Reviewed by: Sharron Swain
Wall to Wall mural by local artist Amy Pleasant on display at Birmingham Museum of Art
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Contemporary artist Amy Pleasant is a Birmingham local and creates marvelous works of art through painting, drawing, and ceramic sculpture. Come view her site-specific installation on the walls of the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) from August 4, 2023-July 27, 2024.
Meet Amy Pleasant
I had the pleasure to chat with artist Amy Pleasant as she was finishing up her indoor mural for the exhibition series Wall to Wall at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Amy passionately shared that her love for art started at a very young age when she was five years old.
Her teacher noticed unique talent in her drawings, and from that moment on, Amy took art lessons all throughout her childhood into her teenage years and participated in an early college program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Explore Amy Pleasant’s style
Amy crafts pieces of art that explore the body and language through repetition and push the boundaries between figuration and abstraction. The local internationally-acclaimed artist has received prestigious awards including: the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Award.
What is the Wall to Wall series?
“Wall to Wall is an ongoing project that invites artists to activate the Museum’s lobby and cafe with artwork inspired by the city. Recognizing the lobby and cafe as vital places of exchange and communal gathering, the BMA seeks to make these spaces more accessible by providing immersive, site-specific experiences created uniquely for the Museum.”
Birmingham Museum of Art
Amy shared with me that she has made wall drawings before, but that this is the most complex piece she has completed. The wall is also the first mural she has created based on images inspired by objects from the museum’s collection. When I asked Amy what her favorite part of the wall is, she brought up texture.
“I really enjoyed painting the legs to look like carved pieces of stone or rock, creating that detail gives textural elements to the entire wall drawing.”
Amy Pleasant
Amy wants viewers to be able to come to the wall and see themselves in some way.
“My hope is this wall represents the universal body and can speak to our collective past. I think it’s really special to have this in a museum because museums to me are the custodians of our shared histories.”
Amy Pleasant
On Friday, August 4 guests who attended Art On The Rocks got the chance to paint alongside Amy and help her complete the installation.
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View Amy Pleasant’s amazing vinyl designs
Throughout the Wall to Wall exhibit, you will discover walls covered in vinyl designs created by Amy. She explained that the vinyl pieces were challenging because it was the first time she found herself translating her sculptures digitally.
Experience the mural for yourself
Head on over to the Birmingham Museum of Art to experience the wonderful mural in person. There are multiple walls featuring her artwork you won’t want to miss.
- Location: 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-5PM | Sunday Noon-5PM
- Cost: General Admission is FREE
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