Story by Madeleine Boyson 

In the spirit of the changing spring weather, the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art is highlighting transformation in its galleries by featuring a reinstallation of the African permanent gallery with new gifts, the 2021 MFA Thesis Exhibition and new public visitation hours beginning May 14.

In addition, MFA graduates will present their work and participate in a virtual panel discussion on May 13.

Nine donors recently presented 162 objects to GAMA that exemplify the geographical regions of the African continent and consist of beading, ceramics, metals, textiles and wood works. Many of these gifts will be displayed in the newly reinstalled African art permanent gallery, including a stunning 20th-century iron Fon Asen by an unidentified artist from the Republic of Benin and a 20th-century Nigerian ceramic censer dedicated to the orisha (deity) Eshu by an unidentified Yoruba artist. 

“I’m thrilled with the ongoing support from generous donors that allows us to continue building toward a diverse and encyclopedic collection of objects created by artists from across the African continent,” says Associate Professor of Art History David Riep.

Riep thanked Bill Simmons, Robert F. Bina and Delores de Wilde Bina, Michael and Patricia Coronel, Herbert and Shelley Cole, Linda Bell, and an anonymous donor for empowering the institution “to continue our work as a teaching museum and allow for intimate artistic encounters for both students and the public.” 

Thesis exhibition

The Gregory Allicar is also presenting the 2021 MFA Thesis Exhibition opening May 14, held in collaboration with the Colorado State University Department of Art and Art History. This annual Masters of Fine Arts show signifies the culmination of a three-year program in the visual arts that develops students’ individual research and creative studio practices in their chosen contemporary fields. The exhibition runs May 14 to June 13, and spotlights the work of 2021 graduates Andrea Bagdon (painting), Spencer Gillespie (painting), Hanna Guilfoyle (printmaking), Zach Leonard (drawing), Patrick Price (sculpture) and Amy Young (fibers).  

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 13, the museum invites viewers to an online program titled “MFA Speaks,” during which graduates will give brief presentations before participating in a panel discussion led by GAMA Director Lynn Boland. The panel will be followed by questions from the audience. 

New hours

GAMA will operate during new hours beginning May 14. It will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and will stay open until 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays. “Solo Sundays” will stay in effect, during which single persons, or single “pods,” may book the galleries for solitary visitation from 1 to 5 p.m. On Mondays and Tuesdays , the museum is closed to the public and reserved for CSU class visits. 

Admission and programs are always free with an online reservation, and visitors are likewise encouraged to view the exhibitions Richard De Vore and the Teaching Collection and Clara Hatton: A Vision for Art at CSU before they close on June 20. 

The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art invites individuals to engage with art and each other to inspire fresh perspectives and wonder. The museum is a catalyst for visual literacy and critical thinking that instills a passion for learning. For updated museum information, go to artmuseum.colostate.edu.