Museum of Contemporary Art Connecticut announces summer exhibition season focused on American history

The Museum of Contemporary Art Connecticut has announced its 2026 summer exhibition season, titled Looking for History: Rick Shaefer, Ellen Harvey, and Michael Borders. The trio of solo presentations will examine how personal, local, and national histories are pictured, preserved, and contested as the United States marks its 250th anniversary. The full exhibition series is scheduled to run from June 25 through November 15, 2026, unfolding across dedicated gallery spaces at the Westport venue.

According to executive director Robin Jaffee Frank, PhD, the collection of artists provides a reflective environment to engage with historical memory and current events. The seasonal anchor, Rick Shaefer: Colossi, will remain on view for the full duration of the schedule from June 25 to November 15. Shaefer’s installation explores themes of human legacy and contradiction through detailed line work to build monumental forms, and includes specific works from his Refugee Trilogy and the series Liberty Dismantled.

The second presentation, Ellen Harvey: The Disappointed Tourist, will open on June 25 and run through August 2, 2026. This ongoing participatory project features monochrome paintings on wood panels depicting lost sites that no longer exist, drawn from public submissions across more than 40 countries. For the Westport exhibition, the museum has invited local community members to contribute regional stories of loss, placing local narratives into conversation with global histories.

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The final solo feature, Michael Borders: Connecticut Industry, will occupy the entrance gallery from August 13 through November 15, 2026. The immersive environment showcases large-scale paintings highlighting the labor, people, and historic industries that shaped the Hartford region and the state of Connecticut. Drawing stylistic influence from artists like Diego Rivera, Frederic Church, and Aaron Douglas, Borders’ work highlights the social and industrial contributions of Connecticut communities to the broader American story.

Exhibition Schedule

Rick Shaefer: Colossi

June 25 – November 15, 2026

Ellen Harvey: The Disappointed Tourist

June 25 – August 2, 2026

Michael Borders: Connecticut Industry

August 13 – November 15, 2026

Exhibition-Related Programs + Events

Opening Reception for Rick Shaefer: Colossi + Ellen Harvey: The Disappointed Tourist — Members’ Preview: Thursday, June 25, 4:30 – 6pm
General Public: Thursday, June 25, 6 – 8pm
Artist Walkthrough with Rick Shaefer: Thursday, July 9, 6 – 7pm
Community Conversation with artist Ellen Harvey: Thursday, July 16, 6 – 7pm
Opening Reception — Michael Borders Connecticut Industry: Thursday, September 10, 6 – 8pm
Art Workshop — Encaustic Collage with Leslie Giuliani: Thursday, September 17, 6 – 8pm,
Studio Visit with artist Rick Shaefer (members only): Saturday, September 26, 11am
Westport Writers Workshop author talk with Rebecca Makkai: Wednesday, October 14, 6 – 8pm
Community Conversation with artist Rick Shaefer: Saturday, October 24, 4 – 6pm

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Museum of Contemporary Art Connecticut announces summer exhibition season focused on American history