Make one of your New Year’s Resolutions to experience more creativity in Cincinnati in 2023! There are tons of upcoming art displays that will feature talented local artists and well renowned creatives from all over the world. With the winter season in full swing, it’s also the perfect opportunity to visit one of our fabulous museums that have permanent pieces and temporary ones that offer a new encounter of the space.
Featured Art Displays
The Cincinnati Art Museum always has impressive shows and it’s exciting to see what they will display next! Their current show, Natural World, is up until January 15th. This show is a collaboration between John Edmonds and David Hartt, along with poet and scholar Jason Allen-Paisant, and curator Nathaniel M. Stein. The project explores the different meanings of nature through conversations of history. This profound exhibition is a photography-based installation presented in two galleries and selected areas in the museum. The work is captivating and makes you reflect on your connection to nature and the human experience.
Natural World Art Display Photos
The next show at the Art Museum is another one based in photography and features the work from one of the most influential female artists of all time, Georgia O’Keeffe. The show Photographer is a collaboration with the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The exhibit will present nearly 100 photographs that O’Keeffe took with supporting drawings and paintings of hers. The collection is a harmonious balance of what the artist’s practice was and how much she dedicated herself to her craft. Cincinnati is lucky enough to have the show run from February all the way to May and will be sure to inspire you!
Georgia O’Keeffe Art Display Photos
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” – Georgia O’Keeffe
Art Museum Hours
The museum is open Tuesday – Sunday from 11am – 5pm and most events and shows are free to the public! It’s never too late to start discovering what the creative community has to offer in the Queen City any time of year!
Take a journey to explore the wonderment of art through the paintings of one of the most influential artists of all time, Vincent van Gogh. Cincinnati is currently one of the lucky chosen cities to feature the traveling exhibition that’s getting attention all over the world! The immersive show is full of fascinating information about the life and work of the artist along with the most incredible visuals that will have you in sheer awe at the sight. The entire experience wakes up your senses and opens your mind to gain a deeper appreciation for creativity and culture.
van Gogh’s Immersive Experience Banner
As you step inside of the exhibit you are greeted by a large sculpture of van Gogh’s portrait. There is an overlay of his paintings projected onto the sculpture that dash and dance over the surface mimicking the mind of the artist and how he interpreted things. The show starts off with a timeline of his life to give you an idea of his background that is educational and filled with fascinating facts. Van Gogh was a complex and compelling artist and is probably the most well-known and recognizable painters in history.
The Exhibit
Throughout the exhibit, you will find many quotes by van Gogh that are thought provoking and motivational. The paintings themselves offer a glimpse into the artist’s compassion and connection to nature and the quotes support them. “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” By pairing his words with his paintings, you become enthralled by the magnificent emotion that radiates through the work. Along with quotes are sketches of the artist in progress work that shows you his process and how everything started.
When you go further into the exhibition you come across engaging story projections that reveal the techniques and skills of the artist that have audio descriptions that help guide you through the work. There is another statue of a vase that changes into different paintings of his flower series that shows gestural bursts of energy with each brush stroke.
Exhibits in the van Gogh Immersive Experience Gallery
Additions to the Exhibit
There’s a small bar for refreshments, with a specialty cocktail in honor of the popular painting, Starry Night. It’s a delicious drink to sip on while you walk around and watch the visual displays. If you’re feeling compelled to make art in the likeness of van Gogh’s, head to the section of the show for a reference to a studio where you can draw and color in pages of some of his famous pieces.
This show brings Vincent van Gogh’s paintings to life! It’s as if you’re inside of the painting as it’s being created. The most spectacular part is the massive room with moving images all around you that has enchanting music playing in the distance. You open a set of curtains to enter a large open space that is inviting and instantly impacts you with overwhelming beauty. The projections are 2 stories high and are absolutely stunning. There are multiple lounge areas and plenty of chairs to relax in and gaze at the artwork as it transforms, shifts, and transcends you into a different dimension of dazzling delight! There are rhythmic patterns of animated brushstrokes that go across the wall in a 360-degree angle with movement of captivating colors and textures all around you. It’s like stepping into a dream world that brings to light all the endless opportunities that art has. Take it all in, this expressive atmosphere is something to sit with for as long as you can.
There is a one-of-a-kind Virtual Reality experience that you can participate in that takes you to a day in the life of Vincent van Gogh. Walk through a charming town in Europe that the artist spent time in and where he found some of his sources of inspiration for his work. As you take the same footsteps as he once did, you approach specific locations that are 8 of his paintings and learn about why he painted them. Giving you a better understanding of who he was and the things he did.
Where to Catch van Gogh’s Work
Another super cool aspect of this exhibition being in Cincinnati is that even though it won’t be here forever you can still see Vincent van Gogh’s work in Eden Park. The Cincinnati Art Museum has an original painting, Undergrowth with Two Figures in their permanent collection, that was completed in June 1890. Visit the museum anytime for free to view this painting and be moved by it in person!
The immersive experience will be here until November and takes about an hour to two hours to view and enjoy. It’s located on 18 West Fourth Street 45202, Downtown Cincinnati and is for all ages to attend!
With a fresh start of a new year brings in new opportunities to engage with art in profound and meaningful ways! Art in Cincinnati is enriching and entertaining, with eventful explorations into the imagination that will make you want to discover and learn more about what the city has to offer in the expressive community. From past to present, Cincinnati has always shown its immense support for diversity in the Arts and continues to bring excellent pieces from all around the world, from artists of all backgrounds to our museums, galleys, shows, public spaces, and interactive exhibitions. Truly making this city the perfect atmosphere, when it comes to having fun in the future of creativity. So, choose your own adventure at any of the many places that are bringing more artistic experiences to the people!
Locals top favorite and most popular museum in the area to encounter art is, The Cincinnati Art Museum within the beautiful landscape of Eden Park in the hills of Mt. Adams. The historic museum that overlooks the city was founded in 1881, making it one of the oldest in the United States. Their impressive collection includes over 65,000 pieces of work that span 6,000 years of art making. This incredible museum always has a magnificent collection of work on display but they also have rotating shows that are by well-known artists with pieces that are admired throughout the world.
The prolific art of the contemporary artist, Kara Walker is currently on display until January 16th and the exhibition is titled, Cut to the Quick. This body of work is deep, powerful, and eye opening to say the least, with themes of examining stereotypes and stories about mythology, identity, racism, culture, and history. Walker transforms the gallery space into a series of different styles of pieces that are thought provoking and fascinating. With each step you take through the exhibition you find different forms of art that Walker experiments with, such as installation, sculpture, printmaking, and the written word. Walker incorporates personal quotes to create a dialogue with the viewer and gives a sense of the inside of an artist’s mind. This work challenges the audience to ask questions about the world around them and Walker gives them the opportunity to interact with the work by having the participant answer questions on addressing histories and narratives of the present. There is also a place of reflection incorporated in this gallery show for people to really sit with their thoughts on Walker’s compelling work that should remain in your memory and shared with others.
Ohio is full of Indigenous Culture and you don’t have to travel far to find it! Take a leisurely drive down a beautiful route of the Midwest’s countryside to Peebes, Ohio to visit the great Serpent Mound made by Indigenous People of Ohio! Serpent Mound is a Historical Site that features one of the worlds largest Earthworks in the world! The prehistoric mound is a spiraling snake that is 1,348-foot-long and three-foot-high sitting on a woodland plateau along the Ohio Brush Creek. This Earthwork is an effigy mound which is a raised pile of earth built in the shape of a stylized animal, symbol, or human figure. The indigenous people that made this breathtaking natural art piece were both the Adena and Fort Ancient Cultures between 381 B.C. and 44 B.C. This place has a sense of wonderment and it’s still a mystery of why they built it, some say it’s for spiritual purposes and ceremonial celebrations for the Solstice and Equinox.
Walk the trail along the mound and take in the beauty of it while you imagine what it would be like to build this massive earthwork with a team of people by hand. Reflect on the craftsmanship and hard work of the ancient artists that created it over a thousand years ago. Just make sure you stay on the path and don’t walk on top of the sacred mounds. There are two overlooks that you must stop at to take in the view of the vibrant green treetop canopy that leads to the river, which has another beautiful trail that’s through the forest. This Nature Trail, is the Ohio Brush Creek Hiking Trail, that is an easy 1-mile hike that takes you into the valley, past the river, and brings you back up to the Serpent. You could even take a swim in the river on a hot day to cool off, or hang a hammock to relax in the shade.
If you aren’t afraid of heights then make sure you check out the spectacular aerial view of the winding mound to see the full form of the serpent on the observation deck that’s there! The steps are a bit steep but the climb to the top is worth it to get the full appreciation of the spectacular mound! There are plenty of picnic tables to have lunch at and discuss the magical place while enjoying the lovely nature all around you. I recommend packing a lunch because There are not many additional attractions or restaurants in the area. You can also visit a small museum to stop into for educational facts, diagrams of how the mound was made, artifacts and gifts.
The Ohio State Archaeological Society has helped preserve this great piece of history and they offer volunteer opportunities for people interested in preserving, studying, and caring for ancient sites. This is the perfect place to put on your Ohio Day Trip Bucket List! It’s also a wonderful place to learn about indigenous culture and history in Ohio. Serpent Mound was purposefully built for a special, sacred purpose and should be treat with respect and care while visiting.
They have events like traditional celebrations that honor the solstice and festivals that highlight the ways of the ancient people that came before us. Some of the events include, retreats, workshops, live music, drum circles, and camping outings. Upcoming events to check out are, the Autumn Equinox at Serpent Mound, September 14th, the Serpent Mound Star Knowledge Peace Summit Festival, September 24th-26th and Light Up the Serpent for the Winter Solstice, December 6th, which is a ceremonial candle lighting outlining the serpent effigy in an effort to reflect upon the history and the importance of this world-renowned earthwork.
