General admission for children 17 years and under is always free

Third Thursdays

Empower, Create, Change

Thursday, March 21, 2019
5:30 - 9 pm
Throughout the Museum

Art is always history in the making. Discover how creatives use art to shape narratives and amplify change. Immerse yourself in a multimedia performance ONCE2, with Artist-in-Residence and Croatian graphic novelist Danijel Žeželj, or try out some hands-on art-making. 

Program for the Evening

In the Courtyard // DJ SLICK VICK // 5:30 - 8:45 pm
Believing music is a universal language that connects humanity, DJ Slick Vick mixes the classics with new upbeat sounds to amplify and inspire the theme "Empower, Create, Change."

In the Education Studio // Art-Making // 5:30-8:30 pm
Are you ready to declare a stance for something you believe in? Join us in the Studio to make a statement by creating a button that riffs on the words Empower, Create, and Change.

In Hostetter Gallery // "(Untitled): The Helga Piece" // 6, 7, and 8 pm
“(Untitled): The Helga Piece,” is a short monologue written by Hilton Als based on the performer’s interest in the depiction of the black body in Botticelli’s The Story of Lucretia, painted between 1496 and 1504 and now on view at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Throughout the history of Western painting, the black figure has often been seen as a troubled and troubling presence. Why is difference generally manifested in this way? And what does it mean to turn the black female gaze onto the white male artist who, centuries ago, presumed to know her in the first place?

In Calderwood Hall // ONCE 2 - 6:45 pm // Short Talk Back - 7:30 pm
ONCE2, a live painting and live music performance is built on an interchange of music and painting, merging sound and images into narrative stage act. A series of large acrylic paintings is painted live, with images evolving and disappearing over one another. The visual metamorphosis is combined with live music that follows it through the process. The timing and rhythm of the music and painting create the atmosphere of a shadow play unfolding in front of the audience. As each painting dissolves into the next one, the sequence of images unveils the elusive storyline. 

Live music accompaniment featuring Parker Ousley, a recent Berklee graduate known for gorgeous improvisational cello.

Watch this short video for a sneak peek of the performance!

ONCE2 - Danijel Žeželj

How to Buy Tickets

Tickets are required and include Museum admission.

Adults $15, seniors $12, students $10, free for members and children 17 and under.

  • Online, by clicking the TICKETS button above*
  • By calling the box office at 617 278 5156, Wednesday-Monday, 10 am-4 pm*
  • In person: Visit the Museum and purchase at the door, Wednesday-Monday, 11 am-4:30 pm

*Handling charges apply to these orders

The Visiting Curator for Performing Arts position is generously funded by the Abrams Foundation, the Barr Foundation ArtsAmplified Initiative, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Studio activities are made possible by the Polly Thayer Starr Charitable Trust. The Museum is also supported by grants from the Barr Foundation and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the State of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Polly Thayer Starr (1904-2006) was an accomplished artist who captured the culture and whimsy of her native Boston with a unique combination of detail, emotion, and curiosity. For more, visit the Polly Thayer Charitable Starr Trust online at www.pollythayerstarr.org. The Museum receives operating support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the State of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Media Sponsor: Boston magazine