Matt Dillon Celebrates First-Ever Museum Showing at Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
BRATTLEBORO, VT / AGILITYPR.NEWS / June 30, 2021 / BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT WELCOMES ACTOR-TURNED-ARTIST MATT DILLON FOR FIRST-EVER MUSEUM SHOWING
Actor and Filmmaker Receives Warm Welcome from Local Art Community and Fans During Brattleboro Museum & Art Center Launch of EXPEDITION
Matt Dillon, the popular actor from such memorable movies as The Outsiders, There’s Something About Mary and Crash, which earned him both Golden Globe and Academy Award Best Supporting Actor nominations, visited Brattleboro, Vermont (pop. 12,000) recently to celebrate the first museum showing of his artwork.
Dillon is one of 17 artists featured in the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center’s (BMAC) newest exhibit entitled EXPEDITION, which officially opened on Saturday, June 19, 2021 and will be on display through October 11, 2021. (Pictured above left, Dillon alongside his original work, Bantu U, (2019), flashe on paper, mounted on canvas, 36 x 71 inches, and right joined by fellow exhibit artists. Photo credit: Little Pond Digital.)
#LoveBrattleboroVT is located in the southeast corner of the state of Vermont in Windham County. Situated along the Connecticut River at the mouth of the West River, the town serves as the artistic hub for Southern Vermont with an equally lively and eclectic downtown which has been described as an urban arts oasis.
Brattleboro enjoys a thriving community of creatives and artisans, and in addition to BMAC, is also home to the Vermont Jazz Center, the New England Center for Circus Arts, and The Latchis Theater. Brattleboro also hosts a variety of annual, long-standing events throughout the year that draw art-lovers and visitors from across the northeast and nationwide including the Putney Craft Tour, Brattleboro Literary Festival and Gallery Walk series.
During the launch event, which was attended by more than 250 art lovers and community residents, Dillon was among 17 artists recognized by BMAC Executive Director, Danny Lichtenfeld, for contributing their works to the exhibit, which was curated by painter John Newsom. Photojournalist Robert Baldridge, who has documented much of Dillon's work over the years, attended the event, in addition to fellow artist and friend, Sam Bornstein.
Though his visit to Brattleboro was brief, Dillon did have an opportunity to enjoy homemade specialties prepared by Museum volunteers and catered bites and spirits donated by Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery. Dillon also found time to visit the studio of Richard Jacobs, a fellow artist whose work is also included in the collection and who resides in nearby Putney, Vermont. Dillon also made a stop in Downtown Brattleboro’s vintage record shop, Turn It Up! where he was happy to find some rare 78s to add to his collection.
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EXHIBITION and the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
Organized by painter John Newsom, EXPEDITION features works by a diverse group of artists, many of whom have never shown in Vermont before: Donald Baechler, André Butzer, Ann Craven, Matt Dillon, Inka Essenhigh, Torben Giehler, April Gornik, Andy Hope 1930, Richard Jacobs, Michael Kagan, John McAllister, John Newsom, Erik Parker, Raymond Pettibon, Alexis Rockman, Ouattara Watts, and Wendy White.
“To discover the new is what we as painters strive for daily,” said Newsom. “This is the ‘call to adventure,’ the starting point of inspiration and wonderment. The 17 artists in EXPEDITION heed that call and invite
you to join them on their journeys.”
EXPEDITION marks the first time that artwork by Matt Dillon, well known as an actor and filmmaker, has been included in a museum exhibition. Click to view the exhibit photo album.
Founded in 1972, the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center presents rotating exhibits of contemporary art, complemented by lectures, artist talks, film screenings, and other public programs. BMAC is open Wednesday-Sunday, 10-4. Admission is on a “pay-as-you-wish” basis. Located in historic Union Station in downtown Brattleboro, at the intersection of Main Street and Routes 119 and 142, the Museum is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 802-257-0124 or visit brattleboromuseum.org.
BMAC is supported in part by the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Allen Bros. Oil, Brattleboro Savings & Loan, C&S Wholesale Grocers, the Four Columns Inn, Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, and Whetstone Station Restaurant & Brewery.
#LoveBrattleboroVT
Coming from every direction, miles of mountain roads converge with its thriving community of independent merchants offering the most unique combination of local and global retail, dining, and service experiences. Brattleboro is consistently recognized as a top destination with arts and entertainment that rivals any big city and draws thousands of visitors every season. Bordering the Connecticut River, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, Brattleboro is an easy drive from New York City, Hartford, Boston, and Burlington, making it a perfect choice for a road-trip vacation. It is also accessible from nearby airports and a Brattleboro Amtrak station.
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