Béatrice Coron, MAD Growth, Cut Tyvek, 2010
Lies, Enchantment, Humor & Truth
October 6, 2012–September 1, 2013
From scripture to fairy tale, cartoons to cyberbullying, the raw power of stories to inspire and enchant, spread lies or to inform, simply has no equal. THE ART OF STORYTELLING: Lies, Enchantment, Humor & Truth is the American Visionary Art Museum's brand-new, supremely original exhibition featuring embroidery, diorama, sculpture, film, graffiti, and PostSecret confession—promoting all manner of acute 'visual listening' and delight for the whole family.
The museum's 18th, yearlong, thematic exhibition explores the impact of story via visual narratives created by 30+ visionary artists, including the intuitive creations of Béatrice Coron, Mars Tokyo, Esther Krinitz, Larry Yust, Debbie and Mike Schramer, Chris Roberts-Antieau, P. Nosa, Judy Tallwing, and many more! This must-see exhibition underscores the role all museums and media play as public storytellers, as well as their inescapable influence on what we think, believe, and ultimately understand of stories.
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More Sights to Behold!

- Gretchen Feldman: Love Letter to Earth (1934-2008)
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Thru June 15, 2013 – Third Floor Gallery, Main Building
This luminous retrospective of 40+ vivid paintings exalt the exquisite, eternal themes of "Perfect Unions:" where land meets sea, day embraces night, sky kisses earth – opposites inherent to life's sacred cycle of union and touch. Among Feldman's bright, abstract works are vibrant, colorful landscapes and scenes depicting idyllic country life, contrasted with an artful examination of cancer cells which cut short the artist's most loving and happy life.
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- Permanent Collection Gallery
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Ongoing – First Floor Gallery, Main Building
AVAM's Permanent Collection Gallery features rotating selections from our permanent collection of over 4,000 visionary works from all over the world. Some favorites include: Lusitania by Wayne Kusy, 1994; Applewood Figure, Anonymous, 1950; and Untitled (Seven Panels) by James Franklin Snodgrass, c.1990-94.
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- Jim Rouse Visionary Center
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Ongoing
AVAM's large sculpture environment features 2 floors of Visionary works like our famous Kinetic Sculpture vehicles, ArtCars, Cabaret Mechanical Theater, Painted Screens, DeVon Smith's Robot Family and more!
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- Tall Sculpture Barn & Wildflower Garden
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Ongoing
The Tall Sculpture Barn features a life-size, interactive chess set of sculpted metal angels and the 1300 square-feet of painted panels called The Seven Days of Creation by visionary William Thomas Thompson. Free to visit during museum hours.
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- Brian Dowdall's "Baltimore Beasties" & Bob Benson's "Flatulence Post"
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Ongoing – Basement Gallery, Main Building
NEW! "Baltimore Beasties" by visionary animal aura painter Brian Dowdall, with "The Flatulence Post" - a non odorous triumph of 'pull my finger' technology by "Shiny Happy Things" mirror artist extraordinaire, Bob Benson. Located together in AVAM's Basement Gallery, Zanvyl Krieger Main Building - ideal for family joy!
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- "A Very Visionary Star-Spangled Sidewalk"
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Installation begins April 2013, Opens July 2013, on-display thru September 2014! – Over 500ft of sidewalk around AVAM & Key Highway!
A free, outdoor art celebration, in conjunction with Maryland's "Star Spangled 200" National Bicentennial, to be created upon the public pavement running alongside AVAM's historic Federal Hill location. "A Very Visionary Star-Spangled Sidewalk" will depict our nation's beloved National Anthem in an engaging, family-fun and informative format that playfully welcomes both visitor feet and wheelchairs into an up-close and personal viewing experience!
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