John Oliver-Curated Art Exhibit Set To Open At American Visionary Art Museum This Week
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- John Oliver's "illustrious exhibit" of art is set to open at the American Visionary Art Museum this week.
Works selected by the "Last Week Tonight" host include a painting of television host Wendy Williams eating a lamb chop, a painting of ties, and what Oliver describes as "a study of rat friendship." Let's just say it's an intimate study.
At the height of the pandemic last year, as museums across the county were forced to close due to public health protocols, Oliver launched a contest for museums to host the "Last Week Tonight's Gallery for Cultural Enrichment" as the show is called.
In addition to the opportunity to display these masterworks, the show offered a $10,000 donation to the winning museums, plus an additional $10,000 donation to a local food bank.
Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum, home to a collection of works from outsider and self-taught artists, was one of five institutions selected in August.
"We were thrilled--crying with joy actually--to be selected by Mr. Oliver, as we so admire his gift for speaking truth to power through humor - an art close to hearts!" said AVAM Founding Director and Primary Curator Rebecca Hoffberger. "We were also deeply moved that Mr. Oliver recognized and cared about both the unique hardships that the COVID pandemic placed on museums and their forced public closures and his sensitivity to give a matching grant of $10,000 to each winner's local Food Bank - in our case, we designated the Maryland Food Bank."
The exhibit will be on display from Nov. 3 through Nov. 21.
