ROANOKE, VA.- The Art Museum of Western Virginia’s Young Curators are pleased to present Apokalypsis, an exhibition of thirteen works from the Art Museum’s permanent collection that will be on view at the Art Museum May 25 through August 12. Apokalypsis is the first exhibition organized by the Young Curators using works from the Art Museum’s permanent collection that will be installed in the Art Museum’s galleries, an honor that is rarely extended to most high school art programs across the nation. The Young Curators were provided with the unprecedented opportunity to choose works from the Art Museum’s permanent collection in organizing their third exhibition.

Apokalypsis, the Greek derivation of apocalypse, showcases works that illustrate the word’s meaning of new beginnings and cultural and spiritual revelations as opposed to the usual “end of the world” connotation of the word. The exhibition includes works by Betty Branch, Crash, Pierre Daura, Howard Finster, Birney Imes, Rick Prol, and Brian Sieveking.

“The Art Museum was thrilled to open our vault to the Young Curators for the first time to choose artworks in keeping with the theme of their exhibition,” said Georganne Bingham, executive director of the Art Museum. “We are incredibly proud to host their exhibition in the Art Museum’s galleries.”

The Young Curators program is a student led program with a strong peer mentoring component. It provides thirteen high school students from the Roanoke Valley with practical knowledge of and experience in the world of art and museums as they organize an art installation each year from concept to installation. Through the program, students learn all aspects of museum work, including fundraising, curating and art handling, as well as develop skills in business management, aesthetics, writing, critical thinking, and social studies.

“The Young Curators program has provided an unparalleled opportunity to develop critical professional skills, and I have enjoyed becoming an active member of Roanoke’s thriving art community,” said Cody Greene, who has been involved in the Young Curators program for three years.

On June 1, the Young Curators will host That Film and Coffee Thing for young adults with a viewing of Dr. Strangelove, an iconic film loosely based on the Cold War novel Red Alert by Peter George. Themes in Dr. Strangelove provide a juxtaposition of the meaning of the word apocalypse to that which is represented in the exhibition. Attendees are encouraged to visit Apokalypsis following the screening. That Film and Coffee Thing focuses primarily on off-beat independent films, unusual documentaries, genre defining classics, and quality animated films. These free films are shown in a family-room atmosphere and coffee and snacks are available for purchase. Dr. Strangelove will be shown at 6 p.m. in the Art Museum’s first floor gallery.