For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic closed their doors, the Georgetown University Art Galleries opened to the public Oct. 7 with new modern art exhibitions available for all students.
The Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery and the Lucille M. & Richard F.X. Spagnuolo Art Gallery, located on Prospect Street NW in the Walsh Building, have been closed since March 12, 2020. As part of their reopening, the galleries are featuring new art exhibits from modern artists and hosting programming for students, such as the Oct. 14 “Cookies with the Curator” event, which introduced the new exhibits at the galleries.
Nationally renowned art is now fully accessible to students willing to venture only a few blocks off campus, according to GU Art Galleries Founding Director and Chief Curator Al Miner.
“Since all Georgetown students have been vaccinated, everyone with a GoCard is free to come without preregistration,” Miner said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “Students don’t have to go to the Smithsonian to see Smithsonian-quality art.”
Non-Georgetown visitors without a GoCard are required to preregister before visiting the exhibits, as well as show proof of vaccination, according to the GU Art Galleries website.
Attending the galleries in person will make viewing artwork much more impactful for students, according to student artist Amelia Myre (SFS ’25).
“The physical artwork is so moving in itself, and for students to be able to see that in person — not through a screen — is going to be crucial for them to see how academics and art come together in so many ways,” Myre said during an interview with The Hoya.
The de la Cruz Gallery’s exhibits are hosting works from artist Teresita Fernández, a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant recipient and Guggenheim Fellow. Fernández’s exhibition, titled “Dark Earth,” will be open to the public until Dec. 12 and will explore historical and cultural perspectives through landscapes with natural phenomena.
Being able to feature Fernández’s works is an exciting aspect of the galleries’ reopening, according to GU Art Galleries intern Emma McMorran (GRD ’22).
“Fernández is a notable figure in contemporary art, and we are excited to share her work with the public after our closure,” McMorran wrote in an email to The Hoya.
In order to show students the significance of this art, the gallery will host a talk and panel discussion with Fernández starting Nov. 11, according to the GU Art Galleries website.
The Spagnuolo Gallery is displaying a new exhibition by Joseph Grigely, a deaf visual artist and Guggenheim Fellow. Grigely’s exhibit, titled “Songs, With and Without Words,” explores the role of language in daily life and will be on display until Dec. 12.
Grigely’s works portray photos of famous vocalists as they perform, using the noise of the scene to contrast his own silent experiences.
Before reopening in-person exhibits, GU Art Galleries held virtual events, including public discussions featuring artists and curators. Now that the galleries have reopened to the public, the art galleries plan to host more in-person events.
The new exhibits can provide a source of positivity for students during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to McMorran.
“We want to provide safe opportunities for students to engage with the arts,” McMorran wrote. “We hope that students from across campus, not just arts-related fields, will take advantage of these programs.”
Now that both galleries have reopened, Miner hopes more students will enjoy and engage with the artwork on display.
“I want students to realize that this is not an exclusionary space. It is your campus, your house, built for you,” Miner said. “The galleries can just be a more beautiful walk between classes or on the way to Car Barn.”
