American Society of Marine Artists 18th National Exhibition

January 16 – April 17, 2021

Marine art is a genre that depicts maritime activities, inshore and harbor scenes, naval scenes, ship portraits, waterscapes and marine wildlife. Marine art took root as its own genre during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, when artists began to make their careers by specializing in naval and trade ship portraits and scenes. Many of the conventions of the Dutch tradition of marine painting are still practiced today. The Romantic period of the 1900s ushered in the dawn of the popularity of the seascape, making waterscapes absent of vessels common for the first time. European marine artists, who came to America, helped establish this genre in prosperous port cities, including Boston, New York and Salem.

The American Society of Marine Artists is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of marine art and maritime history, with a focus on education and the exchange of ideas among artists, collectors, educators, historians and students. Since its founding in 1978, the ASMA has presented its prestigious national exhibition biennially. Featuring 110 paintings, drawings and sculptures representing the very best in marine art, this highly sought after exhibition is touring museums throughout the United States, and the Art Museum is proud to be one of those venues.

the work:

participating ASMA artists:

installation views: