Uncanny Valley: Magic Realism in Vermont
Participating Artists:
Michael Abrams, Gail Boyajian, Laura Christensen, Vanessa Compton, Lauren Levato Coyne, Katie Cleaver, Joshua Field, Mike Glier, Dylan Hausthor, Marcy Hermansader, Zack Horn, Mark Jager, Judith Klausner, Jennifer McCandless, Madalyn Olson, Leslie Parke, Eve Pearce, Rachel Portesi, Rhonda Ratray, Tim Secord, Ross Sheehan, Stacy Sherman, Jill VanOrden, Lee Williams, Susan Wilson
Exhibition and Closed Bid Auction benefiting Bennington Museum and Regional Artists
November 29 through December 31 (bidding ends on December 18)
Parmelee and Limric Galleries
In the introduction to the catalog for the Museum of Modern Art’s 1943 exhibition, Realism and Magic Realism, their Director/Curator Alfred H. Barr, Jr. noted that “Magic Realism” is “a term sometimes applied to the work of painters who by means of an exact realistic technique try to make plausible and convincing their improbable, dream-like, or fantastic vision.” Next year, the Museum’s major summer/fall exhibition “Green Mountain Magic: Uncanny Realism in Vermont” takes that 1943 MoMA exhibit as its inspiration, featuring the work of a handful of artists featured in that exhibit who had Vermont ties (Ivan Albright, John Atherton, Vanessa Helder, and Patsy Santo), as well as other artists with Vermont ties who would go on to be considered “Magic Realists” (John Semple, Pavel Tchelitchew, George Tooker, etc.).
As is tradition, we preface each major exhibit with a showcase of regional artists presenting their individual takes on the theme.
How does a Closed-Bid Auction work?
The Auction: Bids placed on items in this auction will only be seen by Museum staff on the bid opening date. The opening bid on each piece will be decided by the artist. Each artist will receive 50% of their work’s sale price.
Closed-Bid Auction: The Closed-Bid Auction of exhibited artwork is open NOW and will close at 4pm on December 18, 2024. Each bidder must fill out a bid card, which will be dated and sealed in an envelope and placed in the secure receptacle provided at the entrance to the exhibit, or an online bid form. By signing the bid-card or placing a bid online the bidder is entering into a legally binding contract to purchase the work of art should he/she be the winner.
After the bidding closes, the person with the highest bid for each work of art will be declared the winner and be contacted for payment and to arrange a pick-up time by January 15, 2025, at the latest. In the event of a tie the bid placed first will be the winner. To avoid a tie, we urge people to bid an odd amount such as $501.50 rather than $500.00.
Thank you to our sponsor!
Corporate sponsors are recognized as community leaders and help expand the mission impact of Bennington Museum.
