TOUR: A Closer Look at the Collection
2025-03-23 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-03-29 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-03-30 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-04-05 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-04-06 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-04-12 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-04-13 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-04-18 13:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) and 3 more dates | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join Ackland educators for a lively half-hour look at small handful of artworks. These engaging conversational tours offer a closer look at and new perspectives on works on view at the Museum.

Bettie Allison Rand Lectures in Art History: Stephanie Porras, Tulane University
2025-03-26 17:30 - 19:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
The Ackland is pleased to host the UNC Department of Art and Art History’s Bettie Allison Rand Lecture in Art History featuring guest speaker Stephanie Porras (Tulane University) on “Ivory across Empires.”
The talk is free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served. Read below for additional details about the talk and speaker.
Ivory across Empires
Considering a range of seventeenth-century ivory objects made in Manila, Goa, Ceylon and Mexico, this talk proposes a different narrative about empire. While these ivory sculptures certainly testify to the widespread use of imported European models, the range of ivory carvings done across Asia, also are part of a broader history of the creative agency of Asian makers in responding to European tastes and to the expanding global market for their work, via both the Manila galleon and circum-African sea trade. Foregrounding the material of ivory and its varied uses, and seeing these objects in dialogue with one another, also gestures towards an alternative history of Portuguese and Spanish imperial ambitions in Asia, as well as the motivations of different Asian empires, from the kingdom of Kotte in Sri Lanka to the Ming and later Qing dynasties in China. For ivory operated between and across empires, and this talk examines the various trade routes, as well as the mobility of materials, models and artists who produced ivories for an emerging global art market.
Stephanie Porras is Professor of Art History and Chair of the Newcomb Art Department at Tulane University. Her research interests include the visual and material culture of Northern Europe, the Spanish world, and the Dutch Atlantic from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries. Her latest book, The First Viral Images: Maerten de Vos, Antwerp print and the early modern globe (PSU press, 2023) traces the complex production and reception histories of an illustrated book, a painting and an engraving, all made in Antwerp in the late sixteenth century, but copied by Venetian print publishers, Spanish and Latin American painters, Mughal miniaturists and by Filipino ivory carvers. Most recently, she is also the co-editor, along with Stephen Campbell, The Routledge Companion to the Global Renaissance, a volume of forty essays, introducing objects made across the early modern world; appearing later this year is another co-edited volume, The Dutch Americas: art histories of the Atlantic World, with Aaron Hyman.
Through a generous gift to the UNC Arts and Sciences Foundation, William G. Rand established this lecture series in memory of his late wife, Bettie Allison Rand. This funding allows the Department of Art and Art History to bring one or more eminent art historians to UNC-CH every other year for residencies of various lengths. While they are in Chapel Hill, these scholars present a series of lectures and interact with undergraduate and graduate art history and studio art students. Following the campus visit, the scholars prepare a manuscript, which is then published by the UNC Press as part of the Rand Series of art history publications.

Public Opening of "Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025"
2025-03-27 17:30 - 19:30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join the Ackland in celebrating the opening of Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025!
A phantom limb is the sensation of a part of one’s body still being present when it has been removed. In science and philosophy, the phenomenon has been used to understand how we link the mind and body, localize pain, and exhibit the lasting effects of trauma. In this exhibition, the artists of the graduating Master of Fine Arts in studio art class of 2025 examine the ways in which something can be missing, through erasure, force, trickery, chance, or misfortune; nevertheless, a legacy, aura, or presence can still be felt. Rebecca Pempek depicts fantastical images of the body in an effort to make sense of pain. John Felix Arnold reimagines landscapes of the American South to consider the ways they hold onto legacies of labor and violence. Dominique Muñoz’s installation uses personal family archives to simultaneously conjure and erase the presence of loved and lost ones. Carson Whitmore builds on utilitarian objects that are rendered useless, lead to nowhere, and are missing parts. Together, all four artists address loss, whether personal or environmental, and how we cope with its lingering effects.
We will be celebrating the opening with light refreshments. Brief remarks will be made at 6:15 p.m. and the MFA students will be onsite to meet and greet throughout the course of the event.
RSVP is required. Each person RSVPing may claim a drink ticket (non-alcoholic or alcoholic); ID will be checked at the bar.
Join us for a fun and vibrant evening honoring the MFA students’ work and welcoming the exhibition to our community.
—
Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025 is curated by Julianne Miao, curatorial associate at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
This exhibition is made possible by the generous support of Carol Cole Levin, Vincent Joseph Kopp and Katherine Craft Kopp, and Maryanna and Will Johnson.

TOUR: A Closer Look at "Triple Take"
2025-03-28 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-04-04 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-04-11 13:00 - 13:30, 2025-05-02 13:00 - 13:30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join Ackland educators for a lively half-hour look at small handful of artworks in Triple Take: Dialogues with the Terra Collection-in-Residence. These engaging conversational tours offer a closer look at and new perspectives on works on view at the Museum.

Ackland Art Museum at the UNC Science Expo
2025-04-05 10:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join the Ackland Art Museum at the UNC Science Expo, hosted by the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center!
Find us at our booth for hands-on art-making activities inspired by STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) objectives. Explore the connections between creativity and science through interactive crafts!
Afterward, take a short walk over to the Ackland Art Museum to see how STEAM meets art in our galleries. In Ackland Upstairs, visit the Synthetic Chemistry Lab’s art bay to learn how UNC Chapel Hill students collaborated with the Museum to uncover the science of blue pigments in artworks. Admission is always free, and we are open Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
UNC Science Expo is part of the annual North Carolina Science Festival and is one of the biggest celebrations of science in the state! For more information, visit Morehead Planetarium’s site https://moreheadplanetarium.org/program/expo/

This is a free public event, no prior registration needed.

2nd Friday ArtWalk: "Phantom Limb" Artist Workshops and Tours
2025-04-11 17:00 - 21:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join us for a special 2nd Friday ArtWalk focused on the newly-opened exhibition Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025! Drop in throughout the night for hands-on workshops with two of the artists whose work is on view or hop on a mini tour of the exhibition by its curator.
The Museum is open until 9 p.m. tonight and, as always, offers free admission.

—

About Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025
A phantom limb is the sensation of a part of one’s body still being present when it has been removed. In science and philosophy, the phenomenon has been used to understand how we link the mind and body, localize pain, and exhibit the lasting effects of trauma. In this exhibition, the artists of the graduating Master of Fine Arts in studio art class of 2025 examine the ways in which something can be missing, through erasure, force, trickery, chance, or misfortune; nevertheless, a legacy, aura, or presence can still be felt. Rebecca Pempek depicts fantastical images of the body in an effort to make sense of pain. John Felix Arnold reimagines landscapes of the American South to consider the ways they hold onto legacies of labor and violence. Dominique Muñoz’s installation uses personal family archives to simultaneously conjure and erase the presence of loved and lost ones. Carson Whitmore builds on utilitarian objects that are rendered useless, lead to nowhere, and are missing parts. Together, all four artists address loss, whether personal or environmental, and how we cope with its lingering effects.

Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025 is curated by Julianne Miao, curatorial associate at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

This exhibition is made possible by the generous support of Carol Cole Levin, Vincent Joseph Kopp and Katherine Craft Kopp, and Maryanna and Will Johnson.

https://ackland.org/exhibition/phantom-limb-selected-works-by-the-mfa-class-of-2025/

Drawing in the Galleries
2025-04-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join us for our popular Drawing in the Galleries program this month during Studio Saturday! Amanda Hughes leads participants in a creative exploration of a particular object in the Ackland’s collection. Participants all draw from one object using their own gallery-safe materials (paper/notebooks and dry media like crayons and pencils), then discuss what they’ve noticed through the process of drawing. All levels are welcome.

POSTPONED: Art Adventures (Morning Session)
2025-04-12 10:30 - 12:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
This class has been POSTPONED. Please register for our registered morning class on April 26: https://events.ackland.org/event/art-adventures-042625am/
—
In this art-inspired, hands-on art-making class for six- to nine-year-olds, participants will create their own art inspired by works in Triple Take: Dialogues with the Terra Collection-in-Residence.
Space is limited; registration required. Free for Ackland Members at the Household Level and above; $5 per child for all others.

POSTPONED: Art Adventures (Afternoon Session)
2025-04-12 13:00 - 14:30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
This class has been POSTPONED. Please register for the afternoon session on our NEW DATE, April 29: https://events.ackland.org/event/art-adventures-042625pm/
—
In this art-inspired, hands-on art-making class for six- to nine-year-olds, participants will create their own artwork inspired by the art on view in Triple Take: Dialogues with the Terra Collection-in-Residence.
Space is limited; registration required. Free for Ackland Members at the Household Level and above; $5 per child for all others.

Ackland Film Forum: Screening of "Velvet Goldmine"
2025-04-15 19:30 - 22:00 | Varsity Theatre, 123 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Ackland Art Museum & UNC Film Studies Present: A Celebration of Christine Vachon
Join us for a two-night event honoring Christine Vachon, one of independent cinema’s most fearless and influential producers! For more than three decades, Vachon has been at the forefront of American queer cinema and has championed bold, uncompromising stories that challenge filmmaking conventions and amplify marginalized voices. As the co-founder of Killer Films, she has worked with some of the most daring filmmakers of our time: Todd Haynes, Kimberly Peirce, John Cameron Mitchell, Paul Schrader, Celine Song, Brady Corbet, and more. From the raw emotional power of Boys Don’t Cry (1999) to the exquisite longing of Carol (2015), her productions have reshaped the cinematic landscape by giving voice to stories that might otherwise go untold.
This two-night event offers a rare opportunity to experience one of her early films on the big screen and hear directly from the artist herself.
Night One – Screening of Velvet Goldmine
Tuesday, April 15 | 7:30 | Varsity Theatre
Velvet Goldmine (dir. Todd Haynes, 1998, UK/US, Killer Films)
Velvet Goldmine is a glittering, audacious tribute to the transgressive spirit of 1970s glam rock. Its nonlinear plot (indebted to the flashback structure of Citizen Kane) investigates the rise, fall, and strange disappearance of Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a Bowie-esque superstar whose music, sexuality, and persona ignite controversy and desire in equal measure. Featuring unforgettable performances by Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, and Toni Collette, Velvet Goldmine offers a kaleidoscopic exploration of identity, fame, and the power of queer art.
Night Two – Christine Vachon in Conversation
Wednesday, April 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Varsity Theatre
Vachon reflects on her groundbreaking career, the evolution of independent cinema, and the importance of authentic queer representation on screen. Moderated by Michelle Robinson, Associate Professor of American Studies, this conversation will offer insight into the creative and logistical challenges of producing films outside the Hollywood system, as well as the cultural impact of LGBTQ+ storytelling. Audience Q&A will follow.
Admission is free and open to the public. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to engage with one of cinema’s most dynamic and influential producers!

Ackland Film Forum: Christine Vachon in Conversation
2025-04-16 19:30 - 21:00 | Varsity Theatre, 123 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States

TOUR: A Closer Look at "Phantom Limb"
2025-04-25 13:00 - 13:30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join Ackland educators for a lively half-hour look at small handful of artworks in Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025. These engaging conversational tours offer a closer look at and new perspectives on works on view at the Museum.

Art Adventures (Morning Session)
2025-04-26 10:30 - 12:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
In this art-inspired, hands-on art-making class for six- to nine-year-olds, participants will create their own artwork inspired by the art on view in Triple Take: Dialogues with the Terra Collection-in-Residence.
Space is limited; registration required. Free for Ackland Members at the Household Level and above; $5 per child for all others.

Art Adventures (Afternoon Session)
2025-04-26 13:00 - 14:30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States

Semester Revue: Student Research & Responses to the Collection
2025-04-30 13:30 - 16:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Each semester, the Ackland Art Museum works with thousands of UNC-Chapel Hill students through courses and internships. The Semester Revue offers a glimpse into the quality and variety of the students’ research, projects, and performances. Come learn about the collection and see it anew through their short, dynamic presentations. Free; no registration required.
The Ackland Semester Revue is part of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Campus Life Experience program. Scan the QR code at the event for CLE credit.

WAITLIST ONLY: Art & Lit: "All the Beauty in the World"
2025-05-02 15:00 - 16:30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
This is program is now SOLD OUT. To join the waitlist, please email Carolina Public Humanities at human@unc.edu.
—
Join Melissa Faliveno (UNC English and Comparative Literature) and Lauren Turner (Ackland Associate Curator of Contemporary Art and Special Projects) for a discussion of All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me (Patrick Bringley, 2023) in the context of Triple Take: Dialogues with the Terra Collection–in–Residence.
$40 includes a copy of the book and light snacks.
This is program is now SOLD OUT. To join the waitlist, please email Carolina Public Humanities at human@unc.edu.

Art Adventures (Morning Session)
2025-05-03 10:30 - 12:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
In this art-inspired, hands-on art-making class for six- to nine-year-olds, participants will create their own artwork inspired by the art on view in Phantom Limb: Selected Works by the MFA Class of 2025.
Space is limited; registration required. Free for Ackland Members at the Household Level and above; $5 per child for all others.
