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Three classroom sessions and a free group visit to The Met connect contemporary ceramics and feminist art history with The Aldrich’s exhibitions. Led by Kristen Erickson, this compact winter series is ideal for curious visitors wanting deeper visual literacy and concrete ways to read objects.
Three classroom sessions and a free group visit to The Met connect contemporary ceramics and feminist art history with The Aldrich’s exhibitions. Led by Kristen Erickson, this compact winter series is ideal for curious visitors wanting deeper visual literacy and concrete ways to read objects.
Book with The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
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Operated by The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum · Ridgefield, Connecticut
Winter in Fairfield County turns museumgoers into sleuths of surface and story. “Getting” Contemporary Art: Winter 2026 Series at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut, is a compact, three-class exploration of relationships, resonance, and materiality led by Kristen Erickson, art history teacher and Director of the Luchsinger Gallery at Greenwich Academy. The series blends classroom conversation with a free group visit to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a rare chance to compare global collections with current exhibitions back home.
Across two classroom sessions at The Aldrich and a field day at The Met, the series moves from broad art-historical questions to close looking. Expect a primer on "Power Couples in Art History" that surveys works from Egypt, Greece, West Africa, and Europe; a reconsideration of gender and access prompted by the seminal question "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?"; and a final session that unpacks contemporary ceramics—including Jennie Jieun Lee: Luteal Elements and Grooves and the exhibition featuring Chenlu Hou and Chiara No—through the lens of material play and relational making.
What makes this series a standout is its material focus: the tactile register of clay, glaze, and fabrication meets institutional narratives in gallery spaces designed for close inspection. The Aldrich’s galleries foreground how scale, surface, and hang influence perception, while the Met visit situates those conversations within a sweeping historical collection. For Ridgefield visitors this program is an efficient way to read both the contemporary show and canonical works in tandem.
Practical notes are precise: class meetings on January 26, January 28, and February 4 take place at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum; the February 2 meet-up is at the Fifth Avenue entrance of The Metropolitan Museum of Art at 11 am. Participants should arrange their own transportation for the Met visit. Classes are discussion-driven and best suited to those curious about feminist questions in art history, ceramics, and cross-cultural comparison rather than hands-on studio practice.
Bring a notebook, pencil, and an open attention to material detail; be prepared to stand while viewing collections. The instructor’s background as an educator and gallery director keeps sessions grounded and wide-ranging: expect both close visual analysis and the contextual reading of objects across centuries and continents.
Book this short series to turn winter’s slow hours into concentrated study time among surfaces and stories—an unusually practical and layered way to expand how you see art in Ridgefield and beyond. Whether you’re a local educator, a student in visual studies, or a visitor in Ridgefield, the series tightens the loop between looking and thinking. Small-group conversation, leaps between objects, and a focus on material process leave participants with sharper literacy and new comparative frameworks to apply at nearby museums.
easy.
1–2 hours per session.
No special fitness required; participants should be able to stand and walk short distances within galleries
Participants are responsible for their own transportation and any museum admission or suggested donation for The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Meetings on January 26, January 28, and February 4 are at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum; the February 2 group visit meets at The Met’s Fifth Avenue entrance at 11 am.
No. The series focuses on visual analysis, materiality, and historical context rather than studio practice.
The series is led by Kristen Erickson, art history teacher and Director of the Luchsinger Gallery at Greenwich Academy.
Yes. The sessions welcome anyone with curiosity about art history, gender in art, and contemporary ceramics—no prior expertise required.
Check booking details on the referral link; the program is offered as a short series with specific dates and may require booking per session or as a package.
The curriculum engages questions raised by Linda Nochlin’s landmark 1971 essay and situates those debates alongside contemporary exhibitions at The Aldrich and selections from The Met.
Visit with reduced environmental impact by combining visits, using public transit where possible, and following museum guidelines for object safety and gallery stewardship.
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut presents rotating contemporary art exhibitions and artist-centered programs. The museum offers guided and self-guided experiences for a broad range of visitors, including General Admission visits, All Ages Discovery Tours, Story-Time for Kids, Seniors-Only Tours, and specialized programs such as Care and Connection for visitors with memory loss and their care partners. Visitors can attend artist conversations, performances, and public programs — examples include talks with artists Martin Beck and Elle Pérez, and performances by Sarah Hennies and Tristan Kasten-Krause connected to Zak Prekop’s Durations and its publication launch. The site includes a newly renovated Sculpture Garden that hosts outdoor events and provides a reflective setting for exhibitions and gatherings. Educational offerings extend to Educator Open House events that feature curator-led tours with Associate Curator Eduardo Alfonso, studio activities, networking opportunities, and resources for classroom engagement. The museum’s public programs also include seasonal offerings like Happy Hour Fridays, which combine late-night access, guided tours, and hands-on activities in The Studio while guests relax in the Sculpture Garden. The Aldrich supports family engagement through Story Time in partnership with the Ridgefield Library and regular Sunday Afternoon Tours led by education staff. As a focused contemporary art institution, the museum maintains an artist-centric approach to exhibitions, programs, and publications, prioritizing direct engagement with artists’ practices and thoughtful public interpretation. Hours, ticketing, and current exhibitions are available on the website.
Book with The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum