MoCA\CT, WestPAC exhibition explores the connection between visual art, jazz, and the blues

Blues Women by Eric von Schmidt, oil on canvas, 1996. Long-term loan to Westport Public Art Collections, courtesy of the artist’s family.

The Museum of Contemporary Art \ Connecticut and the Westport Public Art Collections will present Art, Jazz + the Blues from Feb. 26 through June 7, a statewide exhibition examining the relationship between visual art and African American musical traditions.

Curated by Anne Boberski, Ive Covaci, and the WestPAC Committee, the exhibition brings together historic and contemporary works that explore the influence of jazz and the blues on visual expression. At the center of the show is Giants of the Blues, a series of group portraits by artist Eric von Schmidt depicting early American blues and folk musicians.

The exhibition includes more than 50 additional works from the Westport Public Art Collections and regional loans, featuring artists such as Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Faith Ringgold, Jack Whitten, and Robert Rauschenberg, among others. The works depict musicians, reflect musical themes, or explore parallels between sound and image.

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Loans to the exhibition come from ACA Galleries, The Brubeck Collection at Wilton Library, Fairfield University Art Museum, Housatonic Museum of Art, contributing artists, and private collectors across Connecticut and the region.

Organizers say the exhibition highlights the role jazz and the blues have played not only in music history but also in shaping modern and contemporary art. The show invites visitors to experience art across disciplines, echoing jazz musician Charlie Parker’s idea of learning to “hear with your eyes and see with your ears.”

The exhibition is supported by a robust schedule of live performances, artist talks, film screenings, and educational workshops designed for audiences of all ages, expanding its reach beyond the gallery walls.

Westport’s long-standing creative community is also reflected in the exhibition, which includes works by artists who lived and worked in the town, reinforcing its historical significance within Connecticut’s broader cultural landscape.

Programming and related events

Feb 26 – Opening Reception, 6–8pm, with live music by Mark Naftalin. (Members’ Preview at 5pm)
Feb 28 – Film Screening: Leadbelly (1976), directed by Gordon Parks, 4–7pm, followed by a Q&A with Prof. Sheila Curran Bernard, author of Bring Judgment Day: Reclaiming Lead Belly’s Truths from Jim Crow’s Lies (2024)
Mar 5 – Curators’ Talk with Anne Boberski and Ive Covaci, 6–7pm, “Blues Off the Wall” with Tim Cole on guitar, 5:30–6pm

Mar 8 – MoCA\CT Presents: Etienne Charles Quartet, 4-6pm
Mar 26 – Community Conversation: Jazz Inspirations, 6–7pm, featuring a panel of musicians. “Blues Off the Wall” with Tim Cole, 5:30–6pm
Apr 9 + 10 – Visualizing Sound Art Workshop: Jazz, Blues & Abstract Expression, 12–2pm
Apr 12 – MoCA\CT Presents: Brubeck Brothers Quartet, 4-6pm

Event details

Art, Jazz + the Blues
MoCA CT • 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT 06880
February 26, 2026 – June 7, 2026

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MoCA\CT, WestPAC exhibition explores the connection between visual art, jazz, and the blues