The latest artworks to grace the walls of Tysons Corner Center aim to remind shoppers of a concept that malls are designed to make them forget: the passage of time.
Tysons Corner Center announced last Thursday (Oct. 17) that it has installed seven framed canvas prints created by artists from around the U.S., all centered around the theme of “Time.” The exhibit wraps up the second year of the mall’s “The Collection: Where Art Meets Fashion” program, which brings artwork from around the world to Tysons.
Subjects of “Time: A Contemplative Exhibition,” which can be found on the mall’s second floor near Macy’s, range from Dallas, Texas-based artist Sonja Quintero’s photo of Rome’s Coliseum to lava forming “New Earth” in a print by Justin Reznick from Lopez Island, Washington.
The other featured works are “Undercurrent” by Reznick; “Unusual Plant Covered Office” by Steven Heap from Morgantown, West Virginia; “Angel Oak” by Sarasota, Florida, artist Philip Crayshaw; New York City artist Michael Alan’s “Stock Market in Motion”; and a celestial print titled “L.L. Ori” by Adam Romanowicz from Bloomingdale, Illinois.
Tysons Corner Center launched its Collection initiative in 2023 in partnership with the Boston-based arts consulting organization TurningArt. Building off of a previous collaboration with ArtsFairfax, Fairfax County’s official arts agency, the program has allowed the mall to showcase work from local, national and international artists.
“We are proud to have partnered with TurningArt and talented artists nationwide to bring diverse artwork to our shopping center, accessible to all visitors for free,” said Jesse Benites, director of property for Tysons Corner Center owner Macerich. “Access to local and national artwork of this caliber traditionally is available only through an entrance fee at a museum, which can limit the demographic of people able to enjoy fine art.”
Since its launch, The Collection has brought 14 different permanent and temporary exhibits with work from over 150 artists to the mall, including paintings by Afghan artists and Falls Church artist Andy Yoder’s popular “Overboard” exhibit, according to a press release.
Tysons Corner Center also recently enlisted local artists to paint murals on the pedestrian bridges from its parking garages. Other current exhibitions include a hanging installation at the mall’s entrance from the Plaza that changes with the seasons and a “Women in Fashion Throughout History” mural by Emely Ramos from George Mason University.
In addition to GMU’s Murals at Mason program and Arts Fairfax, the mall has worked with Fairfax County Public Schools and the Workhouse Arts Foundation on different exhibits.
According to the mall, The Collection will bring 30 murals “in the coming years,” along with temporary sculptures, large-scale permanent exhibits and interactive exhibits. Future installations will be accompanied by audio recordings so visitors can “learn more about the art and the artists behind them.”
“We are excited to partner with Tysons Corner Center to expand ‘The Collection’ and are looking forward to establishing the Center as a leading cultural destination in Northern Virginia,” TurningArt advisor Cecilia Christman said. “With 16 million annual visitors, Tysons Corner Center has the ability to amplify local and national artists, providing visitors with a profound and easily accessible artwork experience.”
