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“Reflections” at the New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

The photography collection at the New Bedford Whaling Museum is replete with views of and about the water, often with reflections on the water doubling images of the sun, sails, or wharves above it. In general, water asks humans to reflect: the ocean is a vast space, with a visual blankness that lends itself to contemplative meditation. As Herman Melville writes in Moby-Dick, “Yes, as every one knows, meditation and water are wedded for ever.” Reflections is an exhibition that asks viewers to reflect on water’s role in labor and leisure. Photographs in the exhibition will provoke questions about how and when we take time to reflect, and the water’s particular ability to hush or heighten one’s internal state. This will include work by photographers from the collection such as Stephen Fellows Adams, T.E.M. White, Dr. Henry Dudley Prescott, Theodosia Potter Chase, Norman Fortier, and Phillip Mello—some of which will likely be on display at the Museum for the very first time. Titled “Reflections,” this exhibition uses photographs to engage viewers’ own reflective acts: reflecting on the water, on photography, and on themselves.

BREACH: Logbook 24 | SCRIMSHAW

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

Courtney M. Leonard (Shinnecock, b.1980) is a multi-media installation artist, ceramicist, and filmmaker, who has contributed to the Offshore Art movement. In collaboration with museums, cultural institutions, and indigenous communities in North America, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, and the United States Embassies, Leonard’s practice investigates narratives of Indigenous food sovereignty, marine life, and human environmental impact. Leonard’s largest body of work to date, titled BREACH, is an ongoing exploration of the historical and contemporary ties between place, community, whales, and the maritime environment. The various iterations of the project, created for individual institutions and settings, investigate the multiple definitions of the term “breach.” A “breach” is a break, a gap in a wall, a river overflowing to breach its banks. Legally, breach means the failure to abide by the law or observe an agreement; it is a violation or infraction, a breach of trust. Breach also describes the act of a whale breaking the surface to rise above the open water. To “step into the breach” implies moving into the unknown. BREACH is an ongoing artistic exploration of these multiple meanings, engaging environmental vulnerabilities and the settler state’s failure to uphold relations and treaties with coastal Indigenous nations. Leonard’s works […]

“The Wider World & Scrimshaw” at the New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

The Wider World & Scrimshaw takes the Museum’s scrimshaw collection (objects carved by whalers on the byproducts of marine mammals) and places it in conversation with carved decorative arts and material culture made by Indigenous community members from across the Pacific and Arctic. Native communities across Oceania, the Pacific, and Arctic have cosmologies related to whales, distinctive maritime traditions involving marine mammals, and vibrant carving styles. They were also impacted by commercial whaling ventures in the 1800s, and the external pressures of colonialism and Western empire-building. This interdisciplinary, community-driven, and collections-focused project engages questions about identity, place, and material, and considers how exploration and whaling impacted the production of material culture in this diverse region between 1700 and today. The exhibition showcases over 300 objects, paying particular attention to ones that indicate cultural and material exchanges. How did whaling (internal or external) impact these different communities and their unique art forms – from New Bedford to Aotearoa to Utqiaġvik? In what ways do these legacies continue within contemporary art, communities, and cultures? The exhibition considers different cultural products from Oceanic material culture and Arctic carvings to engraved sperm whale teeth, and explores issues related to trade, markets, taste, and patterns […]

ABERRATION: Sculptures by Alex Buchanan

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

July 27 - October 29 Opening Reception: August 8 5-7pm The Art Museum is pleased to present a solo exhibition of recent work by acclaimed artist, Alex Buchanan. Alex Buchanan's sculptures transform discarded materials like retired tugboat ropes, construction scraps, and iron rods into art. He challenges us to see the beauty and purpose in these materials, suggesting our waste problem stems from not valuing them beyond their initial use. The patinas and wear tell their stories, making them tactile and aesthetically rich, honoring their industrial origins while highlighting the beauty of marine culture.

“A Whale of a Weekend” Event Descendants of Whaling Masters 50th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration

Downtown New Bedford Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA, United States

Descendants of Whaling Masters is hosting a weekend long 50th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration called “A Whale of A Weekend”. The event will take place from Thursday September 12 to Sunday September 15, 2024 bringing attendees together to enjoy four days of activities pertaining to the whaling heritage in our homeport of New Bedford. A carefully curated roster of events and tours will explore aspects of the city's rich whaling history. Tickets are available to the public. Due to constraints on attendance at several venues, there may be limited seating. Book early to guarantee your spot. Lodging suggestions: In New Bedford- Fairfield Inn and Suites, New Bedford Harbor Hotel: In Fairhaven- Hampton Inn, Seaport Resort & Marina. Pricing for the weekend package is $200 per person and includes attendance at the Whaling Letters dramatization featuring actors Lucy Bly and Paul Sardinha, dinner at the James Arnold Mansion, presentation by Joe Thomas, Spinner Publications, “Photographs from a Whaling Port’, and brunch at Moby Dick Restaurant and much more (hotel excluded). See below for full schedule. Register by September 9, 2024. To RSVP use the registration form found on DWM website: www.whalingmasters.org. Please mail a check payable to: Descendants of Whaling Masters, c/o […]

$200.00
Event Series Nao Trinidad Tall Ship Tours

Nao Trinidad Tall Ship Tours

Pope's Island Marina 102 Popes Island, New Bedford, M, United States

Explore New Bedford and Pope’s Island Marina welcome back for the second year in a row the Nao Trinidad, a replica of the 16th-century tall ship that circumnavigated the globe with Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet. Last year marked the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s historic trip. “While at port, the ship is a floating museum and people are welcome to tour the ship, interact with the crew, and visit the exhibition on board,” says Ulises Custodio of the Spanish-based nonprofit, Nao Victoria Foundation. The ship will arrive in New Bedford on September 9th and open for tours at the marina from September 11th through September 15th. Tickets may be purchased in person at Pope’s Island Marina or online in advance. Purchasing in advance is strongly recommended. Adults $15 Kids *$5 Families **$35 *between the ages 5-10. Free for children under 5. Must be accompanied by an adult. **2 adults and up to 3 kids between 5-10.

$5 – $35

AHA! Night – AHA!@25 Anniversary Celebration

Downtown New Bedford Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA, United States

You’re invited to the AHA! birthday bash! Expect music, art, community, and more as AHA! celebrates its 25th Anniversary. There will be dancing in the streets, live music, a '90s costume parade, kids' activities, a pub crawl, circus arts, and so much more. Of course, AHA! has a few surprises up their sleeves. Help them blow out the birthday candles and celebrate in downtown New Bedford. Visit the AHA! website for more details about the celebratory activities. More fun gets added every day.

Free

AHA: Music In The Galleries

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

A Live Performance and Opening Reception Thursday, September 12 5 - 7pm Musical Performance from Timothy Macri: Macri performs original compositions inspired by sculptures on view in Aberration, a solo exhibition by Alex Buchanan. Macri draws upon his experience as an orchestral, chamber, Latin jazz, and Sacred musician to create unique soundscapes and acoustical backdrops to accompany events or specific works of art. Mr. Macri finds the sculptures in Aberration with their rich textures, materials, designs, and undulating imagery especially inspiring. Opening Reception: "This is Not Who I Am": The Art and Design of David Arruda, Jr. A striking and thoughtful combination of commercial high-tech advertising, jazz concert posters, music CD package designs, and a wide range of photographs make up this deep dive into the work of David Arruda, Jr. The title expresses David’s antipathy to being in the spotlight.

Free

5 Pillars of Hip Hop: Knowledge

Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum 396 County Street, New Bedford, MA, United States

A Partnership between New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park & 3rd Eye Youth Empowerment. This is a series of monthly events exploring the Pillars of Hip Hop (MC'ing, DJ'ing, break dancing, graffiti, and knowledge) through performance, visual art, and sharing. The event in the garden includes live music, spoken word and art, with a highlight on knowledge. This event is free as part of AHA Night and is open to all ages.

Free

Five Pillars of Hip Hop

Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum 396 County Street, New Bedford, MA, United States

Thursday, September 12, 5pm – 7:30pm Five Pillars of Hip Hop Hosted by 3rd EyE Unlimited & New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park This last of five monthly events exploring the Pillars of Hip Hop will focus on Knowledge. The evening features live performances by creative collective, NBPAC , Xtreme Hip Hop Step, and Sleepless In New England, as well as live graffiti painting by New Bedford muralist Eden Soares, giveaways, and more! As always, this Pillars event is family friendly and free as part of AHA Night.

Free