NORFOLK, Va. — Hampton Roads has a maritime history that predates the birth of our country. In fact, the name "Hampton Roads" refers to the body of water that serves as a wide shipping channel for Southeastern Virginia.
A new art exhibit at Old Dominion University celebrates our maritime culture with both modern and historic pieces.
Curator Sara Woodbury is excited about the exhibit, and she gave a preview tour to a handful of visitors at the Barry Art Museum.
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“As you enter the museum, you’ll see an example of historical and contemporary work,” said Woodbury.
The exhibit is called "Message in a Bottle: Picturing Maritime Culture in Hampton Roads."
Several paintings in the exhibit depict famous military conflicts, like the Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862, also known as the Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack.
The modern art side displays pieces depicting the environmental impact of shipping.
“So what you are looking at is both an abstract rendering and a depiction of the currents that we use from the Atlantic to travel the world,” said Woodbury as she showed off the shiny abstract piece. “What they've been made out of are thermal insulating bags, which are often used when transporting different types of goods. They are the kind of debris that gets left behind when they fall off the ships and so forth."
The exhibition opens to the public on April 12 at the Barry Art Center on the campus of Old Dominion University. It runs through Jan. 5, 2025. Admission is free, and it is open to the public.
