PITTSBURGH, Pa. – In response to popular demand, and in to honor Martin Luther King, the Andy Warhol Museum will extend its exhibition “Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America” through the observance Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 21.
The exhibition was originally scheduled to close Dec. 31.
“The community response to “Without Sanctuary” has been phenomenal,” said Thomas Sokolowski, museum director. “In the wake of the events of Sept. 11, when most museums across America have been experiencing dips in attendance, the Warhol has had amazing attendance for this exhibit.
“This is very gratifying because it not only shows that it does not take what is known as a blockbuster exhibition to bring people into a museum, but also proves that the public is willing to engage in dialogue about difficult, and sometimes painful issues.”
Expressing reactions. Jessica Arcand, curator of education at the Warhol, said visitor comment books are filled with people’s thoughts and reactions. Many have commented on their appreciation for the contextual displays surrounding the exhibition.
These include a timeline of the African-American struggle for civil and legal rights, and an area on Billie Holiday featuring the song “Strange Fruit.” There is also a public dialogue at 1 p.m. daily.
“Without Sanctuary” includes about 100 photographs drawn from the rare photographic collection of James Allen, an Atlanta antiques dealer, and documents violent public lynching in America from the 1890s to the 1950s.
Space devoted to the exhibition’s historical and contemporary context is located in adjacent galleries, and include a perspective on Pittsburgh’s link to the anti-lynching movement via the Pittsburgh “Courier” newspaper. There is also space for the public to reflect on the images in the exhibition and comment about their own thoughts and perceptions.
The museum. The Warhol, located on the north shore at Sandusky and General Robinson streets, just across the 7th Street bridge from downtown Pittsburgh, is one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday.
Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for senior citizens, and $4 for students and children under 18. Free admission is offered after 5 p.m. on Friday.
Additional information is available at 412-237-8300 or on the museum’s Web site, http://www.warhol.org.
