Update: Cape Ann Museum’s Contemporary Exhibition “In Gratitude,” honoring frontline workers, adds pop-up rally and procession
Cape Ann Museum
Cape Ann Museum plans illuminated message on new campus to pay tribute to city, front line workers during pandemic
Rendering Courtesy of Harbor Voices Public Art
GLOUCESTER, MASS. (May 7, 2020) – In an effort to boost the city’s spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cape Ann Museum is presenting a CAM Contemporary exhibition involving the projection of an illuminated multilingual message on the nights of May 6 to 8, 2020, saying “Thank You Frontline Heroes.” The installation is called “In Gratitude.”
“We know many of our neighbors, friends, and families are struggling at this time of social distancing, isolation, and anxiety around health and financial concerns from the coronavirus,” said Museum Director Oliver Barker. “We want to send a message of solidarity, gratitude and hope to our community.”
This “Thank You Frontline Heroes” illumination planned for the side of the White-Ellery Barn at the Cape Ann Museum Green, 245 Washington Street in Gloucester, was created by Stephanie Terelak Benenson, a North Shore artist and founder of the nonprofit, Harbor Voices Public Art. The projection will take place from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. on Wed. May 6 to Friday, May 8. The message itself will be in several languages – Portugese, Spanish, Italian, and English – and is dedicated to the COVID-19 crisis’s frontline responders such as nurses, doctors, hospital staff and administrators, delivery, teachers, grocery personnel, and the many non-profits supporting our community at this time.
This projection is sponsored by LuminArtz Communications Ink., as part of the “Light Up the Night” series that is bringing rays of light into the community during the pandemic. The group will preview the installation on Luminartz’s Facebook Live event on Wed. May 6 at 9 p.m. Visit harborvoices.com or action@harborvoices.com for more details.
Unlike the Museum’s other events and with a view to current social distancing requirements at present this pop-up projection of thanks is not meant to be attended in person. It is strategically placed and timed for workers to notice when driving home.
Visit capeannmuseum.org for more details.
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The Cape Ann Museum has been in existence since the 1870s, working to preserve and celebrate the history and culture of the area and to keep it relevant to today’s audiences. Spanning 44,000 square feet, the Museum is one of the major cultural institutions on Boston’s North Shore welcoming more than 25,000 local, national and international visitors each year to its exhibitions and programs. In addition to fine art, the Museum’s collections include decorative art, textiles, artifacts from the maritime and granite industries, three historic homes, a Library & Archives and a sculpture park in the heart of downtown Gloucester. In June 2021, the Museum will open a new 12,000-square-foot collection storage and public exhibition space in Gloucester as part of its Cape Ann Museum Green campus. The campus will also include three historic buildings – the White Ellery House (1710), an adjacent Barn (c. 1740), and the recently acquired Babson-Alling House (c.1740) which are located on the site at the intersection of Washington and Poplar Streets in Gloucester. Visit capeannmuseum.org for details.
The Cape Ann Museum is located at 27 Pleasant Street in Gloucester. While temporarily closed due the COVID-19 pandemic, Regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $12.00 adults, $10.00 Cape Ann residents, seniors and students. Youth (under 18) and Museum members are free. Cape Ann residents can visit for free on the second Saturday of each month. For more information please call: (978)283-0455 x10. Additional information can be found online at www.capeannmuseum.org.
For a detailed media fact sheet please visit www.capeannmuseum.org/press.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Diana Brown McCloy
Teak Media
(978) 978-697-9414
Diana@teakmedia.com
Meredith Anderson
meredithanderson@capeannmuseum.org
(978) 283-0455 x15
New Spaces/Old Places – Architecture at the Cape Ann Museum
New Spaces/Old Places – Merging Contemporary Architecture with Historic Neighborhoods
Thursday, July 7
6:00 p.m. Reception; 7:00p.m. Panel Discussion
Join two of the regions top architects for a conversation on issues in contemporary architecture: Deborah Epstein (Epstein Joslin Architects, Inc.), one of the lead architects for the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, and Maryann Thompson (Maryann Thompson Architects), architect for the modern rebuild of Temple Ahavat Achim in Gloucester following the loss of the original building to fire in 2008. Epstein and Thompson will speak about the process each firm went through and the challenges they faced in the design and construction of new public buildings in an old New England community.
A cocktail reception will precede the architects’ panel discussion in the Design/Build: The Drawings of Phillips & Holloran, Architects exhibition gallery on the Museum’s third floor.
Member cost is $10 per lecture / $25 for the series; Non-member cost is $15 per lecture / $40 for the series. Reservations are required. To purchase tickets or for more information please call (978)283-0455 x10 or email info@capeannmuseum.org.
Tickets can also be ordered online at Eventbrite.
Not a member of the Museum? Join now and get discounted tickets to all our events!
Top left: Shaulin Liu Performance Center, Robert Benson. Top right: Temple Ahavat Achim, Chuck Choi.
Upcoming Design/Build Lecture:
Thursday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Architect Eleanor Raymond: A Pioneer in the Field
Presented by Lyda Kuth
Themed Mini Tours at the Cape Ann Museum
On Saturday, April 16, join the Cape Ann Museum docents for a series of creative and fast-paced twenty minute tours on a variety of themes of their choosing. Whether you have time for just one tour or get in on all of them, you’ll be exposed to information, art and characters not always available on the traditional “highlights” tour.
- 10:00 a.m. Wood You? Explore some of the wooden objects in the Museum’s collection—from everyday kitchen implements to magnificent pieces of furniture, a cigar store Indian and several sculptures by James McClellan (1910–2005).
- 10:30 a.m. Patriots’ Day Tribute From the American Revolution to the Civil War – We’ll meet some of our local heroes and view historic artifacts as we explore how each contributed to the patriotic heritage of Cape Ann.
- 11:00 a.m. How Dear to Our Hearts Are the Scenes of Our Childhood A quick romp through the Museum to look at several works relating to children and childhood on Cape Ann—the children who worked and those who played and those who sat still for portraits.
- 11:30 a.m. Seeing the Light—Navigation & Lighthouses During the age of sail, navigation was iffy at best. Learn why landfalls could be the most dangerous part of a voyage, and why the Fresnel lighthouse lens was a true breakthrough.
- 12:00 p.m. Harvesting the Sea: Gloucestermen in the Heyday of Fishing Under Sail More than 1,000 schooners called Gloucester their home port, sailing to fishing grounds as far as 1,000 miles away in search of finny gold.
- 12:30 p.m. Fifteen Shades of Blue Experience the impact of blue—the color of sea and sky, symbolic of trust, loyalty and wisdom. This tour explores works of art in the Museum that make use of this favorite color.
This program is free for CAM members / $10 for non-members (includes Museum admission). Space is limited; first come, first served.
Cape Ann Museum’s Seafaring Women
Captain Laurel Seaborn, a maritime archaeologist and sailing ship captain, will offer an in-depth look at the brave women who went to sea in the nineteenth century during her illustrated lecture on March 26 at 2:00p.m. at the Cape Ann Museum.
During the 19th century, when women chose to go to sea in sailing ships, they contributed as nurses, nannies and navigators, and in extreme cases took command of the ship. Besides the beds, chairs, and parlor organs that might be found during an archaeological excavation of a shipwreck, their personal possessions such as jewelry, sewing kits and children’s toys would also convey evidence of how the culture on ships changed with a woman’s presence. The investigation of these artifacts, as clues into the lives of these seafaring women, is part of Captain Seaborn’s ongoing PhD research at the University of New Hampshire.
Photo credit: Deck of J.L. Ralston, Canadian salt transport at Pew’s Wharf, 1920. Collection of the Cape Ann Museum.
Seaborn has crewed and captained both modern and historic sailing ships, and has worked on archaeological projects doing underwater excavations on such renowned ships as Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge and Captain Kidd’s Cara Merchant.
This program is free for CAM members / $10 for non-members (includes admission). Space is limited; reservations are required.
For more information or to make reservations please call (978) 283-0455 x10 or email info@capeannmuseum.org.
Reservations can also be made online at Eventbrite.
Cape Ann Museum Photo Contest
Inspired by Home Online Photo Contest
In conjunction with this summer’s exhibition, Design/Build: The Drawings of Phillips & Holloran, Architects, the Museum is hosting an online photography contest. Photographers are invited to submit images based on the theme of “home” that capture the unique character of Cape Ann (photos must be taken in Rockport, Gloucester, Essex or Manchester-by-the-Sea). Whether a physical place, a distant memory or a local reminder, there is inspiration to be found throughout Cape Ann’s distinct architecture, neighborhoods and cultural districts.
Deadline for submission: April 29, 2016
Each entrant must complete and sign one entry form (download here).
For more information visit: Cape Ann Museum Photo Contest
Cape Ann Museum Host’s Career Info Session
On Saturday, March 5th, the CAM will host a unique opportunity for area college and high school students interested in working in the cultural sector to join in conversation with a panel of young professionals employed locally in arts- and culture-related occupations.
Participants will meet young men and women working for the Cape Ann Museum, the Hive, Maritime Gloucester and Trident Gallery. Curators, educators and administrators will recount the journeys that led them to their current positions, take questions from the audience, then split off into small groups for discussion and specialized consultations. For high school students curious about educational directions and college students wondering about what kinds of jobs are out there, this informational program is a great place to begin. Admission is free for students—all you need to bring is a collaborative spirit and career-minded questions.
For more information please call (978) 283-0455 x10 or email info@capeannmuseum.org.
Quilt Conservation Show and Tell Feb. 27
On Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2:00PM, Textile conservator Kathryn Tarleton will give an illustrated talk and presentation on how to care for and conserve quilts. Tarleton will have quilts on display and provide practical tips for do-it-yourselfers looking to better care for their family heirlooms and creative projects. Following the lecture, Tarleton will offer personal consultations on quilt conservation. Consultations are limited to five people; pre-registration is required.
This program is free for Museum members/ $10 non-members. Registration required for personal consultations only. For more information or to register, please email info@capeannmuseum.org or call (978)283-0455 x10.
This program is offered in conjunction with the Gloucester: A Community of Neighborhoods exhibition currently displaying thirteen quilts designed and created by participants in the Art Program at Gloucester’s Rose Baker Senior Center under the leadership of artist Juni Van Dyke.
The Great Salt Marsh
Author and Ipswich resident, Doug Stewart will present an illustrated lecture on Essex County’s spectacular Great Salt Marsh on Saturday, Feb 6th.
The Marsh is a biological engine whose nutrients sustain fish stocks and bird life. It also protects shore towns from flooding and storm surges, but despite its necessity, the Marsh is poorly understood and under-appreciated. Stewart will explore the Great Marsh’s past as valuable real estate for farming salt hay, its unique success over much of the past century in dodging the nation’s swamp-filling mania, and its uncertain future as sea-level rise accelerates.
The photography of Ipswich native, conservation volunteer and master photographer, Dorothy Kerper Monnelly will be on display in the auditorium. Monnelly and Stewart collaborated on Between Land and Sea – The Great Marsh.
Free for CAM members or with admission. Space is limited; reservations required. To make a reservation please call (978) 283-0455 x10 or email info@capeannmuseum.org or go to Eventbrite to sign up online.
Time for Reflection at the Cape Ann Museum
The third Tuesday of every month marks a special public program at the Cape Ann Museum in which seniors are invited to spend time in one gallery for extended reflection and small group conversation. This coming Tuesday, the 19th, a CAM guide will lead a discussion in the maritime galleries, stimulating personal curiosities and stories, while having fun, growing and learning together. The program will begin at 10:30am and last about one hour. It is free and open to the public.
Photo credit: Nicole Fandel
Cape Ann Community 