WAM NEW NOVEMBER EXHIBITS
Central Massachusetts Artists Initiative
November 12, 2025–May 10, 2026
Leslie Schomp is a textile artist working in sculpture, embroidery, and lacemaking. For her installation at the Worcester Art Museum as part of the Central Massachusetts Artist Initiative (CMAI), Schomp will present a selection of lacework and hair “drawings” that share a focus on portraiture, identity, and mortality.
Schomp’s drawings are rooted in a tradition of using hair as a material—in particular, Victorian-era hair tokens and wreaths, which were symbols of affection and remembrance respectively. Using her own hair as thread, Schomp crafts portrait miniatures and scenes of the natural world. Set in antique-style frames that nod to their historic inspiration, these intimate drawings are grouped together to suggest emotions and stories. Schomp notes that, because hair can be seen as “both sensual and disgusting, [it] becomes a medium of tension, one that also reveals that a drawing can be both an illusion and an object. … a fibrous line, [it] must be both economical and at the same time layered in density to create the illusion of value at this smaller scale.”
A large-scale lace work featuring a design based on a family member’s pre-surgery x-ray further connects the themes of humanity found in the drawings. Schomp has recently been researching the history of lacemaking and applying this knowledge to her own practice. In works such as this, Schomp upends the delicate and decorative connotations of the material by depicting imagery relating to bodily fragility.
Schomp is Assistant Professor in the Visual Arts department at The College of the Holy Cross. She received her MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and her BFA from Florida State University. Recent and upcoming research fellowships include the American Antiquarian Society (Worcester) and the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Delaware).
The Central Massachusetts Artist Initiative is supported by the WAM Exhibition Fund.
Opens November 22, 2025
Timed-entry reservations are required for all visitors to the Arms and Armor Galleries, available now. Learn more
This fall, the Worcester Art Museum welcomes you to its new Arms and Armor Galleries. Uncover the real stories behind myths and legends, brought to life through over 1,000 objects from around the world. Showcasing the Museum’s collection of arms and armor—the second largest of its kind in the United States—this new 5,000-square-foot space invites you to delve into timeless themes of bravery, power, identity, and honor, and reflect on how these concepts resonate in our lives today.
Rare artifacts, breathtaking artworks, and hands-on interactives make this experience perfect for all ages. With a focus on storytelling, the galleries will explore the societies and cultures in which these objects were used and reveal the skill and ingenuity required to create them. Discover the celebrity culture of Roman gladiators through a 2,000-year-old helmet. Marvel at ornate weapons-turned-fashion statements, like an Indian dagger worn to signify status and masculinity. Search the surfaces of brilliantly crafted suits of armor for clues about their makers. And come face-to-face with samurai Sakai Genzo through the ceremonial suit of armor he once wore.
The core of the Museum’s collection of arms and armor is the John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection. Previously housed at Worcester’s Higgins Armory Museum until its closure, the collection was acquired by WAM in 2014. Now, this reimagined new installation will allow for the majority of these beloved treasures to be on display, using art to boldly redefine how we encounter them. The galleries are curated by Jeffrey L. Forgeng, WAM’s Higgins Curator of Arms & Armor and Medieval Art—who has curated the Higgins Armory Collection since 1999—to highlight the craftsmanship, technological innovation, and cultural significance of arms and armor throughout history.
Opening alongside the Arms and Armor Galleries, Power on the Page: Arms and Armor on Paper (November 22, 2025–February 16, 2026) is a dedicated exhibition showcasing depictions of arms and armor from throughout the Museum’s collection of works on paper. No reservations are required to view Power on the Page.
The Worcester Art Museum is profoundly grateful to the funders, donors, consultants, and the many others who have supported this project. View the full list.
Power on the Page: Arms and Armor on Paper
November 22, 2025–February 16, 2026
Opening alongside the Worcester Art Museum’s new Arms and Armor Galleries, this dedicated exhibition showcases depictions of arms and armor from throughout the Museum’s collection of works on paper. From Japanese woodblock prints of legendary samurai to medieval German combat manuals, these prints, drawings, and photographs shed light on how arms and armor were made, used, and understood across historical periods and within a diverse range of cultures. Due to their sensitivity to light, these works can only be displayed for brief intervals, making this a rare opportunity to witness the artistry and technical expertise of pioneers in the history of printmaking. This exhibition is organized by the Worcester Art Museum’s curatorial team with contributions by Timothy Hampshire (Harvard University).
Please note: Power on the Page is not part of the Arms and Armor Galleries, and no reservation is required to view this exhibition. Reservations are required only for visitors to the Arms and Armor Galleries. Learn more.
This exhibition is generously supported by the Fletcher Foundation.