The Wiregrass Museum of Art (WMA) is turning up the heat this July with the launch of three unforgettable exhibitions that promise to stir conversation, spark creativity, and celebrate the power of visual storytelling. Visitors are invited to experience these dynamic new works at the summer edition of Art After Hours on Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This lively evening of art, music, and hands-on activities is free for WMA members and only $5 for not-yet members. From powerful portraits to fiber-based innovation, this season’s lineup is anything but ordinary.
Above: Vitus Shell, Holy Water, Mixed Media, courtesy of artist
Life of the Party
July 17 – September 27, 2025
In this riveting solo exhibition, Vitus Shell unveils large-scale portraits of Black youth from Dothan and across the Deep South—works that resonate with intimacy and impact. Created through collaborative photo sessions and interviews, Shell’s psychologically rich portraits are layered atop collage-style backgrounds that draw from advertising, media, and personal narrative. The result is a stunning examination of identity, representation, and resilience, offering visitors a rare opportunity to both see and be seen.
Above:Loretta Pettway Bennett, Lazy Gal, 2024, hand and machine-pieced, hand-quilted fabric remnants from Chloé runway show, courtesy of the artist
CONSTRUCTIONS: Contemporary Fiber
July 17 – December 27, 2025
Fiber takes center stage in this groundbreaking exhibition featuring twenty artists from across the nation. Ranging from ancient weaving practices to modern experimental forms, the works on view explore textiles through dyeing, stitching, printing, and found-object assemblage. Equal parts tactile and conceptual, Constructions invites viewers to trace the threads between tradition, innovation, and the evolving role of fiber in art and culture.
Above: Jerimiah Smith. American born 1985, Untitled, 21st Century, Photograph, gift of Rebecca and Jack Drake. 2023.56
In Focus: Portraits from the Permanent Collection
June 5 – September 27, 2025
Drawing from WMA’s permanent collection, In Focus brings together photographic works that challenge, celebrate, and redefine the art of the portrait. With featured artists including Jerry Siegel, Barbara Lee Black, Pinky MM/Bass, Sydney A. Foster, and Spider Martin, this exhibition balances technical brilliance with emotional depth. From quiet revelations to historic documentation, these portraits explore identity and presence in unexpected and moving ways.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a longtime supporter, summer at WMA is the perfect time to rediscover how art transforms, provokes, and connects us.
Admission to the museum and its exhibitions is always free, and all are welcome. For more details, please visit www.wiregrassmuseum.org/exhibitions or contact Latasha Hyatt at 334-794-3871 or lhyatt@wiregrassmuseum.org.
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