Recent Acquisitions to the AEIVA Permanent Collection

June 7 - July 31, 2021

AEIVA’s mission is supported by three pillars: innovative and challenging exhibitions, engaging educational programming, and purposeful collecting. Every object that enters into the AEIVA Collection has a purpose that supports our mission of delivering exceptional exhibitions and educational opportunities to UAB, Birmingham, and beyond.

AEIVA’s permanent collection has grown significantly in recent years and this exhibition highlights a small selection of new works covering a variety of subject matter and mediums.

In 2018, AEIVA was gifted over 300 vintage prints of iconic American photographer Bruce Davidson, making AEIVA one of the largest holdings of Davidson’s work in the United States. In 2020 alone, AEIVA received over 100 artworks representing a wide range of significant artists from Mark Flood, Jon Key, Mary Frances Whitfield, Christina A. West, Roscoe Hall II, and many more.

Museums are created in the public interest, to be stewards of cultural heritage for, and as a reflection of our communities. All objects accessioned (formally accepted) into the collection must meet criteria that support our educational and exhibition goals. Though not all objects accepted into the collection will go on exhibition frequently, the AEIVA Collection is in constant use as an educational resource for entities both in and outside of the UAB campus. The collection is frequently visited by classes and groups of various disciplines including art, history, english, science, and medicine, to support and strengthen formal educational goals. By continuing to purposefully collect artworks at AEIVA, it is our hope that these works of art will enrich and educate our on and off campus communities for years to come.

A substantial amount of the AEIVA collection comes from the generous donations of our supporting members, artists, and collectors, to whom we are infinitely grateful.