No art museum in the Hartford area does summer kids’ entertainment as well as the Springfield Museums complex. Starting this summer, a new artwork by a Farmington artist has been permanently installed, adding to the family-friendly attractions.
Mara Sfara’s multisensory kinetic diorama “In the Garden of Mount Olympus” features small figures of Greek mythological figures: Zeus with his lightning bolt, Pegasus, Hermes, Nyx, Athena, Poseidon, mermaids. The little brightly colored figures move among a mountain landscape and seascape, with music playing in the background. Nearby is a small table so kids can sit down and write stories about what they see.
The artwork is in the gallery of white plaster-cast sculptures, reproductions that depict old mythological Gods, great men of ancient eras and Bible figures. Sfara wants to use various ways to process information to lure kids, especially kids on the neurodiversity spectrum who may not be able to relate to old statues.
“It’s multisensory, the visual, the sound, the writing. Reading about things is hard for some people. It teaches people to learn differently,” says Sfara, who says she is on the spectrum herself. “The way computer processes are, the mind has different kinds of information coming really fast. Flat art, painting and sculpture, may not hold the attention anymore.”
Maggie North, assistant curator of art at the museums, says the plaster casts went out of vogue in the late 19th century but their subject matter still can command interest.
“There are so many stories embedded in these artworks,” North says. “We hope to be able to tell stories even more.”
The museums complex also has the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss, a Seuss sculpture garden, exhibits of dinosaurs and other animals, a Thomas the Tank Engine exhibit, an exhibit of large-scale toys, Toytopia (ending July 7), and a terrific hands-on learning center on the second floor of the Smith museum.
SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS is at 21 Edwards St. in Springfield, Mass. springfieldmuseums.org.
On other walls
Stockman Gallery, 10 Chestnut St. in New Britain, presents “send me your location,” an exhibit of photography of places, until July 19. The artists are Remy Gaulin, Sawyer Gaunt, Jeff Holcombe, Hannah Hurwitz, Ken Marceau, Chris Martin, Mike Murphy, Erika Santos, Kathleen Smits and Anthony Videira. happeninghere.org/stockman.
Nature Scape, an exhibit of work by Marlene Mayes, is at Gallery on the Green, on the town green in Canton, from June 28 to Aug. 4. An opening reception is June 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. galleryonthegreen.org.
The 7th annual Norwalk Art Festival will be June 29 and 30 at Mathews Park, on West Avenue in Norwalk. More than 100 juried artisans will be on the grounds to show and sell their work. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is free. gordonfinearts.org.
Simsbury 1820 House, at 731 Hopmeadow St., is showing work by Florence Bourgoin until July 18. simsbury1820house.com.
Space Invasion is the theme of this year’s installment of the annual summer outdoor sculpture show in downtown Stamford. Thirty UFOs, rockets and UFO beams have been painted by local artists and are placed around town for visitors to find. For a map, visit stamford-downtown.com.
Artwork by Carol Lavoie is at the Celeste LeWitt Gallery at UConn Health Center, 263 Farmington Ave. in Farmington, until July 11. art.uchc.edu.
Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
