CLOSE

Fall brings the promise of cooler weather and new art exhibitions to Phoenix.

Museums across the Valley are beginning to reopen after being temporarily closed for most of 2020 due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

With larger-than-life exhibitions to shows that include history-making athletes and performers, metro Phoenix museums are eager to welcome visitors back. Each of these new shows has original artworks on display, so you can be among the first to see those pieces in person.

But before leaving the house remember, there are new safety protocols in place. Many museums require visitors to wear masks, so don’t forget yours.

Museums are also encouraging guests to purchase tickets online.

Once you’re masked up and ready to go, here are some must-see shows to experience this fall.

Heard Museum

The “Larger Than Memory: Contemporary Art from Indigenous North America” show features more than 40 works of art by 24 Indigenous artists.

Encompassing nearly 13,000 square feet and spanning four gallery spaces, this show is the Heard’s largest exhibition of contemporary art in its 90-year history.

For the show’s curator, Erin Joyce, displaying contemporary work from Indigenous artists in museums is long overdue.

“There are a lot of museums that show historic work for Indigenous communities, both art and cultural objects, which is wonderful that that work gets shown. But the thing is, if you’re not showing work by contemporary indigenous artists, then you’re basically perpetuating an erasure of those communities and not acknowledging that they still exist or are thriving here,” said Joyce.

“It’s part of a larger conversation that a lot of museums are having, about how do you decolonize these colonial institutions. A big part of that is having that first-person voice, and letting these communities speak for themselves, and tell their stories the way they want them to be told, not through a reductive stereotypical dominant culture lens.”

The pieces include works on paper, video, sculptures, textiles, painting, photography and more. This exhibition highlights the work of Indigenous artists that address critical conversations taking place worldwide.

Artists in the show include Nanobah Becker, Elisa Harkins, Brian Jungen, Brad Kahlmamer, Marie Watt, Steven Yazzie and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. Three pieces were created just for this exhibit including the painting “Nature Doesn’t Give a #%*! About You, But It’s Sure Nice To Look At” by Yazzie and the sculpture “Suburban Skookum (self-portrait)” by Lewis deSoto.

This show is on display until Jan. 3.

Details: Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave. Phoenix. 602-252-8840, heard.org/larger-than-memory.

Musical Instrument Museum

The MIM reopened in August with new art for its return including a Roberta Flack display in the Artist Gallery. Famous for her chart-topping vocals, Flack began her musical journey as a pianist. She donated her 1922 Steinway piano to MIM.

Also on display at the MIM is “Congo Masks and Music: Masterpieces from Central Africa,” which showcases more than 150 masks, instruments and costumes.

The show has been extended to September 2021.

The MIM theater remains closed, and large events, programs and guided tours remain suspended as well.

Details: Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

Chandler Museum

The new exhibition in Chandler highlights a local boxer who made waves when he fought Muhammad Ali in 1967.

“Bigger Than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title” exhibition features photos and memorabilia that tell the stories of Folley and Ali. It looks at the history of boxing and race while exploring the lives and careers of Folley and Ali.

In addition, there is original work by Jerome Fleming.

Folley had been a contender in the heavyweight division for years before he fought the champion, Ali, in a bout that was truly bigger than boxing. It was a turning point in both of their careers, taking place as the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War shook the nation.

Foley did not defeat Ali, but he came home to Chandler a hero. In 1972, Folley was appointed to the Chandler City Council and has been remembered as a legend. A Chandler park and aquatic center have been named after Folley.

The show opened in August and will be on display until August 2021.

Details: Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, 480-782-2717, chandleraz.gov/museum

Phoenix Art Museum

The downtown Phoenix museum reopens to members on Oct. 1 and the general public on Oct. 14. A new exhibition will be on display once the doors open.

“Stories of Abstraction: Contemporary Latin American Art in the Global Context” features 112 contemporary Latin American paintings, installations, sculptures and works on paper, from Nicholas Pardon, co-founder of the former SPACE Collection, one of the largest collections of post-1990s abstract Latin American art in the United States.

The show highlights a wide range of artwork from Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Honduras and Guatemala by 25 innovative artists working in Latin America in recent years and today. Featured work includes artists Alexander Calder, Pedro Friedeberg, Carlos Mérida, Hélio Oiticica and Jesús Rafael Soto.

Also featured in the exhibition are new works by Phoenix-based artists Liz Cohen, Matt Magee, Rotraut Klein-Moquay, and Geny Dignac.

The show will be on display at the museum from Oct. 1–Jan. 31.

Details: Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., 602-257-1880, phxart.org.

Lisa Sette Gallery

This exhibition, “Blue,” explores the significance of the color blue, which is a relatively late addition to the artists’ palette. The exhibition explores the cultural, spiritual and political aspects of the hue blue in its various shades.

The exhibition includes works by Merryn Omotayo Alaka & Sam Fresquez, Valerie Hammond, Chris Jagmin, Alan Bur Johnson, Yves Klein, Michael Koerner, Mayme Kratz, Annie Lopez, Matt Magee, Michael Lundgren, Carrie Marill, Ann Morton and Hunt Rettig.

The exhibition will be on display through Jan. 2.

Lisa Sette Gallery is currently open by appointment only.

Details: Lisa Sette Gallery, 210 E. Catalina Drive, Phoenix. 480-990-7342, lisasettegallery.com.

Elizabeth Montgomery is Arts and Culture Reporter for The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com. Reach her at [email protected] or 602-444-8764. Follow her on Twitter @emontnews.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/arts/2020/09/16/downtown-phoenix-heard-museum-mim-phoenix-art-museum/3460012001/