An American Abroad:
Florence Sloane in Europe, 1920s-1930s
Curated by Lindsay Neal
2024
On view through December 2024, An American Abroad invited visitors to step back in time and join Florence Sloane on her transformative travels across Europe during the 1920s and 1930s. As an art collector and cultural enthusiast, Sloane’s extensive European journeys deeply influenced her vision for the Hermitage Museum. This exhibition showcases rare archival materials, including travel journals, letters, and mementos, offering a glimpse into Sloane’s adventures and the inspiration she drew from the world’s cultural treasures.
Claudia Bueno:
Echoes of the Heart
Curated by Carrie Spencer
2023
Starting June 9, 2023, the Hermitage Museum hosted Echoes of the Heart, a mesmerizing three-month solo exhibition by internationally recognized artist Claudia Bueno. Drawing on the natural world and our deep emotional connections, Bueno’s interactive installations combined sound, light, and movement to create immersive environments that explore the energy, consciousness, and spirit that bind us. Visitors experienced a transformative journey through sacred spaces dedicated to various facets of the human experience, inviting reflection and reconnection with life’s essence.
Roberto Lugo:
Pottery with Purpose
Curated by Carrie Spencer
2022
Lugo’s work blends traditional ceramic forms with culturally and politically charged themes, celebrating figures who have shaped social justice and race relations. Known for his innovative “multicultural mashups,” the exhibition showcased Lugo’s mastery of ceramics, murals, visual art, and installations, highlighting his transformative impact on the art world.
Work in Progress:
13 Murals for Right Now
Curated by Jennifer Lucy
2021
This impactful exhibition, on view from June – October 2021, showcased 13 murals addressing pressing social issues, including Black Lives Matter, homelessness, women’s equality, and mental health. Created by a diverse group of artists, some in collaboration with local organizations, the murals spanned both the Hermitage’s indoor galleries and outdoor gardens. Work in Progress highlighted the transformative power of public art to inspire change and foster community dialogue.
Unknown Outcome
Curated by Carrie Spencer
2020
Unknown Outcome explored human impact on the environment, focusing on critical issues like climate change, sea level rise, and pollution in coastal Virginia. Featuring works by local and regional artists, the exhibition highlighted Norfolk’s vulnerability to sea level rise and ongoing efforts to preserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Style & Flair:
Selections from the Wardrobe of Florence K. Sloane
Curated by Lindsay Neal
2020
This exhibition showcased the elegant wardrobe of its founder, Florence K. Sloane (1873–1953), featuring over 20 dresses, accessories, and jewelry from the early 1900s to the 1930s. From pre-war daywear to glamorous evening attire, the exhibition highlighted Sloane’s style and her lasting legacy as a philanthropist and arts advocate. Rare archival materials and expert collaborations offered visitors an intimate glimpse into her life and the fashions of her era.
Conversations:
Contemporary Asian Art
Curated by Lindsay Neal & Carrie Spencer in collaboration with Pace Gallery, New York
2019
This exhibition brought together ten renowned contemporary artists from Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea, showcasing diverse styles and media. Conversations offered Norfolk audiences a rare opportunity to engage with works by artists like Yoshitomo Nara, Zhang Xiaogang, and Jae Yong Kim, whose creations have been featured in major international exhibitions. Organized in collaboration with leading galleries, the exhibition ran from June 14 to October 13, 2019.
Rediscovering Douglas Volk:
The Life and Legacy of an American Portraitist
Curated from the permanent collection by Lindsay Neal
2019
Explore the life and work of Douglas Volk (1856–1935), a celebrated early 20th-century portraitist and close friend of Hermitage founder Florence K. Sloane. Featuring new acquisitions, rare archival materials, and fine portraiture, this exhibition highlights Volk’s enduring impact on American art and his unique connection to the Hermitage collection.
3D Printing the Smithsonian
Curated by Jennifer Lucy in collaboration with the Smithsonian 3D Lab
2018
The Hermitage brought history and innovation together with 3D Printing the Smithsonian. This groundbreaking exhibition showcased ten 3D-printed replicas of objects from the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art, including a life-sized Cosmic Buddha, a Fushimi doll of Hotei, and a Syrian funerary relief bust. Visitors were invited to touch and experience these treasures in a whole new way, connecting them to the Hermitage’s Asian art collection.
The Art of Burning Man
Curated by Carrie Spencer and Jen Duncan
2017
On June 3rd, 2017, the Hermitage Museum & Gardens unveiled The Art of Burning Man, the first museum exhibition dedicated to the renowned annual event in Nevada. This groundbreaking showcase featured large-scale outdoor and indoor artworks from seven celebrated Burning Man artist teams, including Michael Garlington, Charles Gadeken, James Peterson, Five Ton Crane, Kirsten Berg, Gregg Fleishman, and Christopher Schardt.
Patrick Dougherty
Stickwork: Villa Tempesta
2016
In October 2016, renowned sculptor Patrick Dougherty transformed the Hermitage Museum & Gardens with Villa Tempesta, a breathtaking, site-specific installation. Over three weeks, Dougherty collaborated with volunteers to craft a monumental structure entirely from saplings, blending his love of nature with artistic ingenuity.
Sold! Americans Buying Asian Art
Curated by Colin Brady
From the Permanent Collection
2016
SOLD! specifically highlighted the Hermitage’s Asian acquisitions from 1943 and 1944. A Chinese Zhou dynasty tomb and a New York City auction house from the early 1940s were recreated in the galleries. In each room, visitors found historical artifacts and information as well as interactive elements that provided an understanding of both what it was like to work on an archaeological dig in the early 20th century and experience the excitement that came along with purchasing art in an auction setting.
Roberley Bell:
[un]natural landscapes
2015
Sculptor Roberley Bell presented a site-specific exhibition created specifically for the Hermitage. Her colorful, playful forms delighted visitors of all ages as they encountered pieces and plantings reminiscent of the museum outdoors and organic, biomorphic forms in conversation with the museum’s collection indoors.
Bruce Monro:
Light
2014
Internationally acclaimed British artist Bruce Munro presented an 8-piece light sculpture exhibition across the Hermitage grounds. The show was Munro’s fourth in the United States and included two brand new sculptures inspired by his visit to the Hermitage, Lighthouse, and Wave. Visitors wandered throughout the Hermitage forest, gardens, boardwalk, and river shoreline to experience Munro’s interactive displays. The museum also housed both a projected piece and a permanent commissioned piece, Light Shower.
