OPEN DOOR GALLERY @ WAM

Located inside the worcester art museum

Designed as a partnership between Worcester Art Museum, Seven Hills Foundation, and Open Door Arts,
ODG@WAM is a working studio and gallery that exhibits and celebrates the work of aspiring, emerging and established artists with disabilities, acting as a catalyst for community convening and conversation with the museum and beyond.


CURRENT EXHIBIT

Bo Kim & Hayle Lovstedt: "Taxonomies of the Ordinary" 

On view: September 13, 2025-December 1, 2025

Exhibit Opening: Friday October 3, 2025 from 4:30-7:00 pm 

Show Description 

In this two-person exhibition, artists Bo Kim and Hayle Lovstedt explore themes of perception, relationship, and vulnerability in artwork that is interconnected yet aesthetically different.

Bo Kim’s paintings of ornithological specimens merge the precision of a scientist with the sensitivity of an artist. By re-presenting natural science collections through a careful and observant lens, Kim highlights the artist’s role as both interpreter and advocate for social and environmental awareness. Her work challenges conventional systems of categorization and perception, encouraging viewers to reconsider the assumptions that shape our understanding of nature and one another. Lovstedt’s “hostile” and “inconvenient” objects confront us with their subversion of functionality in their everyday uses. A serving bowl with spikes or a multi-handled mug gives us pause and invites us to make space for the unspoken tension that may be present at the dinner table.

Together, these disparate bodies of work begin a larger interwoven conversation about the everyday and how false perceptions can embed trauma. What are the implications of our disregard? Who decides what’s worthy of attention and why does their voice carry such weight? How can we begin to shift our perspective? When are we allowed to take up space—and when do we simply take it?

A white ceramic cake stand. The top surface of the cake stand is covered in long, white, pointy spikes.
Hostile Cake Stand by Hayle Lovstedt
A drawing of Red-Headed Woodpeckers lined up in rows, all the birds are dead and now treated as specimens. They are positioned on their backs, white bellies showing, and red necks, heads, and beaks extended. Some birds have tags on their feet.
Red-Headed Woodpeckers by Bo Kim
A highly detailed drawing of a Hudson Godwit lying on its back. Its head and beak are tucked in towards its body. It has orange and white feathers on its underside and tan feathers on top. Its feet are tagged with labels containing ID #, collection, and scientific name.
No. 265 Hudson Godwit, Limosa Haemastica, from Captain FitzRoy’s Collection by Bo Kim
A tall white teapot. The curved handle for the teapot is located directly below the spout. The spout sticks straight up into the air. Both of these factors make pouring the tea an awkward endeavor.
Inconvenient Teapot 2 by Hayle Lovstedt

AUDIO TOUR

Below is an audio tour that contains descriptions of the larger series in the exhibitions, reflections from the artists about the art, and image descriptions of all the artworks in order of appearance in the gallery.  

 

 

 

 

 

GALLERY COMMITTEE

in 2024, to ensure that multiple voices inform our vision and decision-making, we created a paid Gallery Committee to help design and juror calls for art and advise on best practices to create an accessible, inclusive and representative gallery space.  Along with their guidance, we are also forming deeper relationships with disabled artists throughout the state, disability organizations, and the broader community.

The committee includes Jeff Kasper, Gordon Sasaki, and Dominic Quagliozzi (who all identify as disabled artists), Megan Bent (Open Door Arts Gallery and Communications Manager) and Samantha Cataldo (Curator of Contemporary Art at WAM).

LOCATION AND HOURS

The Open Door Gallery @ WAM is located in the Higgins Education Wing of the Worcester Art Museum, at:
55 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609

Hours:
The gallery is open during regular museum hours,
Wednesday – Sunday: 10 am-4 pm
Third Thursday of every month: 10 am-8 pm

ACCESS

The Open Door Gallery @ WAM is located in the Higgins Education Wing of the Worcester Art Museum. The gallery can be accessed through the Lancaster Street entrance of WAM or through the Tuckerman Street entrance.

The gallery is at the end of the first floor of the Higgins Wing. During warmer months, it can also be accessed directly through the Lancaster courtyard, where there is a ramp and switch-operated double doors.

We are committed to making the gallery experience as accessible as possible by featuring tactile representations of artworks, large print and Braille signage and texts, audio description, and virtual alternatives, as well as providing ASL interpreters and sighted guides for all events. Please contact for access-related questions or requests.

We are proud to participate in the Card to Culture program, a collaboration between Mass Cultural Council and the Department of Transitional AssistanceMassachusetts Health Connector, and WIC Nutrition Program, by broadening accessibility to cultural programming.

Admissions to our Open Door Galleries and related events is free. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders will receive free admission to any ticketed events. See the full list of participating organizations offering EBTWIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.