A., Trustees, with additional support from Howard C. and Nadia T. Cavner. 

Humanities, Vol. 1 Opens

The Springfield Art Museum is supported by a wide variety of staff roles. Regardless of job duties, everyone at the Museum works in some capacity alongside the permanent collection. Does this impact our relationship with the art objects on view? What connections with art have we made as we secure the building, manage contracts, coordinate school tours, and write grants? This exhibition seeks to answer these questions by highlighting the people who keep the Museum moving forward including staff, board and committee members, and community partners as illustrated through a range of objects they’ve selected from the Museum’s collection and the stories they have told about why. This special exhibition includes 49 works chosen by 36 co-curators.

*This exhibition is the first in a series that seeks to investigate the 'spark' that begins a connection with art by examining disparate works in the Museum’s collection with a wide range of community members.

Public Programs:

Opening Day: July 23, 10 AM to 6 PM.

Drop-in for guided exhibition tours (every hour, on the hour until 5:00 PM) and hands-on activities. Free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Slow Viewing with Shauna LeAnn Smith: July 30, 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. 

Slow Viewing is a supportive practice for anyone who wants to develop their skills of interpretation, observation, and discussing art. Guests spend an hour carefully observing and speaking about the works on view, resulting in a deeper understanding of how they and others relate to the artwork and to each other. This program is facilitated by artist Shauna LeAnn Smith. Free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Fantastic Friday with the Library

July 15, 10 AM to 12 PM

Join the Springfield-Greene County Library District at the Museum for aquatic art-making, exhibition exploration, and a sea-riffic storytime! There will be several hands-on activities available and lots of opportunities for kids to explore the "oceans of possibilities" that exist within art. Bring your library card – the Mobile Library will be parked nearby. This event is intended for kids in preschool through 5th grade and their families. Free and open to the public.

2028 Campaign Awarded Tax Credits

In early June, the Museum announced that it has been awarded $2 million in tax credits from the Missouri Development Finance Board (MDFB). The tax credits are designed to spur private investment in the Museum’s transformative $25 million renovation and expansion. Qualified individuals and corporations can receive a 50% Infrastructure Development Fund Tax Credit based upon their contribution (i.e., a $50,000 contribution receives a $25,000 tax credit). Contributors wishing to take advantage of the tax credit must make their contribution of cash or securities directly to the Missouri Development Finance Board which will then distribute the monies to the Museum and the tax credit to the donor. 

For more information about the Museum’s $25 million expansion and renovation, or for more information about how to utilize tax credits in support of our campaign, please contact Kate Francis, Museum Affairs Officer for Fundraising and Development at 417-874-2865 or [email protected].

Sponsor 99 Times Party Today

Print Invite Listing Deadline: July 15

Purchase your sponsorship for the sixth annual 99 Times (99x) Party today! 99x: The Return of Joy will transform YOUR Art Museum into an interactive landscape of living art tableaus and performances - from the hottest local artists, tastemakers, and trendsetters - all inspired by John Grillo’s 1960s abstract painting Moon Goloph. This painting is notable for its striking use of the primary color yellow - the color associated with joy in modern color theory.

This year's event on Saturday, September 24, raises critical funds to repair and restore John Grillo's 1963 large-scale painting acquired by the Museum in 1999. This work is currently on view in our Creating an American Identity permanent collection exhibition. Grillo was one of the most important of the West Coast (Bay Area) Abstract Expressionists. His signature style is marked by an interest in bold, warm colors, grid-like patterns, and sharp contrasts. His works are included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and your very own Springfield Art Museum. 

Sponsorships begin at $500 and include recognition opportunities and event tickets with access to the event's Sponsor Hour. Join the revelry at this one-night only event voted "Best Interactive Art" in 417 Magazine! Creative cocktail attire is encouraged. This event is intended for patrons 21+ #99xArt

On View 

• Yoko Ono: Mend Piece (Closes July 10)
• The Open Window (Closes July 10)
• Humanities, Vol. 1 (Opens July 23)
• Watercolor USA
• Creating an American Identity
• Dale Chihuly: Autumn Persian & Feather Chandelier
• Anne Lindberg: tilted sky
• Selections from our Asian Art Collection (Hartman Gallery)

Upcoming Events

• Closed for July 4th Holiday: Monday, July 4, All Day
• Closed for Parking Lot Improvements: Tuesday, July 5 - Friday, July 8, All Day
• Yoko Ono: Mend Piece and The Open Window Close: Sunday, July 10, 5 PM
• Fantastic Friday with the Springfield-Greene County Library: Friday, July 15, 10 AM to 12 PM
• Humanities, Vol. 1 Opening Day: Saturday, July 23, 10 AM to 6 PM
• Humanities, Vol. 1 Slow Viewing with Shauna LeAnn Smith: Saturday, July 30, 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM

For additional information, events, and educational programs please visit www.sgfmuseum.org and don't forget to follow us on social media @sgfmuseum

As Always, Admission to the Springfield Art Museum is FREE. Join Us Today at YOUR Art Museum!