ARTS & CULTURE
Text and photos courtesy of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel at Crystal Bridges Melds Art, Technology and Wellness
Four-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and mental health pioneer Jewel will debut her inaugural museum venture at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art this spring. The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel will explore the intersection of music, mental health, technology and art. Featuring a drone show choreographed by Jewel and set to an original score by the artist, The Portal will also showcase a never-before-seen painting and sculpture by Jewel. The experience will be open to the public from May 4 through July 28 and will include a meditative art walk through a curated selection of works from Crystal Bridges’ collection by prominent contemporary artists.
Jewel’s passion for art dates back to her childhood, predating her songwriting career, and she declares visual art her “first love.” After studying sculpture and painting, designing sets, and embracing technology and audio components in her artmaking in recent years, Jewel’s artistic journey has evolved into a holistic approach that extends to mental health advocacy, informing her creation of The Portal.
Photo by Jared Sorrells
“I began my creative journey studying sculpture — marble-carving and clay — before moving into drawing and painting,” Jewel said. “These disciplines taught me about crafting melodic structure in the songs I wrote in subsequent years. The Portal combines the three disciplines that are my life’s work — visual art, music and behavioral health — and explores my personal philosophy of the Three Spheres. It’s such an honor to debut my work with Crystal Bridges. They value innovation, experimentation and inclusivity — an ethos I am deeply aligned with.”
This art experience will inspire Crystal Bridges visitors to explore Jewel’s concept of the Three Spheres of existence: the inner world, outer world and the unseen world, encompassing the human experience of mind, body and spirit. When the spheres align, happiness, harmony and well-being can be achieved, while misaligned spheres manifest as anxiety, anger or unrest. Jewel has meticulously crafted each aspect of the art experience to harmonize the Three Spheres, creating a dynamic space and experience where inner thoughts, external actions and hidden emotions converge.
The Portal will begin with a reflective art walk through the museum’s contemporary wing, showcasing Jewel’s curated selection of 10 artworks from Crystal Bridges’ collection by artists such as Ruth Asawa, Fred Eversley, Julie Mehretu, Mickalene Thomas and Sam Gilliam, in addition to two original artworks by Jewel: a portrait of her son and a striking new sculpture. A cutting-edge holographic artwork of Jewel, using Proto Hologram technology, will welcome visitors to the experience, where they will encounter new wall labels, written and narrated by Jewel, that will guide them mindfully through the gallery.
Each night for the duration of the experience, there will be a choreographed 200-piece drone light show over Crystal Bridges’ pond, flown by Nova Sky Stories. Visitors will be invited to wear headphones and listen to a conceptual, original song written and recorded by Jewel, which will be sold on vinyl in the museum gift shop, featuring one of Jewel’s paintings on the record sleeve. The audio-visual art experience has been designed by Jewel to create a space for reflection, connection and transformation as well as prompt introspection, self-awareness and well-being among visitors.
“Jewel’s vision for The Portal aligns beautifully with our mission at Crystal Bridges,” said Rod Bigelow, executive director and chief diversity and inclusion officer for Crystal Bridges and the Momentary. “We believe in creating welcoming, transformative new experiences that disrupt and expand art conventions while enhancing well-being. Jewel’s creative vision does just that, and we’re thrilled to work with her to bring it to life.”
The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel is on view at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville from May 4 through July 28. The experience will run Thursdays through Sundays most weeks. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for kids 11-18 and free for kids 10 and under. Tickets for members are $20 for adults, $12 for kids 11-18 and free for kids 10 and under. A cash bar and culinary add-ons are available. To select dates and purchase a ticket, visit crystalbridges.org.
The Portal kicks off with an exclusive VIP premiere May 3. Guests will get a first look at the experience and can hear about Jewel’s creative process from the artist herself.
Set during the opening weekend of The Portal, Crystal Bridges and the Momentary are hosting the Wellness Festival. Happening May 2-5, the Wellness Festival will feature a variety of free and ticketed talks, workshops, culinary experiences and family-friendly engagements by community partners, showcasing the profound connections between creative expression and personal health.