When Hurricane Michael roared through the Albany area on Oct 10, plunging the region into darkness and cutting off communications, home was a refuge for most people in the area.
 
The importance of home and its meaning to those who dwell in it is explored in a new exhibit that opens Tuesday, Oct 23, 2018 in the Haley Gallery at the Albany Museum of Art—Home Tour: Artists Investigating Interiors, Domesticity and Identity.
 
On Thursday, Oct 25, 2018 from 5-7 pm, the AMA’s Autumn Reception will be conducted for Home Tour; Brian Dettmer: Selective Collective Memories, which opens Oct 25 in the East Gallery, and the Georgia Artists Guild of Albany 25th annual Juried Competition, which continues through Nov 24, 2018 in the West Gallery.
 
AMA Executive Director Paula Williams said she felt it was important to conduct the reception as scheduled to give those affected by the storm a much needed break. The Autumn Reception is free and open to the public.
 
“So many people were affected by the hurricane and their lives were turned upside down, including our staff at the museum,” AMA Executive Director Paula Williams said. “We all felt the isolation from the loss of power and necessities, from being cut off from the world when cellphone communications failed. Now, people are coping with the aftermath of that disaster.
 
“While we had to postpone the Contemporaries’ event that was scheduled for later Thursday evening, we wanted to have the reception, especially for those who are working so hard to recover from this devastating storm. We have some wonderful new art to see, and I hope it will be a respite from all the repercussions from the hurricane. I think we can all benefit from a pleasant diversion right now.”
 
The museum sustained minor damage from Hurricane Michael, and some works that were sensitive to humidity issues caused by lack of power at the AMA had to be temporarily moved to other secure locations. The climate control issues have been corrected and the pieces have been returned to the AMA.
 
Home Tour features work by a dozen artists, all of whom explore the layers of meaning of home.
 
“The artists in Home Tour investigate the domestic environment through a lens both sugary sweet and sharply sour,” AMA Guest Curator Didi Dunphy said. “Exposing the nature of place, these works are not without extreme beauty and whimsy, but also offer a sensation of longing and nostalgia and the desire for the feeling of belonging.”
 
The show features artists schooled or working in the state of Georgia, many of whom incorporate materials associated with home improvement, domestic labors referencing women’s work and the desire of perfecting interior settings.
 
Artists whose work is included in the exhibition are Paige Adair, Meg Aubrey, Justin Barker, April Childers, InKyoung Choi Chun, Melissa Harshman, Carol John, Jessica Machacek, Sam Stabler, Kaleena Stasiak and Jessica Wohl.
 
The rescheduling of the Contemporaries’ event, What the Funk!, will be announced soon.