past exhibition

Richard Haynes: Whispering Quilts

August 20, 2020 through January 3, 2021

A family of color is walking from right to left.

Richard Haynes, Bow Tie, 2003, Caran d’Ache on paper, courtesy of the artist.

In a series of drawings, the artist Richard Haynes tells the story of an enslaved family’s dangerous journey along the Underground Railroad, from a southern plantation to freedom in Canada. The narrative of hope, struggle, and triumph is based on historic accounts. Traditional quilting patterns evoke the themes in dynamic compositions. The faceless figures represent the thousands of slaves who made the journey as well as the hidden lives of countless others who died in servitude. The brilliant colors suggest that joy can be found even in horrific situations.

Richard Haynes is an artist, author, and educator based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He has been an artist-in-residence at the Currier Art Center, and his work is featured in the Currier Museum’s collection.

upcoming exhibitions

past exhibitions

Archived material on past exhibitions can be explored further here, and recent past exhibition catalogues are available through the museum shop.

artist in residence

Our Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program invites artists to live and work at the museum. While in residence, artists consider the collection and community, and refresh our perspectives on the role of the museum. The program is central to the Currier Museum’s mission of connecting our audiences with art and creative thinking, whether of the past or the future. We hope to learn from our visiting artists – and be surprised by their perspectives.

Artists working in all media participate in the AIR program, which has three main components: 1) an open call to support emerging artists making socially engaged art; 2) an invitational through which artists are selected to develop special projects, commissions, or exhibitions; and 3) artist-led, community-centered public art projects in the city of Nashua, NH.

 

Open Call for Artist in Residence Applications

Our annual open call is currently live from October 1 – December 1, 2022. Artists who share the museum’s goal of positively impacting communities through the transformative power of art are encouraged to apply to this residency.

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