The Arlington Museum of Art presents a photographic exhibition that invites viewers along a cross-country exploration of how culture, faith, and place can shape tradition. Created by artist Amy J. Schultz, “The Nativity Project” features outdoor nativity scenes that the artist photographed over nearly a decade of travel to all fifty states. Sixty-five of Schultz’s photographs alongside select excerpts from her field journal are on display.
AMA hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-5pm; Sunday from 1-5pm; closed Mondays. Please note that the museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Like nesting dolls, journeys unfold within journeys throughout “The Nativity Project.” The Biblical story of Jesus’ birth follows the journeys of Mary and Joseph, the magi, and the shepherds. Each nativity echoes those movements, reflecting the collective beliefs held by Christians worldwide. Through her lens, Schultz turns each scene into a vignette of discovery, shaped by the journey of choices she makes about what to hold within the frame. There, each nativity interacts with its surroundings–whether in someone’s yard, commercial space, or town square–inviting questions about regional identity, socio-economic factors, the natural environment, and the ways creativity, traditions, and devotion intertwine.