New MSV Exhibition Presents Monumental Paintings by Virginia Artist
Exhibition Features Large-Scale Paintings by Roanoke Artist Bill Rutherfoord
Winchester, VA 10/09/19…Eleven fascinating, large-scale paintings will be on view at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) from October 11 through January 12, 2020 in the exhibition Bill Rutherfoord: Allegory of No Region.
Organized by the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia, Bill Rutherfoord: Allegory of No Region presents paintings ranging in size from five- to 25-feet wide that resulted from an eight-year painting project by Virginia artist Bill Rutherfoord (b. 1950).
Created between 2008 and 2014, works in the exhibition are a fusion of folklore, history, and art.
According to MSV Director of Exhibitions Corwyn Garman, Allegory of No Region offers visitors an experience unlike any other at the MSV. “The scale and exceptional quality of the paintings make this exhibition a must-see for art lovers,” says Garman. Noting that Rutherfoord’s works are the largest paintings ever shown in the MSV, he adds that the vibrancy, subject matter, and intricacy of the paintings may appeal to people in a variety of ways.
“Along with appreciating the works for their visual power, visitors may also dig deeper and find symbolism and references to the art world, literary figures, the environment, and both regional and national history,” Garman says.
According to Garman, cultural references in the works range from Jamestown and the Civil War to the twenty-first century events. The paintings also include depictions of well-known historical and literary figures, such as Edgar Allen Poe, Huckleberry Finn, and Civil War General Stonewall Jackson.
The largest work in the exhibition, Capital—a massive 25-foot wide painting composed of seven panels—is Rutherfoord’s commentary on greed. The painting includes the characters Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox from the Uncle Remus tales, quotations from works by artist Francisco Goya, a reference to the 2010 BP Gulf Oil disaster, and animal and human imagery representing gluttony and deception. In the painting Pavilion of Perpetual Present, Rutherfoord transforms Winslow Homer’s Civil War Painting The Briarwood Pipe into a vision of history, entertainment, and politics that includes depictions of Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and Malcolm X.
Throughout the display of Bill Rutherfoord: Allegory of No Region, the MSV will offer a variety of exhibition-related programming.
October’s events include a southern-themed “MSV After Dark” opening party from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 11; a storytelling event featuring Master Storytellers Mama Retta and Baba-C sharing the tales of Brer Rabbit from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 12; a meet-the-artist program with Bill Rutherford from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 20; and an interactive gallery talk about the history of the Uncle Remus tales led by Christin Taylor, associate professor of English at Shenandoah University, from 2 to 3 p.m. on Friday, October 25. Registration is required for all events. Those interested in attending may find additional program details and register online at or by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 240.
A regional cultural center, the MSV is located at 901 Amherst Street in Winchester, Virginia. The MSV includes galleries displaying permanent collections and rotating exhibitions, the Glen Burnie House, seven acres of gardens, and is the future home of The Trails at the MSV, which will provide three miles of trails for walking, running, or biking. The galleries and exhibitions are open year-round; the house and gardens are open April through December. The MSV is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (11 a.m. to 4 p.m. January through March). Admission fee information and details about Bill Rutherfoord: Allegory of No Region are available at www.theMSV.org–END–