The annual community art party Stay Gold was borne of the incredible success of the Burchfield Penney's 50th anniversary exhibition in 2016. This event provided unprecedented opportunities for local artists to take over the museum and turn the building into their experimental canvas. Stay Gold allowed artists to create installations everywhere from the coatrooms to the elevators to the galleries, for one night only. Musicians, performance artists, and dancers were also invited to perform throughout the building. From 2016 - 2020, this event annually brought between 1500-3000 people into the Burchfield Penney for this exuberant artistic celebration.
Though the Covid-19 global pandemic has meant that the Burchfield Penney is unable to host an event of such magnitude, we have sought other ways to celebrate our local arts and musical communities in a decentralized manner. To this end, the Burchfield Penney Art Center has invited back some past-participating Stay Gold artists to create long-term installations for 2022, which further blurs the line between an "event" and an "exhibition". A host of musicians have been invited to record musical performances which will be released online, to be enjoyed in perpetuity on the Burchfield Penney's website.
Visual Artists
Muhammad Zaman, Hope Setting in a Bank of Smoke, 2022; acrylic paint on wall.
The color palette for Zaman's mural is inspired by the colors of Charles E. Burchfield's 1917 painting, Sun Setting in a Bank of Smoke. Zaman painted this mural on the south-wall of the main atrium at the Burchfield Penney, which leads to the Auditorium.
Eclectric Oil and Light, Burchfield Palette, 2022; LED lights, reflectors, corrugated plastic, metal, & the Burchfield color palette.
Eclectric Oil and Light (EOL) imagined the colors of Charles Burchfield’s paintings coming out of the gallery through the north window and on to an outdoor viewing site. This installation is a response to the Burchfield show behind the walls in a signature EOL light installation. EOL also looks forward to the day when the public will be back in the gallery to experience the vibrant colors painted by Burchfield’s hand.
Stitch Buffalo, Social Justice Stitched Stories, 2021; 41 works made of felt, embroidery, appliqué, fabric ink.
Stitch Buffalo's "Social Justice Stitched Stories" program is an art initiative designed to engage local students and community members with the organization's refugee women artists, staff, and volunteers in a collaborative textile arts project about social justice. In a workshop facilitated by diversity and inclusion professionals, participants review JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) common and shared language, and construct a definition of what social justice means to them. The Burchfield Penney Art Center is the premiere venue for this collaborative exhibition.
Musical Performances
Whitetails
Bean Friend
MYQ Farrow
The Girls of Grosh
Karrot Kake