PHOTOS: The Momentary marks opening

A pre-opening celebration for the Momentary's founding funders and other guests Feb. 20 kicked off weekend-long festivities to launch the new contemporary art space and satellite of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

Based on the vision of Olivia and Tom Walton and Steuart Walton, the new space "offers the art and music of our times" and includes galleries for exhibitions, performance spaces, artist-in-residence studios, culinary experiences and a festival field.

[Don't see the gallery above, click here.]

Olivia Walton, the Momentary Council chairwoman, told those gathered: "The Momentary is an extension of the Walton family's commitment to developing this region and expanding access to the arts." The hope is the Momentary will be "a complement to Crystal Bridges -- a grittier, multi-disciplinary arts space, a sort of rebellious younger sister institution."

She said the name came from the idea that the space will not have a permanent collection. Rather, the exhibits and programming will be ever-changing, providing the organization "the flexibility to do things that are really of the moment and offer visitors a new experience every time they come."

Lieven Bertels, executive director, said the site of the seven-story, 63,000-square-foot Momentary at Eighth and E streets in Bentonville was "a place with many layers of history," having previously been a cheese factory on grounds that were once an apple orchard, a mill and Osage hunting grounds.

The "sneaker-chic" attire celebration featured a smoking ceremony to bless the space conducted by Osage Nation and Australian Aboriginal Yuin leaders; a private viewing of State of the Art 2020; and a performance by BANDALOOP to kick off the Momentary's inaugural festival, TIME BEING.

The opening weekend concludes today with a full slate of events beginning at 11 a.m.

Founding funders for the Momentary are the Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RODE Microphones, Coca-Cola and the Tyson Family Foundation.

Those mingling to commemorate the Momentary included Lynne and Jim Walton, Alice Walton, John Tyson, Olivia Tyson, John Randall Tyson, Shelley and Doug McMillon, Erin Hogue, Peter Freedman, Wesley Enoch, Marita Supplee, Damien Wilson, Jim Dinkins, Quentin Martin, Dagmar Boggs, Candice Chang, Louis Martin, Brendan Cranna, Marcy and Juan Camacho, Catherine and Stephan Roche, Susan Hutchinson, Terri and Chuck Erwin and Mandy Macke.

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For more event photos -- nwadg.com/photos/society.

Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at cschoppmeyer@nwadg.com.

NAN Profiles on 02/23/2020