Letter from SAAM’s Director In her latest letter, Stephanie Stebich, the Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, discusses her mantra for 2024: reflection, dialogue, and connection.The are words that speak to opportunities that arise when we look at art and let those moments enter our consciousness and hearts. In her letter she also discusses: - SAAM’s newly crafted mission and vision statements and its new strategic plan that will guide the museum for the next five years.
- The ongoing collaboration with Smartify to create a series of audio tours that deepen the visitor experience, both in-gallery and online. SAAM was the first museum to debut a new feature from Smartify that uses AI to allow visitors to create free customized tours tailored to personal interests. Tours are available in English, Spanish, American Sign Language, and Descriptive Audio for visitors with low and impaired vision.
- New exhibitions for spring. We say goodbye to Musical Thinking: New Video Art and Sonic Strategies (closes January 28) but bring three new thought-provoking exhibitions to the galleries, all organized by SAAM and drawn from its stellar collections. Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice (opens March 8), offers bold portraits of African American heroes from all walks of life. Pattern and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women (opens March 28) explores the creative practice of Amish quilters in the United States through the superb collection of Faith and Stephen Brown, recently donated to SAAM. Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women (opens May 31) presents an insightful look at how these artists drew on personal experiences and intergenerational skills to transform humble threads into resonant and intricate artworks.
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