Paintings, sculptures, and graphics celebrating the timeless appeal of birds are the focus of a new exhibit that opens Saturday, May 25, at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture.
The touring exhibit, Birds in Art, runs through August 18. It features sixty works created in the past two years by artists from around the world.
Since 1976, the annual Birds in Art exhibition has presented some of the best contemporary artistic interpretations of birds and related subject matter. From the plumed whistling duck to the colorful Amazonian parrot, these works represent numerous species and explore environmental issues—such as climate change—affecting birds today.
Several free exhibit programs are planned. They include a Birds in Art Stroller Tour for parents, caregivers, and their children at 10:00 a.m. on June 17.
A Birds in Art Family Activity Day will be held at 1:30 p.m. on June 22. It will feature bird-related activities and tours.
From 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on June 1, the museum will commemorate its fiftieth anniversary with a community birthday celebration. The event will feature family activities, including one themed around the Birds in Art exhibition, as well as refreshments.
The Birds in Art exhibit is presented by the First Tennessee Foundation, the Henley W. and Peggy H. Tate Museum Fund, and the Ardath and Joel E. Rynning Museum Fund. Additional support is provided by the Arts and Heritage Fund, Knox County, and the City of Knoxville.
The exhibition is organized by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.
The McClung Museum is located at 1327 Circle Park Drive. Museum admission is free, and the museum’s hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. The museum is closed on Memorial Day and on July 4. Free two-hour museum parking passes are available from the parking information building at the entrance to Circle Park Drive.
For more information about the McClung Museum and its collections and exhibits, visit the website.
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CONTACTS:
Catherine Shteynberg (865-974-6921, cshteynb@utk.edu)
Christina Selk (865-974-2143, cselk@utk.edu)