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Visit these new museum exhibits opening in and around Boston this spring
Discover Japanese art, ancient jewelry, and more.
No matter how many times you’ve visited Boston’s museums, there’s always something new going on. Below, find more about new exhibits opening at this spring — both temporary shows and new permanent exhibits. You’ll find work from contemporary artists and historical pieces alike, including artifacts up to 4,000 years old. Some highlights include strong showings of Japanese art, Ethiopian art, and jewelry. If you haven’t made it to any of Boston’s museums in a while (or at all), you’ll likely find something that intrigues you on the list below.
Firelei Báez at the ICA
April 4 – Sept. 2
Dominican artist Firelei Báez brings some of her energetic works to the Institute of Contemporary Art in the Seaport for an exhibit opening on April 4. Her colorful and energetic paintings, drawings, and sculptural installations explore topics like anthropology, geography, folklore, and fantasy, with a focus on the African diaspora in the Caribbean and beyond. Some of her works feature paint overlaying history maps, or drawings made on deaccessioned book pages. “My works are propositions, meant to create alternate pasts and potential futures, questioning history and culture in order to provide a space for reassessing the present,” said Báez in a statement.
“Dress Up” at the MFA
April 13 – Sept. 2
The Met in New York isn’t the only museum that exhibits elaborate costumes and clothing. On April 13, the Museum of Fine Arts opens “Dress Up,” featuring over 100 works of 20th- and 21st-century clothing, accessories, and photographs from the museum’s collection. The show aims to blur the lines between clothing and jewelry — when objects use beads, sequins, and sparkles, when does clothing become jewelry, and vice versa? Visitors can meditate on that question, or just enjoy the sophisticated, embellished looks.
“Songs for Modern Japan” at the MFA
April 13 – Sept. 2
Opening on April 13 at the MFA, “Songs for Modern Japan: Popular Music and Graphic Design” explores pop music and its accompanying sheet music cover illustrations. The growing Japan of 1900 to 1950 saw a boom of Western music notation. This exhibit shows how Japanese graphic designers of the time illustrated this sheet music (lots of Art Deco and Art Nouveau), and how the growth of propagandist images showed how the country was globalizing. The show displays over 100 sheet music covers, alongside paintings, photos, and music from that time period.
“Ethiopia at the Crossroads” at the PEM
April 13 – July 7
On April 13, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem opens “Ethiopia at the Crossroads,” an exhibit with over 200 artifacts that explores 2,000 years of Ethiopian art. Located in the Horn of Africa, the country has historically been an intersection of different cultures and religions. This exhibit dives into the arts and culture of the region, displaying ancient artifacts like manuscripts and metalwork alongside works from renowned contemporary Ethiopian artists.
“Arts of Japan” at the MFA
May 11
A new permanent exhibit, “Arts of Japan,” opens at the MFA this May 11. The comprehensive exhibit will feature Japanese works like paintings, ukiyo-e prints, sculptures, and decorative artworks from the 7th century through today. It’ll also have multimedia works, a renovated Japanese Buddhist Temple Room, and an adaptation of a traditional tea room. The museum’s Japanese collection, established in 1890 as one of the first of its kind in the country, now holds about 100,000 objects which will rotate periodically throughout this new set of galleries.
“Beyond Brilliance” at the MFA
May 18
Another new permanent exhibit at the MFA, “Beyond Brilliance: Jewelry Highlights from the Collection” shows off objects from the museum’s extensive jewelry collection which includes both contemporary works and artifacts over 4,000 years old. The new exhibit will display over 150 objects, featuring works like an ancient Egyptian collar necklace along with pieces from such modern day designers as Tiffany & Co., Dior, and Chanel.
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