Some places get a hold on you, and you never recover. This week, our Q&A asking how the place you’re from has shaped you, garnered the most responses from ex-New Yorkers.
As a Jersey girl-turned-diehard New Yorker myself, this is easy to understand. Growing up, “the city” was the center of the universe, the place where my father worked in a tall black tower, where we went on school field trips to magical places like the natural history museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Twelve years of living there as an adult only confirmed this utterly provincial belief.
But for my daughters, it will be different, being raised in this beautiful, quiet, landlocked place, with rivers instead of the sea, and mountains instead of skyscrapers. Maybe the riot of dogwood blossoms in the spring, or the intense green and thick humidity of a central Virginia summer, will always feel like home to them, 50 years from now, no matter where they are.
A deep connection to land, place, and home pervades many of the Indigenous Australian art shows on view this winter, right here in Charlottesville. From the other side of the world come deeply felt works that draw on distinct cultures, from traditional pieces like the larrakitj (memorial poles) on view at The Fralin to modern twists like Brian Robinson’s prints juxtaposing Island motifs with classical figures and global pop culture references.
That seven such shows will be on view simultaneously is a rare occurrence, and a special gift—a glimpse into other worlds. Be sure to take a look.