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March at Crystal Bridges includes: Spring Break Specials, Border Cantos, and More

In March, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art invites visitors to the museum for spring break specials, the Border Cantos exhibition and programming, and to the first distinguished lecture series event.

Crystal Bridges provides family-friendly activities with Spring Break Specials from March 13 through March 24. In addition to the galleries, families can enjoy fun and free art making, activities, and performances.

Border Cantos: Sight & Sound Explorations from the Mexican-American Border is a unique collaboration between American photographer Richard Misrach and Mexican American sculptor/composer Guillermo Galindo. The artwork explores the complex issues surrounding the United States-Mexico border. Visitors are invited to view the exhibition from February 18 through April 24 and attend a variety of programs inspired by the exhibition. A Border Cantos film series highlights stories with screenings and live Skype discussions on March 3, March 10 and March 17. The museum will also host a Norteño concert with the La Flegancia band on March 16 and feature a Spotlight Lecture with the author of The Devil’s Highway on March 31.

Visitors can also explore Roy Lichtenstein in Focus, a pop art exhibition on view from March 3 through July 31. This exhibition gathers five of Lichtenstein’s early artworks from the 1960s to the early 1970s to break down the traditional barriers between high art and mass media. Crystal Bridges will offer a Look Closer with Roy Lichenstein on March 15, 22 and 29 covering this iconic art period.

On March 24 the museum will launch the first of the 2017 distinguished speakers, featuring artist Marina Abramovic, who is known for her performance art that explores the relationship between artist and audience. There is also an artinfusion members’-only meet-and-greet with the artist prior to the show.

 STAY IN THE KNOW! Log in or create an account to customize your eNewsletters based on your interests. A full listing of March programs is below. Information and registration are available on Crystal Bridges’ calendar of events.

February 18 through April 24
NEW Border Cantos Tour
In English: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 1 pm

In Spanish: Sunday, 2 pm

A guided tour of eight works from Border Cantos: Sight & Sound Explorations from the Mexican-American Border. American Sign Language interpretation is provided for the Collection Highlights tour the third Saturday of each month. American Sign Language interpretation for programs and tours available on request with two weeks notice. Call 479.418.5724 or email Access@CrystalBridges.org. Sponsored by Loreen Arbus.

Wednesday, March 1, 7 to 8 pm
Panel Discussion » NWA Fashion Week: Creativity 360
Kick off NWA Fashion Week with a panel discussion presented by artinfusion! Featuring some top makeup artists, designers, and creatives from the Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week team, join us in the Great Hall for a behind-the-scenes look at the creative powerhouse behind this celebration of fashion, creativity, and design. Moderated by Associate Museum Educator Brady Plunger, panelists include NWA Fashion Week Creative Director Robin Wallis Atkinson and Bentonville-based Fashion Designer NA Martin, as well as talent from other areas in the fashion industry. Sponsored by Saatchi & Saatchi X, RopeSwing, The Hershey Company, Wright Lindsey Jennings, Blue Moon Brewing Company, and JTH Productions. FREE, register online or with Guest Services.

Thursday, March 2, 7 to 8 pm
Artinfusion VIP Cocktail Hour with Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week
Artinfusion hosts a special cocktail hour at 21c Museum Hotel before the Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week (NWAFW) Gala kicks off at 8 p.m.! Members will have the chance to mix and mingle with the movers and shakers behind NWAFW while catching sneak peeks of select runway looks. The special, discounted ticket price for artinfusion Members of $75 includes entry to the VIP Cocktail Hour with two complimentary drinks, and entry to NWA Fashion Week: The Gala. Sponsored by Saatchi & Saatchi X, RopeSwing, The Hershey Company, Wright Lindsey Jennings, and Blue Moon Brewing Company. Purchase tickets through NWAFW using a special promo code available to artinfusion Members only. (Members, the code will come in an email!)

Friday, March 3, 7 to 9 pm
Border Cantos Film Series » Al Otro Lado with filmmaker Natalia Almada
Al Otro Lado (2005), a documentary film about illegal immigration and drug trafficking between Mexico and the United States, addresses issues facing people both north and south of the border. The film focuses on Magdiel, a 23-year-old fisherman and aspiring composer who dreams of a better life in the United States. After the film, join us for a live Skype discussion with filmmaker Natalia Almada. Almada‘s work has appeared at numerous national and international venues, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Sundance Film Festival, the Guggenheim Museum, the Munich International Film Festival, and the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. Sponsored by Bentonville Film Festival, Demara Titzer, and JTH Productions. FREE, register online or with Guest Services.

Saturday, March 4, 3 to 5 pm
Artinfusion Excursions » Tyson Collection
Visit the Tyson Foods corporate headquarters in Springdale, which houses a unique and little-known art collection. Tyson’s collection spans the last century of American art and includes works by acclaimed artists such as Thomas Hart Benton and Andy Warhol. During this special tour, Members will meet Tyson’s Curator, Shannon Dillard Mitchell. Enjoy special access to creative spaces around Northwest Arkansas. Sponsored by Saatchi & Saatchi X, RopeSwing, The Hershey Company, Wright Lindsey Jennings, and Blue Moon Brewing Company. FREE to artinfusion Members, register online or with Guest Services.  

Sunday, March 5, 1 to 4 pm
One District One Book Celebration
Join us for a wrap-up party of the citywide One District One Book reading program! Bring the whole family for an afternoon of celebration, art making, exploration, and games with friends from Bentonville Public Schools, the Bentonville Public Library, and other community collaborators. Sponsored by Roy & Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee, and Rockline Industries. FREE, no registration required.

Monday, March 6, 6 to 7 pm
Yoga and Art
Exercise your body and mind at Crystal Bridges with Yoga and Art! Join Lynn Hancock of Yoga Story in an uplifting group class that explores different facets of vinyasa as well as various disciplines of a yoga practice. Open to all levels. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mats and dress appropriately.  $5 (FREE/Members), register online or with Guest Services.

March 6 & March 20, 1 to 3 pm
Figure Drawing
Join us on the first and third Mondays of each month to draw from a clothed model. Whether you’ve always had a love for figure drawing or are trying it for the first time, you’ll enjoy an afternoon drawing with other adults at the Museum. Model poses will include both shorter warm-up poses, and longer poses. All materials are provided. $10 for non-members and $5 for Members.

March 8 & 22, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Figure Drawing from the Nude Model
Join us on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month for this adult figure drawing class with a nude model. A variety of drawing materials will be provided, and model poses will include both shorter warm-up poses, and longer poses. Participants must be 18 or older. (Note: Figure Drawing sessions with a clothed model are offered on the first and third Mondays of each month, and are open to participants ages 14 and up.) $10 ($5 for Members)

Wednesday, March 8, 7 to 8 pm
College Hangout » Pop In Focus
Explore Pop art throughout the Museum, including a visit to the North Exhibition Gallery for an up-close look at the work of Roy Lichtenstein. Join your fellow college students and Interpretation Manager Stace Treat to decode images of midcentury pop culture and gain new insights into Pop art, one of the most well-known movements in American art. Following the tour will be a special hands-on art experience in our studios. Afterwards, stick around to meet the Crystal Bridges College Ambassadors and find out the 411 on #CBCollege programming. FREE, no registration required.

Thursday, March 9, 11:30 am to 2 pm
Preschool Playdate » Remixturements
Make your own musical instrument! Enjoy art projects, story time, and creative play inspired by found-object musical instruments in the temporary exhibition Border Cantos. FREE, no registration required. Sponsored by Roy & Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee, and the Segal Family Foundation.

Thursday, March 9, 6 to 7:30 pm
NEW Member Scoop » Interpretive Sensitivity
Member Scoops offer behind-the-scenes insights from Museum staff on special topics. For this Scoop, join a special viewing of Border Cantos: Sight & Sound Explorations from the Mexican-American Border, in which Curatorial Assistant Alison Demorotski and Interpretation Manager Samantha Sigmon will discuss how the Museum approaches art interpretation on sensitive subjects. FREE, register online or by calling the Member Priority Line.

March 10, 16, 18, 1 to 2 pm and March 23, 1 to 2 pm and 6:30 to 7:30 pm
Gallery Conversations
Join curators, artists, writers, musicians, and more for stimulating conversations and performances in the permanent collection and Temporary Exhibition galleries. Visit the website for more information on speakers and topics each month.

Friday, March 10, 10 am to 12 pm
Members Only » Art in Bloom Preview
Members are invited to drop in for a special hour-long preview of the Museum’s inaugural Art in Bloom weekend. Be the first to see the incredible art-inspired floral arrangements, and then stop by the Member lounge in Bellows and Cassatt classrooms for tea and treats. FREE, register online or by calling the Member Priority Line.

Friday, March 10, 7 to 9 pm
Border Cantos Film Series » The Borders Trilogy with filmmaker Alex Rivera
The Borders Trilogy (2003) tells three small stories to illuminate a much larger one: the contradictions of a world order in which products freely cross borders that people may not. The first story, Love on the Line, depicts a transnational family picnic across a surreal wall that runs into the ocean. The second story, Container City, is set in an entirely different border town: Newark, New Jersey. The final story, A Visible Border, dwells on a single, haunting x-ray image. After the film, join us for a live Skype discussion with filmmaker Alex Rivera.  Rivera is a filmmaker who, for the past 20 years, has been telling visually adventurous Latino stories. His work has won multiple awards at the Sundance Film Festival and has been screened at The Berlin International Film Festival, the Museum of Modern Art, The Guggenheim, The Getty, Lincoln Center, PBS, Telluride, and other international venues. Sponsored by Bentonville Film Festival, Demara Titzer and JTH Productions. FREE, register online or with Guest Services.

Friday, March 10, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Art by the Glass » Wine and Roses
In celebration of our inaugural Art in Bloom weekend, create a floral arrangement in the studio inspired by a work of art in our permanent collection! Lead by educator Moira Anderson, this lighthearted studio class will combine the basics of floral design and the seven elements of art. Participants will leave with their own arrangement. Durand and Estes. Create an original work of art in this social class that pairs wine with an art project! All materials plus two glasses of wine and light appetizers provided. $55 ($44 for Members), register online or with Guest Services.

Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12
Art in Bloom
Experience the Museum as it comes alive during our inaugural Art in Bloom weekend! Tour our permanent collection where local florists will display floral arrangements inspired by magnificent works of art. The weekend will feature live demonstrations, workshops, and talks uniting the power of art and the beauty of nature. See our website for a complete schedule of programs. FREE, no registration required.

Saturday, March 11, 8 to 11 pm
College Night Party » Bloom Bash!
Take over the Museum with college students from around Northwest Arkansas to experience art, live music, and dancing! The night will feature a special Iron Florist Competition, showcasing artists whose works will be on view for our inaugural Art in Bloom weekend. Join in the fun and see what #CBCollege is all about! Presented by Crystal Bridges’ College Ambassadors. FREE, no registration required.

Sunday, March 12, 1 to 5 pm
Ikebana Workshop
As part of our inaugural Art in Bloom weekend, learn the basics of Ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging, with Chikako Usui. Usui has studied Ikebana for 15 years and is a certified teacher of the Ikenobo School of Ikebana in Japan. All materials will be provided. $55 ($44 Members), register online or with Guest Services.

Sunday, March 12, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
CR(EAT)E » Art Inspires Cuisine: Border Cantos
Enjoy an in-depth glimpse and taste of how art inspires the culinary world of Crystal Bridges! With Director of Culinary Programming and Events Case Dighero, Executive Chef Bill Lyle, and special guests. $100 ($80 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Sponsored by Flintco and Onyx Coffee Lab.

Monday, March 13 and 27, 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Creative Connections
Creative Connections is a program for individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or related dementia and their care partners. Museum Educators facilitate interactive discussions of artworks in the galleries followed by hands-on art activities in the studio. No prior experience is required! Refreshments and art materials provided. Presented in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education. Sponsored by Loreen Arbus. FREE, advance registration through the Alzheimer’s Association required. To register, contact the Alzheimer’s Association by calling 479.273.5559 or sdillingham@alz.org

Wednesday, March 15, 1:30 to 2:30 pm
Art Book Club » The Devil’s Highway
Discuss the true story of 26 men and their harrowing attempt to cross the border into the desert of southern Arizona. The book is a national bestseller and Pulitzer Prize finalist, proclaimed as a modern American classic. Don’t miss our free Spotlight Talk with the Devil’s Highway author Luis Urrea on Friday, March 31! See pg. 15. FREE, no registration required.

Wednesday, March 15, 22, and 29, 7 to 8:30 pm
Look Closer » Roy Lichtenstein
Jump into the 1950s and ‘60s, when the art world was splashed with popular images of Coca-Cola, Popeye, and more! In this three-part series on Pop art from our permanent collection and the temporary exhibition Artist Focus: Roy Lichtenstein, , Educator Brady Plunger, Curator Chad Alligood, and Interpretation Manager Stace Treat will present a special topic and activity each night providing a closer look and activities about this iconic art period. $15 ($12 for Members), register online or with Guest Services.

Wednesday, March 15, 6 to 7 pm
SOLD OUT Wednesday Over Water (WOW) » Border Cantos
Case Dighero and Crystal Bridges’ Curatorial Department staff will discuss this new exhibition and the cuisine of the Mexican-American border. Please join Crystal Bridges Director of Culinary Programming and Events Case Dighero and special guests for a humorous and delicious discussion that explores the connections between art and food. Open to guests ages 21 and above. Sponsored by Premier Dermatology. $40($32 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

March 16, 6 to 7:30 pm
Art & English » English Language Learner Program
Are you interested in practicing conversational English while learning about American art, history, and culture? Then join us for Art & English! During this evening program, a Museum Educator encourages adult English language learners to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing English while discussing works of art in the galleries. Children of participants are invited to join the gallery conversation or make an art project in the studios. All levels of English language learners welcome!

FREE, register by emailing Emily.Rodriguez@CrystalBridges.org.

Thursday, March 16, 7 to 9 pm
Norteño Concert » La Elegancia
Enjoy a concert and dance to the popular Mexican band, La Elegancia, featuring Norteño, a genre of Mexican music mixing polka and corridos. Inspired by the special exhibition, Border Cantos, the concert highlights this unique style of music that is popular in both Mexico and the United States.  La Elegancia was founded in Springdale, Arkansas, and includes band members Rogelio Palomino, Carlos Espinoza, Omar Rivera, and Omar Sidon. Al “Papa Rap” Lopez will host the concert and unveil his new album with the band. FREE, register online or with Guest Services.

Friday, March 17, 7 to 9 pm
Border Cantos Film Series » The 800 Mile Wall with filmmaker John Carlos Frey
The 800 Mile Wall (2009) highlights the construction of new walls along the Mexican-American border as well as their effect on migrants. The 800 Mile Wall documents, the often-deadly results of this border policy and offers thoughts on how the current human rights crisis may be resolved. After the film, join us for a live Skype discussion with filmmaker John Carlos Frey. Frey is a two-time Emmy Award–winning Investigative Fund fellow at The Nation Institute and a national correspondent for PBS’s NewsHour. His work reveals a seldom-seen world of marginalized communities through his vast reporting along the Mexican-American border and in the Latino community. Sponsored by Bentonville Film Festival, Demara Titzer, and JTH Productions. FREE, register online or with Guest Services.

Saturday, March 18, through Sunday, March 26, 1 to 4 pm
Spring Break Specials
Spend your Spring Break at the Museum. Explore our galleries and enjoy a variety of fun and free art making, activities, and performances daily! Sponsored by Nice Pak Products, Inc. FREE, no registration required.

Friday, March 24, 7 to 8 pm
Distinguished Speaker Series » Artist Marina Abramović
Marina Abramović is a pioneer in the world of performance art. Her career has spanned five decades and her work explores the relationship between artist and audience, pushing the limits and boundaries of the physical and mental. In the 2010 MOMA retrospective, The Artist is Present, a team of trained artists re-performed Abramovic’s seminal performances, some of which with her former partner Ulay, while Abramović herself sat at a small table as museum visitors waited to sit across from her. Like so much of her work, the performance was a major feat of endurance: the artist sat stationary every day for three months. Abramović is the founder of the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI), a platform for immaterial and long-durational work, and the author of the memoir: Walk Through Walls. Sponsored by Del Monte Foods, Inc. $10 ($8 for Members), register online or with Guest Services.

Friday, March 24, 5:30 to 7 pm
Artinfusion Insights » Marina Abramovic
Meet internationally renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic before her Distinguished Speaker lecture in the Great Hall. Abramovic challenges the limits of the body and the boundaries of the mind by bringing the audience into her performances. She is widely considered to be one of the most influential artists of the last century. Separate tickets are required for the lecture.The Distinguished Speaker Series is sponsored by Del Monte Foods, Inc. Artinfusion Insights bring the arts directly into your world through exclusive encounters with artists and creative professionals—all with a dash of Crystal Bridges hospitality (meaning complimentary appetizers and discounted cocktails, of course). Sponsored by Saatchi & Saatchi X, RopeSwing, The Hershey Company, Wright Lindsey Jennings, Blue Moon Brewing Company, and JTH Productions. FREE to artinfusion Members, register online or with Guest Services.

Saturday, March 25, 10 to 11 am
NEW CB Babies
Oh, baby! Join us for this special program for the Museum’s youngest visitors: infants age 3 to 24 months and a caregiver. Spend time in the galleries looking at and talking to your baby about art before enjoying sensory playtime. We’ll visit new artwork and make new discoveries together each month! Make sure you are able to hold your baby or have them in a front carrier; they need to see and physically react to the artworks. This is a time to bond with your baby, so please make other arrangements for any siblings. $10 ($8 Members), register online or with Guest services.

Thursday, March 30, 7:30 to 10 pm
Performance Lab + INVERSE Performance Art Festival » Stories From the Trees by Paul Rucker
Stories From the Trees is a multi-disciplinary performance by visual artist, composer, and musician Paul Rucker. The work features Rucker performing a live soundtrack on cello to animated re-imaginings of vintage lynching postcards. Rucker’s performance will kick off Northwest Arkansas’s INVERSE Performance Art Festival, which will continue throughout the night with politically charged performances hosted by INVERSE in various Museum spaces. $10 ($8 for Members), register online or with Guest Services.
Sponsored by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Demara Titzer, and JTH Productions.

Thursday, March 30, 6 to 7:30 pm
DISH » Andrea Allen, ONYX Coffee Lab
Please join Crystal Bridges Director of Culinary Programming and Events Case Dighero as he hosts a lively, insightful dialogue between women iconoclasts in both the culinary and art worlds. Open to guests ages 21 and above. Sponsored by Arvest Bank, Cindy Flynt Walters and Betty Flynt, Onyx Coffee Lab, and Briar Rose Bakery. $35 ($28 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335

Friday, March 31, 7 to 8 pm
Spotlight Talk » Luis Urrea
Award-winning author Luis Alberto Urrea will present Universal Border: From Tijuana to the World, a work in which he explores the experience of immigration and the significance of the border though his own life story. Urrea, a professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois-Chicago, is the author of 14 books that span numerous genres. The Devil’s Highway, the true story of 26 men and their harrowing attempt to cross the border into the desert of southern Arizona, won the Lannan Literary Award in 2004 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2005.  A book signing follows the lecture. FREE, register online or with Guest Services.