Norton, VA – Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on the Road: An Artmobile for the 21st Century is coming to downtown Norton on April 11th and 12th with a new exhibition, “Revealing and Obscuring Identity: Portraits from the Permanent Collection.” The climate-controlled 53-foot trailer will set up in the parking lot next to Doughmakers Pizza (725 Park Ave NW, Norton, VA) where it will be free and open to the public from 4–6 p.m. each day.

This exciting exhibition of paintings, photographs, and prints explores portraiture through a variety of periods, cultures, and styles. Throughout history, traditional portraits have typically been reserved for the elite of society, signifying the sitter’s wealth, power, attractiveness, and intelligence. Over time, the genre has become more expressive. Many of the works in this exhibition explore the nature of art, the perception of beauty, and the cultural influences on identity. Visitors will experience the shift that occurred in portraiture over the decades. The exhibit features diverse works by more than 10 artists, including Kitagawa Utamaro (Japan), Gordon Stettinius (American), André L’Hote (French) and S. Ross Browne (American).

​In 1953, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts became one of the first museums in the world to have an Artmobile. For four decades, as many as four Artmobiles toured 59 exhibitions and served more than 2.5 million Virginians. Due to conservation concerns and the fragility of traveling works of art, VMFA replaced the program in the early 1990s with a strategy to develop stronger partnerships with schools, community centers, and museums around the state.

VMFA relaunched its state-of- the-art traveling museum and art studio called VMFA on the Road in October 2018. The climate-controlled 53-foot Volvo trailer includes Wi-Fi to connect visitors with VMFA educators and interactive components to meet their 21st-century expectations. The main attraction of VMFA on the Road, however, is the opportunity for residents of the Commonwealth to see and experience authentic works of art from VMFA’s collection up close.

​Pro-Art partners with a variety of venues, therefore individuals with mobility issues or general questions are encouraged to call (276) 376-4520 or email the Pro-Art office at pro-art@uvawise.edu. For evolving conditions related to weather cancellations, or similar unforeseen circumstances, patrons are encouraged to check proartva.org for up-to-date information.

Pro-Art is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the Slemp Foundation, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Mountain Empire Community College, and the Columbus Phipps Foundation.

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