Press Release: "As We Are" Opening at the Portland Museum of Art on October 11, 2024
For immediate release
Meg Hahn (United States, born 1995), Cut Out Shadows 1, 2024, oil on panel, 14 5/8 x 11 1/2 inches. Meg Hahn. © Meg Hahn. Image courtesy Petegorsky/Gipe Photo
A dynamic snapshot of art today in Maine.
The Portland Museum of Art is thrilled to announce the opening of As We Are, an exhibition showcasing the work of 14 emerging artists with deep connections to Maine. Running from October 11, 2024, to April 27, 2025, As We Are features painting, photography, drawing, ceramics, and sculpture, inviting visitors to discover the cutting edge of American contemporary art through the lens of Maine’s vibrant regional scene.
As We Are will highlight young talent whose practices are in conversation with Maine’s rich artistic heritage. From identity to ecology, kinship to care, these artists engage with contemporary issues while also drawing upon the American modernist traditions strongly associated with Maine artists such as Lois Dodd, Marsden Hartley, and John Marin.
"The exhibition studies Maine’s essential position in the history of American art while considering how contemporary artists forge ahead with this oftentimes complicated legacy,” says Sayantan Mukhopadhyay, PhD, Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “For many of these artists, this will be their first-ever presentation at a museum.”
The artists included in this fall's exhibition are
Rachel Gloria Adams
Elana Adler
Maya Tihtiyas Attean
Oscar Chacon
James Parker Foley
Meg Hahn
Dylan Hausthor
Jenny Ibsen
Hector Nevarez Magaña
Tessa Greene O’Brien
Brian Smith
Jay Stern
Holden Willard
Anna Valenti
Maya Tihtiyas Attean (United States, born 1994), Becoming a ghost of myself, 2023, archival inkjet print, 32 x 40 inches. Maya Tihtiyas Attean. © Maya Tihtiyas Attean. Image courtesy the artist"
Join us at the Portland Museum of Art as we celebrate the vibrant spirit of Maine’s art community with As We Are. We have a full schedule of programming that will invite visitors to engage with the artists and their works through gallery talks, lectures, and more.
To learn more about As We Are and stay updated on all exhibition events, visit PortlandMuseum.org/asweare.
ABOUT THE PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART:
With an extensive collection and nationally renowned exhibitions, the Portland Museum of Art is the cultural heart of Portland, Maine. The PMA boasts significant holdings of American, European, and contemporary art, as well as iconic works from Maine—highlighting the rich artistic tradition of the state and its artists. The museum brings it all to life with unparalleled programming. From special members events, Free School Tours, and a commitment to family activities, to PMA Films, curator talks, and tours of the Winslow Homer Studio—it's all happening at the PMA.
In 2022, the museum launched The PMA Blueprint: Building a Landmark for the Future, a $100M campus expansion and unification project that will more than double the size of the PMA's campus as well as the museum's economic impact throughout the region. Designed by LEVER Architecture, a new mass timber, landmark building will be a pillar of sustainable design and a catalyst for climate-safe construction in Maine. Sparked by the current growth and diversification of the collection, record attendance and community feedback, and new opportunities to expand and unify its campus, the Portland Museum of Art stands ready to embark on what will be its most ambitious and pioneering era yet.