Art Museum and Galleries at W&L: Fall 2025 Programs and Exhibitions This academic year’s lineup of exhibits and events will explore the theme of “Materiality & Transformation.”

The Art Museum and Galleries at Washington and Lee University is pleased to announce this year’s theme of “Materiality & Transformation,” with an exciting series of events during the 2025-2026 year that revolve around inquiries of our environmental impact and how we shape the world we live in.

Two exhibits — “Taking Place” and “Recoded Memories” — will open during Fall Term 2025 and run concurrently. Together, the exhibits invite attendees to consider the relationship between humans and nature, and the environmental and cultural impacts of everyday life.

An exciting lineup of programs accompanying the exhibits will underscore the importance of university museums as essential civic spaces that ignite curiosity, confront urgent ethical questions and shape our collective appreciation of art, history and culture.

All exhibits are free and open to the public, and those interested in scheduling a guided tour can email museums@wlu.edu for more information. The W&L community is invited to schedule guided tours of the exhibitions. 

“Taking Place”

Edward Burtynsky’s solo exhibition, “Taking Place,” will be on view from Sept. 3, 2025, through April 18, 2026, in the Reeves Museum of Ceramics. A keynote lecture, sponsored by the Roger Mudd Center for Ethics, is slated for Sept. 11 at 5:10 p.m. in Stackhouse Theater, and will be followed by a reception in the Reeves Museum of Ceramics at 6:30 p.m. The exhibition is a collaboration with the Mudd Center, highlighting issues considered in its 2025-26 series, “Taking Place: Land Use and Environmental Impact.”

“Taking Place” invites viewers to reflect on how nature is deeply transformed through the human production of modern-day comforts. Burtynsky’s large-format aerial photographs are both compelling and troubling, blurring lines between abstract art and documentation. The pieces capture the magnitude of lands deeply marked and affected by human industry and visually contradict the realities they are meant to document: the harmful and disturbing aftermath of modern-day processes used to maintain a growing global population. With “Taking Place,” Burtynsky bears witness to the impact of human beings on nature, encouraging us to reflect on our environmental impact and how we shape the world in which we live.

Burtynsky is an internationally acclaimed Canadian artist of Ukrainian heritage, whose photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes span more than 40 years and challenge viewers to consider the collision of places and economies demanded in our daily lives.

Burtynsky has exhibited internationally, including “The Great Acceleration” (2025) at New York’s International Center of Photography; “BURTYNSKY: Extraction/Abstraction” (2024), which premiered at London’s Saatchi Gallery before touring to M9 in Mestre, Italy; “Anthropocene” at the Art Gallery of Ontario and National Gallery of Canada; “Water” (2023) at the New Orleans Museum of Art and Contemporary Art Center in Louisiana; “China,” which toured internationally from 2005-08; “Manufactured Landscapes” at the National Gallery of Canada (2003-05); and “Breaking Ground,” produced by the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography (1988-92). His visually compelling works are currently being exhibited in solo and group exhibitions around the globe.

“Taking Place” is made possible through the support of W&L’s Roger Mudd Center for Ethics, the Sundaram Tagore Gallery in New York and Hong Kong and the university’s Museum Art Fund.

Coal Tailings #1, SASOL Synfuels, Secunda, Mpumalanga, South Africa, 2018 © Edward Burtynsky. Courtesy of Sundaram Tagore Gallery.

“Recoded Memories”

“Recoded Memories,” an immersive art installation by Moffat Takadiwa, will be on view from Oct. 24, 2025, through May 31, 2026, in the Watson Galleries, with an artist’s talk on Oct. 23 at 5:30 p.m. in the Ruscio Center for Global Learning, followed by a reception in Watson Galleries at 6:30 p.m.

Takadiwa’s expansive sculptural installations repurpose discarded materials into intricate, tapestry-like forms. Working with objects such as computer keys, plastic bottles and VHS tapes, he transforms technological debris and detritus into meditations on memory, language and the traces of human consumption. “Recoded Memories” urges viewers to reconsider the environmental and cultural imprints of everyday life, inviting the audience to reflect on the lifecycle of materials and the global systems that shape what is used, valued and ultimately discarded.

Takadiwa, lives and works in Harare, Zimbabwe, and is a prominent voice in Zimbabwe’s post-independence generation. His artistic practice centers on Korekore heritage while exploring themes of consumerism, inequality, post-colonialism and environmental decay. He is the founder of Mbare Art Space, a visionary artist-led hub housed in a repurposed colonial-era beer hall in Harare’s Mbare township, which hosts a vibrant arts community.

Takadiwa’s work has been exhibited widely, and recent solo exhibitions include “Feeling Without Touching” (2023) and “Second Life” (2025) at Nicodim Gallery in New York; “Possible New Dawn” (2024) at Nicodim Annex in Los Angeles; and “Vestiges of Colonialism” (2023-2024) at Galeria Nicodim in Bucharest, Romania, and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare.

“Recoded Memories” is guest curated by Clement Akpang, assistant professor of art history at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, in collaboration with Nicodim Gallery and Rachel Du, Chinese art specialist and principal gifts officer at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Du recently guest curated “Points of Exchange: Asian Ceramics in the Reeves Collection” currently on view in the Reeves Museum of Ceramics).

“Recoded Memories” is made possible thanks to the generous contributions made by W&L’s Department of Art and Art History, the Class of 1963 Scholars in Residence Program and the university’s Museum Art Fund.

Pregnant Picasso Bull, 2024, Moffat Takadiwa. Zimbabwean bank notes encased in bottle caps, calculator and computer keys. 107 1/8 x 50 x 2 3/8 in. Image courtesy of Nicodim Gallery.

Additional Programming and Events

In addition to various exhibitions, several workshops and events on campus will be free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Reservations may be required for select events.

“The Ethics of Extraction”: A Mudd Center Keynote Lecture @ Stackhouse Theater | Sept. 11, 5:10 p.m.
The Mudd Center presents “The Ethics of Extraction,” a lecture by Thea Riofrancos, to kick off the 2025-2026 Mudd series, “Taking Place: Land Use and Environmental Impact.” Riofrancos will explore the environmental, human and political consequences of lithium mining and the ethical complexities of “green” energy technologies.

A reception will follow at 6:30 p.m. in the Reeves Museum of Ceramics, where guests can experience the extraordinary work of world-renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky in his exhibit, “Taking Place,” with images that compellingly capture the profound impact of human industry on the natural landscape. Pre-registration is required for the reception.

Artful Yoga: Museum Mindfulness Initiative @ Reeves Museum of Ceramics | Select Mondays this fall, noon-1 p.m.
Join the Art Museum and Galleries and Wendy Orrison, owner of Lexington’s Center of Gravity Yoga and Pilates Studio, for gentle yoga sessions each month in the museum gallery, surrounded by artist Edward Burtynsky’s large-scale aerial landscape photographs. Each session offers full-body movement and awakening, with welcoming modifications for both newcomers and seasoned yogis. Sessions will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 1. Yoga mats will be provided, and reservations are required.

Sips ’n’ Sees at the Reeves | Sept. 19, 4-6 p.m.
As part of Young Alumni Weekend, the Art Museum and Galleries invite the community to join for drinks, gallery strolls and a casual evening at the Reeves Museum of Ceramics. Reminisce and enjoy four galleries filled with art, including the stunning aerial landscape photography of Edward Burtynsky’s “Taking Place.”

Sips ’n’ Sees at the Reeves | Oct. 3, 4-6 p.m.
As part of Five-Star Festival Weekend, the Art Museum and Galleries invite the community to join for drinks, gallery strolls and a casual evening at the Reeves Museum of Ceramics. Reminisce and enjoy four galleries filled with art, including the stunning aerial landscape photography of Edward Burtynsky’s “Taking Place.”

Inherent Worth: Art & Practice of Repurposing @ Watson Galleries | Oct. 22, noon-1 p.m.
Join the Art Museum and Galleries for a special preview of Moffat Takadiwa’s exhibition, “Recoded Memories,” led by members of the Art Museum and Galleries and the Office of Sustainability and Energy Education. The event will include a guided tour of Takadiwa’s powerful works made from discarded materials in Zimbabwe, such as bottle caps and keyboard keys, followed by a tour of W&L’s campus e-waste management program in Leyburn Library. Participants will be invited to explore how creative reuse and small actions can shift our perspective on waste, both locally and globally. Pre-registration is required.

“Recoded Memories” Artist Talk and Reception @ Ruscio Center for Global Learning Atrium | Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m.
Join artist Moffat Takadiwa and Sandy de Lissovoy, associate professor of art at W&L, for a conversation exploring the themes and processes behind “Recoded Memories.” The discussion will delve into material transformation, environmental impact and the relationship between art and global systems of consumption. Takadiwa and de Lissovoy will also be joined by Clement Akpang, guest curator of “Recoded Memories.” A reception will follow in Watson Galleries from 6:30 to 8 p.m., offering visitors the opportunity to explore the exhibition and meet the artist. Seats are limited, and pre-registration is required.

This event is presented in partnership with the Department of Art and Art History.

Sip ’n’ Sees | Oct. 24, 4-6 p.m.
As part of Parents and Family Weekend, the Art Museum and Galleries invite the community to join for drinks, gallery strolls and a casual evening at the Reeves Museum of Ceramics and Watson Galleries. Reminisce and enjoy six galleries across two sites filled with art, including two new exhibitions: Edward Burtynsky’s “Taking Place” and Moffat Takadiwa’s “Recoded Memories.”

Big Picture, Small Parts: Art & Practice of Environmental Impact @ Reeves Museum of Ceramics | Nov. 10, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Join members of the Art Museum and Galleries and the Office of Sustainability and Energy Education in using art to reflect on the broad impact of human activity on nature and explore sustainability initiatives that shape W&L’s relationship with the environment. The event will include a guided tour of W&L’s Campus Garden and Edward Burtynsky’s exhibition, “Taking Place,” on view in the Reeves Museum of Ceramics. The event invites participants to explore how to adopt more sustainable practices in food and resource use, both individually and as a community. Pre-registration is required.

This event is presented in collaboration with the Mudd Center for Ethics’ lecture series, “Taking Place: Land Use and Environmental Impact.”

CramSesh Quiet Study @ Watson Galleries | Dec. 5-6, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The Art Museum and Galleries invite students to elevate their study game in a quiet and art-filled environment. Grab a table and enjoy access to coffee, snacks and supplies. Quiet study is open to W&L undergraduate and law students.

The Art Museum and Galleries at W&L are open to the public Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about the 2025-2026 exhibitions, visit the Art Museum and Galleries’ website.