Jacqueline Humphries, Untitled, 2015. Courtesy of the artist and Greene Naftali.
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Jacqueline Humphries, Untitled, 2015. Courtesy of the artist and Greene Naftali.

Carnegie Museum of Art

June 10
7 p.m.

Cocktails, culture and convo will converge on Wednesday night at Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA).

Be among the first to see bold new work by contemporary painter Jacqueline Humphries when the museum unveils its latest exhibition during the June installment of Culture Club. Free and open to the public, Culture Club invites the public to explore the museum and mingle with CMOA staff, artists and friends in an informal, salon-style happy hour setting from 7 to 9 p.m. Register here.

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Jacqueline Humphries, Untitled, 2015. Courtesy of the artist and Greene Naftali.

Culture Clubbers will view Humphries’ large abstract paintings, which explore light, perception, depth and physical surfaces (and that beg to be experienced firsthand). As museum-goers move throughout the galleries, they will also experience Humphries’ immersive works of art—from metallic silver paintings that shimmer in natural light to black-lit works hung in darkened spaces that envelope viewers in spectacular fluorescence.

Humphries’ first solo museum exhibition in a decade—and the first to include both her silver and black-light paintings—the exhibition debuts a new body of work created with CMOA’s unique Forum and Coatroom Galleries in mind. Methodically built up and then scraped, smeared and painted over again, the surfaces of Humphries’ paintings encourage close looking and actively engage the viewer in the observation process. Throughout her 30-year career, Humphries—who was born in New Orleans in 1960—has emerged as a singular and influential force in contemporary art who is renowned for her signature abstract works that incorporate metallic and ultraviolet pigments.

Looking for more museum happenings this week?

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Courtesy of Carnegie Museum of Art.

Don’t miss a special theatrical presentation of the one-man play, Vincent, running June 13 & 14 at Carnegie Lecture Hall. Written and originally performed by the late Leonard Nimoy, the compelling work explores the life of one of the 20th century’s most celebrated—yet also most misunderstood—painters.

Performed by actor James Briggs, who portrays Vincent’s brother, Theo, the play reveals dimensions to Vincent that are rarely shared. Theater-goers will be drawn in as Theo defends Vincent’s legacy at a gathering of friends and colleagues during an actual historic event that occurred after the artist’s death. Via the perspective of Theo, Vincent van Gogh endures as “a symbol of inspiration, courage, passion and the lust for life that art kindles in all of us.” Purchase tickets.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.