Erik Bulatov’s “Krasikov Street,” 1977. Oil on canvas. Collection Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers. Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union.

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers offers a variety of virtual programs in October, from longtime favorites to new ways of engaging with art lovers. Please note that the museum building remains closed to the public and in-person programs are suspended until further notice. However, once it is opened again, there may be the option of hybrid events where people can enjoy the art virtually or physically. This has the potential to be up for discussion to see if it will be viable. In the meantime, other galleries and museums may want to check out tips for hybrid events to see how they can factor that into the current times.

Although the exhibition “Angela Davis – Seize the Time” is postponed due to the pandemic, the exhibition catalogue is now available and the Zimmerli invites the public to a virtual book launch on October 1, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Museum Interim Director Donna Gustafson, who co-curated the exhibition, is joined for an online conversation by co-curator Gerry Beegan, an associate professor in Design at Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts, as well as catalogue contributors Nicole Fleetwood, professor of American studies and art history at Rutgers, and Lisbet Tellefsen, who compiled the private archive that inspired the exhibition. The panel discusses the scholarly interests and collaborative efforts that coalesced around Angela Davis as a subject for an exhibition – which documents her life, influence, and enduring activism over the past 50 years – and its relevance to the current political moment. The book launch is free and open to the public but requires advance online registration via Zoom. Attendees also receive a 30 percent discount code to purchase the catalogue through The University of Chicago Press.

Meet up with old friends and make new ones as the Zimmerli teams up with Rutgers Global for two social events. On October 6, one of the museum’s most popular programs transforms into Art Before/After Hours, featuring two live streams, as well as recorded content, from 9 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 8 p.m. Explore the Zimmerli exhibition “‘It makes me think of that awful day…’ The Natural World in the Anthropocene,” which examines humankind’s place within – and impact on – the natural world. The program includes a virtual tour, a reflection by Rutgers human ecology professor Mary Nucci, and a live Q&A with the curators. No preregistration required; log on (https://zoom.us/j/95389049148#success) at either time. Get creative at Friendship Fridays on October 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. (ET), as the Zimmerli joins the Rutgers Global weekly pop-up lounge. Enjoy an art activity led by Zimmerli teaching artist – and Rutger alum – Wes Sherman. No previous experience or special materials required; find the Zoom links here: https://global.rutgers.edu/friendship-fridays.

Interactive art-making experiences for young artists and families return on Zoom in October. Art Together, offering free art activities that encourage families to be creative moves to the first Saturday, October 3. Art Adventures meets virtually on eight Tuesdays, beginning October 13. Open to artists of all skill levels between the ages of 7 and 14, these afterschool sessions explore a variety of mediums and methods. For complete details and registration information, visit http://www.zimmerlimuseum.rutgers.edu/.

Zimmerli members are invited to a virtual curatorial conversation about the museum’s exhibition “Everyday Soviet: Soviet Industrial Design and Nonconformist Art (1959-1989)” on October 15 at 11 a.m. Join Julia Tulovsky, curator of Russian and Soviet Nonconformist Art at the Zimmerli, and Alexandra Sankova, director of the Moscow Design Museum for a live talk about this exhibition, the first in the United States to explore Soviet industrial design and material culture from the postwar era. More than 300 objects on loan from the Moscow Design Museum – marking the first time they have traveled to the United States – include household items, fashion, posters, and sketches of products and interiors. These objects are juxtaposed with a selection of approximately 85 artworks from the Zimmerli’s Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union, offering a holistic examination of the ways in which design and art developed concurrently. To register, visit https://sites.google.com/scarletmail.rutgers.edu/zimmerliathome/zimmerliathome/virtual-events.

Visit Zimmerli at Home to experience the museum, wherever you are, whenever you want. Search more than 7,000 images of artwork from the institution’s multifaceted collections on eMuseum. Make Art at Homes features activities and coloring pages for all ages. Explore videos of talks and behind-the-scenes tours (including those you may have missed live). Expand your personal playlists with Art + Music, a compilation of songs recommended by the Zimmerli’s student guards, inspired by their favorite artwork. Miss being inside the museum? Select one of our galleries to appear as your virtual background during online meetings and visit online exhibitions. Recently added sections include Artist Interviews, Community Collaborations, and Virtual Events. Check back periodically as new content is added.

For Rutgers updates, https://coronavirus.rutgers.edu/.