Sneak a peek...

...at a work in progress. It's part of the next exhibition,"The Hanover Connection: Installations by Leticia Bajuyo and Deb Whistler, which will be on view in the Anne Wright Wilson Fine Arts Gallery from May 24 - September 14, 2012.  The photo is of Bajuyo's Dual Wielding, 2012, so if you're on campus this summer, be sure to stop by to see the final product!

Commencement Day Celebrations

Kurtis, Bess, Jordan, Dr. Barry Munitz, Dr. Decker, and Laura 
(photo by Dr. Rosemary Allen)

Saturday morning, students from my "New Museum Theory" course were treated to a breakfast with the Commencement speaker, Dr. Barry Munitz, who gave the address later that morning. We were joined by Dr. Allen, Provost of the College, for breakfast and conversation in the Colbert Room. Among the many topics under discussion, we chatted about connoisseurship (using our portrait by Royal Academician Sir Joshua Reynolds as an example), the "value" of art (using Munch's Scream as our focal point), curatorial ambition and the importance of loans to museums, and education. Dr. Munitz shared his time and a number of fantastic stories of his life and work in museums, including the Getty, as well as some current thinking on museums and education. I, personally, am grateful for the opportunity to have met him and spend time with him.  Students, I hope you enjoyed this as much as Laura and I did. Thank you to Dr. Crouch and Board Trustee, Earl Goode, for inviting us to have breakfast with the speaker and for making his visit possible.

I was able to get a few photographs (thanks, parents and friends for taking these) so I've posted a few images from the post-ceremony festivities below. Unfortunately, the group photo of all art majors didn't quite work out this year, and I don't have photos of all of our art students. Please feel free to send in and share your photos with us (remember, we're not all Facebook-ers!)

Bess and Dr. Decker, with Daniel Stage Left

2/3 of the Fall 2011 class: Shawn and Danielle with their thesis director, Dr. Decker. Where's Ryley???

A huge fan of art history, but certainly not a major (there's still time, Josh!)

Of course, graduation day is a time to connect with current students and let them know that their time is right around the corner. Here I am with Lynsey, art history major GC '14.

Lynsey and Dr. Decker, two years ahead of schedule

Congratulations, graduates! Take care, and please keep in touch!

"A Museum, Reborn, Remains True to Its Old Self, Only Better"

Re-post from New York Times about the Barnes Foundation in Philly. See the full story HERE.

However, don't forget The Art of the Steal in the LRC.

Reverse Perspective and Appropriation

I thought this video summed up some of the themes that we have dealt with in many, if not all, of our courses this semester: perspective, illusion, and appropriation. Enjoy!

New CAA Graduate Programs Directory

College Art Association Thinking about graduate school in the arts? www.collegeart.org/directories CAA has published new editions of Graduate Programs in Art History and Graduate Programs in the Visual Arts, directories of 650 graduate programs in six countries. Graduate Programs in Art History covers the following four program types: History of Art and Architecture, Arts Administration, Curatorial and Museum Studies, and Library Science. Graduate Programs in the Visual Arts comprises Studio Art and Design, Art Education, Film Production, and Conservation and Historic Preservation. The comprehensive directories provide vital information to prospective graduate students and also serve as key professional references for career-services representatives, department chairs, graduate and undergraduate advisors, librarians, and professional-practices educators. Readers can draw important conclusions from these facts, such as the competitiveness of a program based on the number of applications received and accepted. To give you a better sense of the content, look at these three sample entries. Organized alphabetically by school name within each program type, entries describe: •   Curricula •   Class size •   Faculty and specializations •   Degree requirements •   Library and studio facilities •   Opportunities for fellowships, assistantships, and financial aid •   Availability of health insurance The directories are available in the following digital and print formats: •   Four-program print volumes, Graduate Programs in Art History and Graduate Programs in the Visual Arts •   Downloadable PDFs of individual entries •   Ebooks of individual program types •   Individual print volumes of the following six program types: History of Art and Architecture, Studio Art and Design, Art Education, Arts Administration, Curatorial and Museum Studies, and Film Production For more details and to order the directories, visit the CAA website. If you have any questions, please contact Roberta Lawson at 212 392 4404.

IPPAWARDS: Call for Entries

Calling all photographers who shoot with an iPhone (or iPod Touch): the 6th Annual iPhone Photography Awards are taking entries.

Big shout out to my grad school roommate, Chris Pecoraro, for his photograph as the banner for the website!

prelude

Congratulations to all seniors: happy graduation to the Class of 2012 and kudos to the Class of 2013 art majors! The latter group has an exhibition, 2013 Senior Preview, on view through August 20 in the Cochenour Gallery.  If you need a break from finals, one more GC art fix before semester ends, or something to do one dog day this summer, check it out!

(L to R) works by Elizabeth, Kayleigh and Daniel

(L to R) works by Lauren, Jen and Jesse

round about WAB, semester-end 2012

Devon's pour paintings

Dana Sabato, Table

Opportunity: Intern in Lexington

INTERN NEEDED:

The Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center (LTCAC) is currently seeking an unpaid intern interested in an all-encompassing hands-on experience in the arts. College credit is available. Intern’s responsibilities will include but not limited to the following:

Cultural Arts: Assist with exhibition installation, give tours and other opportunities with programs that include performing arts (theater, dance, music, storytelling, etc.), arts and crafts demonstrators (weaving, carving, instrument making, etc.), and film showings.

Education: Marketing efforts- update social media sites & local calendars, Assist staff with educational programs which may include facilitating hands-on activities, distributing materials, assisting teachers/ demonstrators, etc.

Large Events: Assist staff with performance venue ushering, crowd control, information/sales table, event operation. May assist with monitoring dressing/green rooms, set changes, costume changes, special effects, load in/out.

Visitor Services: Assist staff with visitor orientation, provide information, interact with the public, lead/facilitate tours* (i.e. docent opportunities). Assist volunteer coordinator in recruitment, organization and correspondence of volunteers.

Clerical Work: Answer phones, greet visitors, record Board Meeting notes,

REQUIREMENTS: Available 20hr/week, Capable of Multi-tasking, works well under pressure, Works well in groups but can also manage projects alone

HOW TO APPLY:

Candidates should submit a resumé of education and employment, including a list of any relevant courses taken, to Rasheedah El-Amin at culturalarts@lexingtonlyric.com

Full Circle, or Old is New Again

I'm fascinated by how there is this opportunity to come full circle in photography these days. We are in a unique time where the breadth of photographic methods are not only available to practice, but can be intertwined with each other, combining both analog and digital methods.

One professional group that champions traditional methods is F295, an organization dedicated to the continued "exploration of 21st century photography," and a great deal of that is finding links to the past. F295 will have their annual conference in Pittsburgh, PA this coming June. David Emitt Adams, whose work is featured above, will be one of the speakers. I was enamored with his series of wet plate collodion photographs entitled "36 Exposures," featuring portraits of his students printed on the film canisters those students had shot for class; a very clever and thoughtful twist of phrase, so to speak. (This is the same process that Sally Mann uses in her segment on the PBS series, Art21.) Fantastic work.

Image above: Detail from "36 Exposures" by David Emitt Adams

Majors Party - WEDS. May 9 5-7 pm

Directions? Google maps

New Meets Old Part II

The academic year is drawing to a close, but before we say our fond farewells to the new grads, perhaps some of the "old" grads will inspire them to remember: 

GC ART WISHES YOU WELL IN ALL OF YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS!

Class of 2012: Evelyn Fuson, Devon Stivers, Bess McHone, April Jouett, Dana Sabato

Class of 2011 members Kelsey, Megan, and Leah

Class of 2010 members Peggy, Kelsey ('11), Hannah, and Laura

Class of 2010 member Daniel and Class of 2011 member Jacob

Keep In Touch!

New meets old

In a time where invention is rare, rather reinvention is the standard, I thought this was an interesting reinvention and repurposing of an iconic object. Which in today's culture the act of repurposing can be seen as invention. For example the music sampling industry or the entire Disney corporation. But I regress. I just came across this interesting sample of New meeting Old. Enjoy.

I would so forget I had this on and put it through the wash....I just saying with all of the amazing technology we have in the world and waterproofing is not a priority, come on.

Art History Methods Final Papers

Art History Methods Presentations 

Students in the art history methods course made final presentations Monday and yesterday on the works they have been researching from the Dr. Donald L. and Dorothy Jacobs Collection on campus. The course serves as an introduction to concepts, methods, and issues in art history and art criticism. Students explore several art historical methods while intensively and extensively examining a work first hand. 

This semester we learned about James Elkins' approach to time and old stories, Dana Arnold's ideas about art history (as well as art criticism and art appreciation), and Laurie Schneider Adams' take on visual analysis, style, and iconography before moving to biography, contextual approaches, and psychoanalysis. We rallied around reception theory and shied, in many cases, from semiotics. We championed new museum theory and asked ourselves if we were "critical museum visitors" while wondering what agenda this collection has. 

If you see the students pictured above, please ask them about their projects. Next spring, I hope you will join us. Having guests present to hear the talks and ask questions help us to think through our research and defend our work. Thank you to Shawn and Laura who attended our presentations. And, once again, we thank the Jacobses for sharing this collection with us. It is a treasured resource for us to use in class and to share with others!

Note: This course carries the Quantitative (Q) and Writing (W) Flags in the Foundations and Core Program. So, it IS a super course for so many reasons!

Whole Lotta Fun!

Here are a few fun views from last Thursday's Opening Reception for Framework, the 2012 Art Seniors' Exhibition.

L to R: Dana Sabato, Evelyn Fuson, Bess McHone, April Jouett, Devon Stivers

Portia Waton (R), who had just come from the Opening Reception for her Senior Show, Coming Face to Face, in the Cochenour Gallery

Professors Daniel Graham and Boris Zakic checking out the show with 2011 alumna Kelsey Stamper.

Professor Darrell Kincer introducing the Class of 2012 to an adoring crowd.