The American Folk Art Museum will welcome the New Year with warmth and comfort as it spotlights a time-honored art form―American quilting.  The American quilt is but one element of the museum’s extraordinary collection devoted to folk art dating from the 18th century to the present. To celebrate the museum’s commitment to the appreciation of traditional folk art and the creative expressions of contemporary self-taught artists, NYC & Company, the City’s official marketing and tourism organization, has named the American Folk Art Museum the Culture Spot for January. As part of the Culture Spot designation, the museum will offer a two-for-one savings on admission throughout the month and 10% off purchases in the museum’s book and gift shop.

Conveniently located in Manhattan at 45 West 53rd Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues), with a satellite location at 2 Lincoln Square (Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets), the American Folk Art Museum is home to one of the world’s preeminent collections of folk art. The collection includes paintings, sculpture, textile, ceramics and furniture, and the artwork of contemporary self-taught artists from the United States and abroad. From soaring weather vanes, handsome New England portraits and dazzling quilts to distinctive paintings and sculpture, expect the unexpected at the American Folk Art Museum.

In January, Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum will offer a series of shows, educational programming and special events to emphasize the creative contributions of three centuries of talented women, and will be presented in conjunction with a new publication that illustrates 200 of the museum’s most significant bedcovers. More quilts are on view at the Lincoln Square branch in the exhibition Super Stars: Quilts from the American Folk Art Museum, which highlights designs that feature variations of the star pattern.

Reflective of its diverse and wide-ranging collections, also on tap for January is a unique multimedia show of the works of Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, one of most complex and multifaceted self-taught American artists.

Over a 50-year period, between the late 1930s until his death in 1983, Eugene Von Bruenchenhein produced expansive bodies of work in photography, ceramics, paintings and drawings, using everything from corrugated cardboard to chicken bones. The current exhibit, Eugene Von Bruenchenhein: “Freelance Artist—Poet and Sculptor—Inovator—Arrow maker and Plant man—Bone artifacts constructor—Photographer and Architect—Philosopher” is the first New York museum exhibition of Von Bruenchenhein’s artwork in all mediums.

Additionally, the exhibit Perspectives: Forming the Figure examines many of the facets of the figure in works from the museum’s permanent collection, from 19th-century miniatures to a larger-than-life, 20th-century circus banner. The artworks on view serve as a sampling of the vast diversity of the figure in folk art.

Maria Ann Conelli, executive director of the American Folk Art Museum, said, “The American Folk Art Museum is dedicated to the collection, exhibition, study and preservation of folk art. Its unparalleled collection and innovative exhibitions have played a significant role in broadening the discourse within the larger picture of American art. A major part of the museum’s mission is to use its collection as a teaching tool to involve people in exploring how art has enriched, and continues to enrich, our national life and culture.”  

“The embodiment of the American creative spirit is on display at the American Folk Art Museum,” said Barbara Lorber of the NYC & Company Foundation. “Its timeless collections provide fascinating snapshots of significant moments in our society’s history. For its innovative and exceptional dedication to keeping folk art alive and relevant, NYC & Company is proud to name the museum our Culture Spot for January.  We invite everyone to take advantage of this special two-for-one savings on admission and the 10% discount in the museum’s book and gift shop.”

The two-for-one savings on admission at the American Folk Art Museum is valid January 1–31, 2011. This savings may not be combined with any other offer, discount or promotion. The discount coupon will be available during the entire month at the Official NYC Information Centers in Midtown and Times Square, and at the Official NYC Information Kiosks in Chinatown, City Hall and in Harlem. Coupons and additional details about the special offer will also be available at nycgo.com/culturespot starting January 1, 2011.

EXHIBITIONS AND MUSIC AT THE AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM IN JANUARY:

Live Music at the Lincoln Square Branch―Guitar Afternoon

Every Wednesday (January 5, 12, 19, 26); 2pm; Lincoln Square Branch (2 Lincoln Square, across from Lincoln Center; Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets); free

Enjoy free live music performed by jazz guitarist Bill Wurtzel and guest musicians at the museum’s Lincoln Square Branch. 

Free Music Fridays (lineup to be announced)

Every Friday (January 7, 14, 21, 28); 5:30pm

Explore the galleries free of charge, have refreshments in the café and enjoy live music in the stunning atrium.

Perspectives: Forming the Figure 

Through August 2011

This exhibition, the second installment of the Perspectives series, examines some of the many facets of figurative representation in works from the permanent collection.

Eugene Von Bruenchenhein: “Freelance Artist—Poet and Sculptor—Inovator—Arrow maker and Plant man—Bone artifacts constructor—Photographer and Architect—Philosopher”

Through October 9, 2011
Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (1910–1983) was one of the most complex and multifaceted American self-taught artists. This exhibit focuses on the formal leitmotifs of leaves and floral patterns as organizing principles in Von Bruenchenhein’s multidisciplinary oeuvre, highlighting the evolution of these forms. Made in the early- to mid-1960s, these works range from studies of arabesque curves to architectural designs. 

Quilts: Masterpieces from the American Folk Art Museum

Through October 16, 2011

Highlighting textile masterpieces in the collection, Quilts: Masterpieces from the American Folk Art Museum includes bedcovers that have rarely been on view, as well as important cornerstones of the museum’s comprehensive quilt holdings.

About The American Folk Art Museum: The American Folk Art Museum is the premier institution devoted to the aesthetic appreciation of traditional folk art and creative expressions of contemporary self-taught artists from the United States and abroad. The museum preserves, conserves and interprets a comprehensive collection of the highest quality, with objects dating from the 18th century to the present.

Museum Hours: Tues.–Thurs., 10:30am–5:30pm; Fri., 10:30 am–7:30pm; Sat and Sun., 10:30am–5:30pm. Admission: $12; seniors and students, $8; members and children (12 and under), free. Location: 45 W. 53rd St. (bet. Fifth and Sixth Aves). Directions: By subway: B, D, F, M to 47–50 Sts./Rockefeller Center; E, M to 5th Ave./53rd St. By bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6 or M7. Lincoln Square Branch Hours: Tues.–Fri., noon–7:30pm; Sat., noon– 7:30pm; Sun., noon–6 pm. Admission: Branch admission is free. Location: 2 Lincoln Square (Columbus Avenue bet. 65th and 66th Sts.); Directions: By subway: 1 to 66th St./Lincoln Center. By bus: M5, M7, M11, M20, M66 or M104. Please visit tripplanner.mta.info for a custom itinerary with the most updated travel information. For more information call 212-265-2350 or 212-265-1040; or visit folkartmuseum.org.

Produced by the NYC & Company Foundation, the Culture Spot program promotes cultural tourism in all five boroughs. By spotlighting a different arts organization each month, the program encourages visitors to discover the cultural opportunities available throughout New York City. For more information, visit nycgo.com/culturespot.

About NYC & Company: NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide.

The NYC & Company Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization whose mission is to support tourism to New York City by promoting the arts and cultural organizations that make visiting New York City a special and exciting experience. Since its inception in 1999, the foundation has focused on educating domestic and international audiences about the vibrant and diverse cultural community throughout New York City.