MEMBER MAGAZINE | FALL 2019
THE CONVERGENCE OF SCIENCE & ART
INSIDE
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING
SPECIAL FEATURE:
SPECIAL FEATURE: SPEECHLESS
NEW: SHEILA HICKS
RAGNAR KJARTANSSON
Seven designers create an
Sheila Hicks pushes the boundaries
Dallas Opera General Director and CEO
“aesthetic exploratorium” where
of how we perceive textiles by
Ian Derrer speaks with artist Ragnar
you will be encouraged to touch,
drawing inspiration from the
Kjartansson about his upcoming
move, and interact with the art.
Andean region of South America.
exhibition of The Visitors.
ART & SCIENCE
ACCESS PROGRAMS
SPECIAL FEATURE: SENUFO MASK
Dr. Tandra Allen, of the Center for
See how your membership and support of
CT scans reveal what's inside the
and member of the
the DMA help make art accessible to all in
DMA's Senufo komo mask.
BrainHealth®
Speechless Scientific Advisory Panel,
our community.
answers our questions.
IMAGES Cover: Ini Archibong, rendering of theoracle, © 2019 Page 2: Sheila Hicks, Zihzabal (detail), 2018, pigments, synthetic fibers, cotton, linen, and wood, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Fair Foundation Acquisition Fund, © Sheila Hicks; Ragnar Kjartansson, The Visitors (detail), 2012, nine-channel video projection, running time: 64 minutes, Collection Marguerite Steed Hoffman, © Ragnar Kjartansson, Photo Elisabet Davids, courtesy of the artist, Luhring Augustine, New York and i8Gallery, Reykjavik; Ini Archibong, rendering of theoracle; Detail from Steven and William Ladd’s Scroll Space, Photo Matt Checkowski; Helmet mask (komo), Senufo peoples, Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, mid–20th century, wood, glass, animal horns, fiber, mirrors, iron, and other materials, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of David T. Owsley, 1997.24 Pages 4–5: Miguel Covarrubias, Genesis, the Gift of Life, 1954, glass mosaic, City of Dallas, Gift of Peter and Waldo Stewart and the Stewart Company, 1992; Francisco Moreno, Chapel (detail), 2016–18, pencil, vine charcoal pencil, and acrylic on an all-encompassing structure, photo by Wade Griffith, courtesy of the artist and Erin Cluley Gallery Page 7: Bag with fringe, Peru, south coast, Late Horizon (1450–1532)–early Spanish colonial period (1532–1700), cotton and camelid fiber, Dallas Museum of Art, the Nora and John Wise Collection, bequest of Nora Wise, 1989.W.2416; Sheila Hicks, Phare Double, 2016, cotton, silk, and razor clam shells, courtesy galerie frank elbaz, © Sheila Hicks; Sheila Hicks, Zihzabal (detail), 2018 Page 8–9: Overskirt with wavy edge (ntshakakot), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuba peoples, Bushoong group, early 20th century, palm leaf fiber (raffia), cotton, wool, and vegetal fiber, Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund, 2005.41; Ragnar Kjartansson, The Visitors (detail), 2012; Alex Katz, Emma 3, 2017, oil on linen, The Rachofsky Collection, © 2019 Alex Katz/Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY, Photo Paul Takeuchi, courtesy the artist and Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York/Rome; Wanda Koop, Capitol, 2019, acrylic on canvas, © Wanda Koop, courtesy of the artist; Ini Archibong, rendering of theoracle; Sandra Cinto, Encounter of waters (detail), 2012, Seattle Art Museum, USA, Photo by Nathaniel Wilson; Helmet mask (komo), Senufo peoples, Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, mid–20th century; Utagawa Hiroshige, Hara: Mount Fuji in the Morning (detail), 1834, woodblock print, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Marcus, 1984.202.14; Sheila Hicks, Zihzabal (detail), 2018 Pages 10–11: Ragnar Kjartansson, The End (detail), 2009, five-channel video installation, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Marguerite Steed Hoffman, 2010.4.a–e, © Ragnar Kjartansson; Ragnar Kjartansson, The Visitors (detail), 2012 Page 16: Helmet mask (komo), Senufo peoples, Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, mid–20th century; Page 22: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Martha and Mary Magdalene (detail), about 1598, oil and tempera on canvas, Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of the Kresge Foundation and Mrs. Edsel B. Ford
DIRECTOR'S LETTER
I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome you to another abundant season of remarkable exhibitions and programming at the DMA. What makes me especially excited about this fall is the chance to spotlight innovative and dynamic connections we’re making through art—connections that are sure to spark conversation in the coming months and beyond. It feels like a bit of a science moment at the Museum, with inspiring partnerships that see our curatorial curiosity stretched to new heights as we work alongside science and medical researchers to offer art experiences through a new lens. Our groundbreaking design exhibition Speechless: Different by Design (cover story) and the wholly fascinating Not Visible to the Naked Eye: Inside a Senufo Helmet Mask are two such collaborations that you’ll read about in this issue’s special features. There’s also a contemporary moment to boast about, with focus exhibitions of works by this year’s TWO X TWO honoree, Alex Katz; the renowned Ragnar Kjartansson; and visionaries Sandra Cinto and Wanda Koop. And in case you missed it—our Dior moment in Dallas continues with the run of the extraordinary Dior: From Paris to the World exhibition extended through October 27. As the final destination for the US tour, we’re delighted to accommodate popular demand, both from our local community and from across the country, with extra time to see the show. Bringing a lineup like this to life wouldn’t be possible without you, so we are ever grateful for your support of the Museum’s mission and we can’t wait to see you here with a friend—or two—soon!
Agustín Arteaga The Eugene McDermott Director
U P DAT E S CURATORIAL NEWS
EXPANDING COMMITMENT TO LATIN AMERICAN ART The DMA announced an expanding commitment to Latin American art with the creation of the Jorge Baldor Curator of Latin American Art position, five artworks to be gifted to the Museum, and the establishment of a $1 million fund for the acquisition of Latin American art. This effort will elevate the visibility of Latin American art at the DMA and bring to our audience exhibitions that spotlight the rich artistic production and history of the region.
JULIEN DOMERCQ was appointed The Lillian and James H. Clark Assistant Curator of European Art. Domercq will actively contribute to the European department’s robust research, exhibition, and collection programs, with a focus on the Old Master collection. His first exhibition project for the Museum was this summer’s presentation of Caravaggio’s Martha and Mary Magdalene. DR. MARK A. CASTRO was appointed the DMA’s first Jorge Baldor Curator of Latin American Art, a new curatorial position announced earlier this year. With more than a decade of experience as a curator, scholar, and educator in Latin American art, Castro is recognized as a leader in the field. His appointment signals a dynamic new chapter in the DMA’s presentation of Latin American art. Castro will oversee the acquisition, exhibition, and research of art from North America, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, from the viceregal to the modern centuries. He arrived at the DMA in September after serving as an integral member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s curatorial team. In February Dr. Nicole R. Myers was named The Barbara Thomas Lemmon Senior Curator of European Art. Myers steps into her new role after serving for nearly three years as The Lillian and James H. Clark Curator of European Painting and Sculpture. Dr. Anna Katherine Brodbeck was promoted in March to the Hoffman Family Senior Curator of Contemporary Art after serving for two years as The Nancy and Tim Hanley Associate Curator, and previously as Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art. In June Sue Canterbury became The Pauline Gill Sullivan Curator of American Art after serving for nearly eight years as the DMA’s Associate Curator of American Art. In May, Sarah Schleuning assumed the position of Interim Chief Curator. In this role, she acts as the curatorial department’s chief administrator and representative, in addition to her duties as Margot B. Perot Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and Design.
Dr. Mark A. Castro was appointed the DMA’s firstever dedicated curator of Latin American art, a new position made possible through a major gift from Dallas entrepreneur and civic leader Jorge Baldor. An extraordinary $1 million gift from Linda Marcus will establish the Stanley and Linda Marcus Endowment for the Acquisition of Latin American Art. The new fund builds on the Marcuses’ incredible history of support for the Museum and their particular interest in the arts of the Americas and Latin America.
To launch the growth of our Latin American collection, five major works were gifted to the DMA by Baldor, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, the de Unger family, an anonymous donor, and Nancy and Jeremy Halbreich. The gifted artworks are a painting by Jose Clemente Orozco, dramatic pastels by Diego Rivera and Roberto Matta, a Peruvian textile likely from the 17th century, and a preparatory drawing by Miguel Covarrubias for the mural Genesis, The Gift of Life, a visitor favorite installed outside the Museum’s Main Entrance.
UPDATES
EUROPEAN GALLERIES GET A NEW LOOK
After closing in early summer for a total reinstallation, the European art galleries reopened to the public in August. Old favorites and new masterpieces—including recent acquisitions, a revamped presentation of Old Master paintings and sculpture, rarely shown works that were restored for exhibition, and a fresh integration of decorative arts—give visitors a new experience on Level 2. Prompted by Margaret and Eugene McDermott’s magnificent final bequest of 32 artworks from the 19th and early 20th centuries, the reinstallation highlights the transformative impact of the bequest on the Museum’s collection, with strengths from the McDermott Collection now presented seamlessly alongside the DMA’s holdings.
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY ACQUISITIONS
This year’s recent acquisitions brought in rare and immersive works that further expand the scope of our global collection. Highlights include an elegant silver dagger from Bhutan; a painted drum by Paul Gauguin; a neon-lit house frame and video installation by Alex Da Corte; and an exceptional installation by Texas artist Francisco Moreno.
C H I LT O N A LEADER AND A LEGACY
Recently, Dr. Nicole R. Myers, The Barbara Thomas Lemmon Senior Curator of European Art, sat down with J. E. R. “Bob” Chilton to discuss his leadership of the Museum, his passion for art, and his gift to the DMA of 14 marine paintings.
Dr. Nicole Myers: When did you start collecting? And what did you collect when you started? J. E. R. "Bob" Chilton: Here in this landlocked city I developed a great love of the water and the sea. I can remember as a child, I would imagine sailing to wild places that I’d never heard of at that point. So it dates back quite a while. Then, as I was able to, I started collecting. And the collection was marine but it was primarily of ships’ portraits. After a time, I came to the conclusion that what I really enjoy looking at in these paintings is not the ships, but the people on the ships. So I changed the collection quite a bit by directing it away from just the ships and concentrating on the people of the sea.
Myers: If you had to choose a favorite from among the works you are giving to the Museum, what would it be? Chilton: My favorite is Morning after a Heavy Gale, Weather Moderating, the Ramsgate Life-Boat and Pilot Boat Going to the Assistance of an East Indiaman Foundering on the North Sandhead of the Goodwin Sands by E[dward] W[illiam] Cooke. Cooke was an English artist who studied and painted in the Netherlands, but his outstanding work was done on the sandbars and in the small fishing villages in England. If you look at the detail within that lifeboat crew and the dedication of those men, you can see the Victorian painter’s ability to bring out their expressions. You know exactly what was going on in their minds.
Myers: Of all the exhibitions that you've seen in the Chilton Galleries [the Museum's primary location for special exhibitions], do you have a favorite? Chilton: Two favorites come to mind: One was the show that displayed fraudulent paintings as opposed to the real paintings [Artful Deception, 1989], and the other was the use of photography by the early painters in France [The Lens of Impressionism, 2010].
"What I really enjoy looking at in these paintings is not the ships, but the people on the ships." Myers: As the DMA looks toward the future, what are some of the things you hope for, both for the Museum and for the Dallas community that's been your home for so many years? Chilton: I hope the DMA keeps on growing and is embraced more by the city, the city government, and therefore by the citizenry. It's only going to get there by opening the doors with more popular types of exhibitions and keeping the kids involved. The number of school children we have through here is amazing. It's been a fun experience for me. I've loved every minute down here.
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
A Fresh Examination of Textile Traditions Through Time From curators DR. MICHELLE RICH, The Ellen and Harry S. Parker III Assistant Curator of the Arts of the Americas and DR. KATHERINE BRODBECK, Hoffman Family Senior Curator of Contemporary Art
Born in Nebraska in 1934, Hicks has been living and working in Paris since the mid-1960s. Before settling in France, she studied at the Yale University School of Art, where she explored ancient and contemporary indigenous textile traditions of the Americas. Hicks traveled through South America and Mexico, studying and living with weavers and developing her practice, which also includes wrapped, twisted, and knotted fiberworks of all shapes and sizes—from the miniature to the monumental.
Sheila Hicks © Cristobal Zanartu
Andean tunics, ponchos, caps, bags, belts, and loincloths in the Arts of the Americas collection are brilliant examples of ancient textiles and weaving techniques. The threads for the cloth were handspun from cotton or the silky hair of alpaca and llama. Dyes were sourced from plants and animals, such as indigo, which produced rich blues, or the vivid reds from the cochineal insect that lives on prickly pear cactus. Andean weavers expressed their worldview through their art, handweaving on looms the colorful textiles that portrayed abstract designs or intricate images of supernatural animals. These practices formed the basis for an artistic tradition that persists today across the mountainous Andean region of South America, and from which contemporary fiber artist Sheila Hicks has drawn great inspiration.
During her decades-long career, Hicks has explored the relationships between past and present fiber arts, creating dozens of small-scale studies that employ an innovative Andean weaving technique in which the finished result is a panel with four selvages, or four finished edges. Ancient artisans used their four-selvage panels in everything from bags to ponchos, weaving them in the exact size needed for each particular item. Hicks calls her works “minimes.” She has also pushed the boundaries of how we perceive textiles by draping her large-scale work on building exteriors, across cobbled courtyards, and throughout elegantly manicured gardens.
Hicks’s work reminds us how great art reaches across time to touch us, wrapping us in an experience of the present moment that transcends history and culture, while also being deeply informed by it.
Sheila Hicks: Secret Structures, Looming Presence On view through January 12, 2020
Bag with fringe, Peru, south coast, Late Horizon (1450–1532)–early Spanish colonial period (1532–1700)
Catch a lineup of special focus exhibitions this fall that showcase the
ON VIEW
Museum’s global collection, highlight exciting intersections between art and science, and bring together work from local collections, with many original shows only on view at the DMA!
WEARABLE RAFFIA FROM AFRICA AUGUST 31, 2019 TO JULY 12, 2020 | FREE This exhibition draws primarily from
FOCUS ON: ALEX KATZ
the Museum’s acclaimed collection
SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 TO
of African garments and textiles made from the woven fibers of raffia palm trees from West and Central Africa and the island of Madagascar. Wearable Raffia from Africa features works from several groups across four African countries, including the Bamileke peoples (Cameroon), Dida peoples (Côte d’Ivoire), Merina peoples (Madagascar), and Kuba, Suku, and Teke peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
MARCH 22, 2020 | FREE A focused installation of works by the 92-year-old American painter Alex Katz is presented in celebration of his appearance in Dallas as the honored artist at the 2019 TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art fundraiser gala in October. The exhibition also includes a painting the Museum plans to acquire, as well as four from local Dallas collections.
FOCUS ON: RAGNAR KJARTANSSON SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 TO MARCH 22, 2020 | FREE A nine-channel video installation by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, on loan to the Museum from the collection of Marguerite Hoffman, shows eight musicians across nine screens playing a musical adaptation of a poem in different parts of the Rokeby Farm House in Hudson Valley, New York. Viewers can listen to individual performers, or, at a certain point in the installation, listen to the entire ensemble. Also on display is a collection of personal postcards written by the artist to Hoffman.
CONCENTRATIONS 62: WANDA KOOP OCTOBER 20, 2019 TO FEBRUARY 2, 2020 | FREE Canadian painter Wanda Koop brings her practice of depicting how modern urban society intersects with the natural environment to the Museum’s Concentrations series of project-based exhibitions that present work by artists in their first US solo museum show.
ON VIEW
NOT VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE: INSIDE A SENUFO HELMET MASK NOVEMBER 23, 2019 TO SPEECHLESS: DIFFERENT BY DESIGN
JANUARY 2021 | FREE
NOVEMBER 10, 2019 TO
In an exciting and cutting-
MARCH 22, 2020 | MEMBERS SEE IT FREE
edge collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical Center, the
The DMA debut of this nationally touring
DMA’s conservation and African
exhibition, co-organized with the High
art departments present CT scans
Museum of Art in Atlanta, presents site-
of a Senufo helmet mask from
specific, participatory installations by
the Museum’s collection. Visible
seven leading and emerging international
attachments on the mask include
designers that explore the vast spectrum
a female figure, cowrie shells, and
of sensory experiences and new
imported glassware. The CT scans
approaches to accessibility and modes of
reveal unexpected materials beneath
communication in the museum setting.
the surface and objects contained in the attached animal horns that empower the mask.
DON’ T MISS THESE
SANDRA CINTO:
DIOR: FROM PARIS TO THE WORLD A dynamic selection of almost 200 haute couture dresses, along with accessories, photographs, runway videos, and other archival material from more than 70 years of the House of Dior’s legacy. This spectacular show has been extended through October 27.
LANDSCAPE OF A LIFETIME NOVEMBER 15, 2019 TO JULY 5, 2020 | FREE Brazilian artist Sandra Cinto transforms the Concourse with a
THE FIFTY-THREE STATIONS OF THE TŌKAIDŌ Japanese woodblock prints by Utagawa Hiroshige on view through November 24, 2019 FREE
mural covering the walls and ceiling in 24 shades of blue, shifting from dark to light to give the impression of the transition from night to day. Intricate pen drawings of celestial elements such as stars and clouds, along with soft sounds recorded by the artist, enhance Cinto's exploration of life and natural cycles.
SHEILA HICKS: SECRET STRUCTURES, LOOMING PRESENCE A presentation of works by the celebrated fiber artist alongside ancient Andean textiles from the DMA’s collection, on view through January 12, 2020 FREE
RAGNAR KJARTANSSON
Ragnar Kjartansson, The End. 2009
Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Ian Derrer speaks with artist Ragnar Kjartansson about his upcoming installation of The Visitors, opening September 15 in the Hoffman Galleries.
Q&A WITH RAGNAR KJARTANSSON Ian Derrer: You have a background that includes both music and drama as parts of your upbringing from your parents and grandparents. Do you think in terms of one versus the other first—are you seeking drama, or are you seeking music? Ragnar Kjartansson: Actually, I’m just really glad that I’m working as a visual artist. I use drama and music through visual art, sort
Ian Derrer
of like one uses color or pencil or coal. Visual art is such a rich environment that you can work any form into it. I really think of it all as visual art. In that context, I can play with things as I please. I love the [movement] of a piece, of the idea it asks for. An idea comes, and then maybe it asks for a drawing, or it asks to be an opera. Derrer: I came upon an article that mentions your fondness for the electric guitar, and I love the electric guitar too. Tell us your early musical influences, and how that came about. Kjartansson: My first musical influence is my godmother, Engel Lund, a lieder and folk singer who lived with my family. She was a mega-character between the wars. So that was a kind of high art influence. Also, my dad was a folk singer in the Scandinavian folk singer tradition. This was during the Cold War; there was a lot of tension here in Iceland because of the American base. American music was tossed down. In my 20s, I began to appreciate country music and the blues. That rich environment of American music suddenly rained upon me.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Derrer: When you’re involving instruments, do you think in terms of their masculine and feminine traits? Kjartansson: I don’t think so. I just think the instrument comes into a gender context depending on who is playing. An electric guitar in the hands of a dude or the hands of a lady is very different, and holds very different meanings. I find it interesting how you can put anything into an idea of culture and it changes its form, like an instrument does. I think an instrument changes its form in the ways a culture connects to it, more than the instrument has its own culture and context.
"An idea comes, and then maybe it asks for a drawing, or it asks to be an opera."
Derrer: Your creations seem to showcase repetition and the length of exposure. Do you think of those in advance, as part of the design, or do they come organically while you create? Kjartansson: Repetition is a nice tool to use to make something about this performance more sculptural or painterly, and I use it a lot. I’ve used it since art school. And it comes naturally to me, being raised in the theater and being an altar boy, where you really realize the power of repetition. Therefore, I use it as a tool, as one uses tools to give things a structure in art.
Derrer: Your installation that will be at the DMA is The Visitors. Can you tell us about some of the responses it received in its
The Visitors, Ragnar Kjartansson
various exhibitions so far? Kjartansson: It’s a piece I made in 2012, in a very different world, but there is an interesting part I still talk about. I wouldn’t do that piece now. The political context is very different now. So the piece is of a different era. I find it interesting how we make work that breathes with the times we live in. It’s had very, very profound responses, which are sometimes deeply personal. Something clicks with people. I’m thankful for that. Focus On: Ragnar Kjartansson On view September 15, 2019–March 22, 2020
Derrer: Do you think that The Visitors resonated with so many people because it Focus On: Ragnar Kjartansson is organized by the Dallas Museum of Art. The Dallas Museum of Art is supported, in part, by the generosity of DMA Members and donors, the citizens of Dallas through the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
was saying something about the time, of the era? Or maybe because the piece
EXHIBITION SUPPORT
Kjartansson: There’s so much hope in that piece. Artworks are mysterious; that is
itself was so different?
what I love about them. My motto in art is that Rolling Stones song “No Expectations.” I never have any expectations of the viewer. The viewer owns the piece when they
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
MARGUERITE STEED HOFFMAN
EVENT SUPPORT
LOCAL SUPPORT
put it out. But there’s hope in it, and then there’s the performers in it. They are quite amazing. It’s a portrait of musicians from my music scene here in Reykjavik. I think their performance really resonates. It creates a portrait painting of these people.
different by design
SARAH SCHLEUNING, DMA Interim Chief Curator and The Margot B. Perot Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and Design, wants you to leave the Museum asking more questions than when you arrived: questions about empathy, shared experiences, how our brains work, and the role art plays in that discovery. She is creating a space for everyone to explore these questions through the DMA's newest exhibition, Speechless: Different by Design, opening in mid-November.
Speechless brings together six distinct designers and design teams, hand-selected by Schleuning and highlighted below. They are creating an “aesthetic exploratorium” within the Chilton Galleries where you will be encouraged to touch, move, and interact with the art.
This project is a personal one for Schleuning; her youngest child was born with a neurological motorplanning issue. She says, “I became interested in this idea of how to deal with differences among us— especially when it's the people you care about the most—focusing on how the difference between language and communication plays out.” While working on a project on playscapes and the power of play and interaction with objects as a means to experience art, the idea for Speechless was born as a way to explore how communication, art, and interactive experiences converge. “One of the things I really want to do with this project is push the boundaries of what people think about art museums. I want to explore the role art and aesthetics plays in our lives and the power creativity and design can have in creating empathy and new ways of understanding the way we exist.”
meet the DESIGNERS MISHA KAHN Misha Kahn creates objects that combine digital and handcrafting techniques whose function is masked by the unusual assemblage of objects he uses to create them. His concrete Heyerdahl lamps were among the works in Bjarne Melgaard’s 2013 installation at the Whitney Biennial, and his work was exhibited in 2014 at NYC Makers: The MAD Biennial at the Museum of Art and Design, New York.
INI ARCHIBONG Ini Archibong has designed furniture for such luxury brands as Hermès, Knoll, and Bernhardt Design. His most recent collection, for British furniture line Sé, was released in early 2018 and was exhibited at Milan Design Week. He studied design at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design and at L’École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne in Switzerland, where he is based.
LAURIE HAYCOCK MAKELA Laurie Haycock Makela has been a recognized voice of experimental graphic and trans-disciplinary design practice and education for over 30 years in the United States and Europe. Her studio with the late P. Scott Makela, Words and Pictures for Business and Culture, produced print and new media for clients such as Nike, MTV, Kodak, and Warner Brothers Records.
YURI SUZUKI Yuri Suzuki is a sound artist, designer, and electronic musician who explores the realms of sound through exquisitely designed pieces. His work looks into the relationship between sound and people, and how music and sound affect their minds.
SPECIAL FEATURE Here are some of the questions Schleuning asked the designers to address in their works.
How does harnessing the power of art translate into different ways of communicating ideas? The designers were given space to explore these ideas alongside a scientific advisory panel composed of local DFW specialists whose careers are all international in scope (see list at bottom right). Thanks to seed funding from the wish Foundation, which provided money for research, artist visits, and travel, the scientists and designers were able to come together one year before the exhibition debut for an “accessibility boot camp.” “One of the things I find that we're all guilty of is that we’re limited sometimes in the scope of what accessibility is. For some, it’s about mobility. For others, it’s issues that impact their own personal life or the things they’re most cognizant about. We want to broaden the understanding of accessibility, both for the designers and for the Museum as an institution.”
What happens when you change the rules and how do you move within them? How does that change your experience? When determining the exhibition title, "Speechless" rose to the top, as the artworks will not have words associated with them. This allows each visitor to have a unique experience as he or she interacts with the works through senses of sight, touch, and sound. “The show's meant to be not only immersive but also interactive. So you’re not just going into a room and experiencing it as a space; you're allowed to touch it, and sit on it, and move things.”
How do you compensate and navigate around people’s differences? At various times throughout the exhibition, the Museum will offer “sensory shift” opportunities, including glasses that change your perception, headphones that either amplify or reduce sounds, and gloves that change tactile experiences. “These ‘sensory shifts’ suggest ways to experience things differently. We hope people will come back again and again, not only to share this experience with other people but also to experience these spaces in different ways, to think about what it means when experiences are changed or altered.” These are just a few of the questions Schleuning hopes you will ask before, during, and after your visit to Speechless. “I think the fact that we're in the context of an art museum makes it very exciting. We’re exploring these ideas about the brain and communication but we are not a science museum or a tech museum. We're about the power of art.”
What questions will you ask when faced with new ways to experience art, design, and the inner workings of the mind?
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL Marianna Adams, Ed.D. Audience Focus Inc.
MATT CHECKOWSKI Matt Checkowski is a designer, filmmaker, and creative executive. He has served as the creative force behind the dream sequences in Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report, a first-of-its-kind interactive perfume museum for Sephora in New York City, and the digital media content for a science-fiction opera at l’Opera de Monte Carlo.
STEVEN AND WILLIAM LADD Brothers Steven and William Ladd have worked in a wide variety of media since they began collaborating in 2000. Their work is craft-based and labor intensive and has varied from murals to book bindings. They have worked with children, hospital patients, and special needs individuals throughout the United States through their Scrollathon® project.
Dr. Tandra Allen Head of Virtual Training Programs Center for BrainHealth® Dr. Tina Fletcher Associate Professor, School of Occupational Therapy Texas Women’s University Dr. Daniel Krawczyk Debbie and Jim Francis Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences University of Texas at Dallas Jenny McGlothlin, MS, CCC/SLP The Callier Center for Communication Disorders University of Texas at Dallas Bonnie Pitman Distinguished Scholar in Residence University of Texas at Dallas Dr. Audette Rackley Head of Special Programs Center for BrainHealth® Dr. Linda Thibodeaux The Advanced Hearing Research Center University of Texas at Dallas
&
ART SCIENCE
A conversation with Speechless Scientific Advisory Panel member Dr. Tandra Allen of the Center for BrainHealth®:
Where do the arts and sciences intersect in your work? Our brain and its power to improve at any age through neuroplasticity is art at work! When you walk on our campus at the Center for BrainHealth® and Brain Performance Institute, you will see visual pieces of art, like David Gappa’s one-of-a-kind blown-glass sculptures and light fixtures representing neurons and synapses. You can also engage in brain training programs founded on the principles of brain
How can the arts play a bigger role in the science community? Art is all around us, and I think the biggest role the arts can play is to keep challenging what we think we already know.
Can you give an example of the impact of art and design on your work?
plasticity. For my work personally, offering social-cognitive
In my work developing Charisma, a virtual reality
training programs, I believe that when you can socially
social cognition training, a gaming platform is used
connect with someone and create a lasting relationship then
as a tool to train social cognitive strategies. The
that is a unique form of expression that is unspoken art.
elegant design of the virtual world allows someone to become immersed in a social conversation and feel
What impact does thoughtful design have on our brains? We take in information in all kinds of ways through visual, tactile, and auditory modalities. Our brain thrives on the process of integrated reasoning, where we consider information in detail and at a big-picture level, while also connecting it to our own personal knowledge and experiences. Thoughtful design allows us to consider what is represented in its true form and reflect on its broader message to us. Design can inspire us to innovate, which is the highest level of cognitive abilities—the power to create something new and push us to inspired action.
What has been your experience serving on the DMA’s Advisory Committee for the Speechless exhibition?
the same emotions they would in a real in-person conversation. It’s a learning environment that is not only visually appealing but also sets the stage for emotional connections to be practiced and built. The individualized conversation practice is all done live and modified to fit someone’s social abilities and needs. The conversation practice itself then becomes art because no two interactions are alike—each one is uniquely driven by the responses and reactions that take place in real-time. As a result, individuals at any age improve their ability to recognize social information around them and engage in meaningful relationships in their daily life.
It has been a life-impacting experience to connect with
Do you think the science community is open to integrating arts into their discipline, where applicable?
both artists and scientists for a common mission: to
Definitely! The science community is constantly creating
bridge the gap of communication. I found that even
new ways to study and understand the world around us.
though we are coming from different backgrounds and
Art offers a reflection of what is around us and reminds
perspectives, we all agree that our human potential is
all of us of that complexity and beauty—and challenges us
unlimited and understand there’s not one direct
to keep exploring.
path in life.
SPEECHLESS ACCESS PROGRAMS Scrollathon® Individuals from the DMA’s All Access Art and Meaningful Moments programs and
More on ACCESS PROGRAMS at the
from Connecting Points and HarborChase of Park Cities participated along with their
Your membership and your support of the
care partners in workshops with Stephen
DMA help make art accessible to all in
and William Ladd as part of the Scrollathon®
our community. Each month, the Museum
installation within Speechless. Each participant
offers access programs that provide
created two fabric scrolls: one to take home
unique opportunities for visitors with
and share, and one that will be contributed to
developmental or learning disabilities,
the installation in the exhibition.
vision impairment, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and autism or sensory processing
Through hands-on collaboration, Scrollathon
disorders. Several of these programs are
bridges the gap between communities and
highlighted here:
contemporary art, engaging individuals from works of art by providing the creative tools
SERVING VISITORS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
to build new skills and to share experiences
All Access Art allows adults who are
all walks of life to create museum-quality
through artistic intervention.
living with intellectual and developmental disabilities to have engaging experiences
POP-UP ART SPOT: SPEECHLESS The Pop-Up Art Spot will be located in the Museum’s galleries and will include interactive activities for hands-on learning experiences with the adjacent works of art within the collection. The materials used—such as
with art. Participants visit the galleries on a theme-based tour before returning to the DMA’s Art Studio to create their own work of art.
SERVING VISITORS WITH DEMENTIA
colored glasses, noise-canceling headphones,
Meaningful Moments, created specifically
textured gloves, and scent jars—enable guests
for individuals with dementia and their
to experience the installations in a unique,
family members or caregivers, promotes
sensory-oriented manner and to consider the
health and well-being through gallery
sensory differences as experienced by those
discussion, sensory activities, and art
around them.
making. Participants are encouraged to
The DMA is able to offer these programs because of the support of generous members, donors, and stakeholders. If you would like to give the gift of art back to the Dallas community, please visit DMA.org/support.
express themselves in ways that stimulate the senses, inspire self-expression, trigger dormant memories, and foster social interaction. Meaningful Moments for Memory Care Facilities is geared toward groups from
Speechless: Different by Design
assisted-living facilities that specialize in
On view November 10, 2019–March 22, 2020
memory care. The program includes a gallery discussion, an interactive component, and
Speechless: Different by Design is co-organized by the Dallas Museum of Art and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta.
an art-making activity in the DMA’s Art
The Dallas Museum of Art is supported, in part, by the generosity of DMA Members and donors, the citizens of Dallas through the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Studio. Participants have the opportunity to
PRESENTED BY
share stories, and gain inspiration.
relax and connect with art in the galleries,
To find out more, visit DMA.org/access. EXHIBITION SUPPORT
ART MENTOR FOUNDATION LUCERNE
LOCAL SUPPORT
VISUALIZING THE INVISIBLE KOMO MASK OF THE SENUFO PEOPLES OF AFRICA Gift of David T. Owsley | Acquired by the Dallas Museum of Art in 1997
Not Visible to the Naked Eye: Inside a Senufo Helmet Mask On view November 23, 2019–January 2021
Beginning in November 2019, the Senufo komo mask and the research findings will be on view on the Conservation Studio Landing at the DMA.
IN THE YEARS following her retirement from the Dallas Museum of Art, former director Bonnie Pitman joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Dallas. Since then, Pitman has facilitated tours of the DMA’s Conservation Studio geared toward medical students. These tours allow students to examine artifacts within the Museum’s collection and cultivate greater visual identification skills in their clinical practice. Through these tours, a team of DMA conservators and curators connected with radiologists from the Medical School of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. As a result, Dr. Matthew A. Lewis and Dr. Todd Soesbe, faculty members in the Department of Radiology, were tasked with performing a spectral CT scan of the mid-20th-century komo mask of the Senufo peoples of Africa.
Left to right: Doug Velek, Senior Preparator; Ebony McFarland, Curatorial Administrative Assistant; Fran Baas, Interim Chief Conservator; and Dr. Roslyn Walker, Senior Curator of the Arts of Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific, and The Margaret McDermott Curator of African Art, with Dr. Matthew Lewis, Assistant Professor of Radiology, and Dr. Todd Soesbe, Assistant Professor of Radiology, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
“This fearsome helmet mask belonged to a member of a powerful men’s association that was—and is, in some places—an agent of social control and the keeper of esoteric knowledge,” says Dr. Roslyn Walker, Senior Curator of the Arts of Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific, and The Margaret McDermott Curator of African Art. “The mask is unique for a variety of reasons, particularly in the components of its composition, but also because of how it represents aspects from many of the cultures adjacent to the Senufo peoples."
SPECIAL FEATURE
“ The mask is unique for a variety of reasons, particularly in the components of its composition.... It’s an excellent example of the works from that region.” —Dr. Roslyn Walker, Senior Curator of the Arts of Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific
The spectral CT scan has allowed the team at the DMA—helmed by Walker and Interim Chief Conservator Fran Baas—to identify the types of objects and materials hidden within layers so that the Museum might better understand the meaning of their inclusion. As new methods of scientific analysis become available, the findings to-date will ensure that the mask is conserved in a manner that will allow students of culture and art to further divine its meaning in the future— by keeping its power, and magic, intact. Projects like this would not be possible without the generosity of the DMA’s members, donors, and stakeholders. The most pressing aspect of the Museum’s efforts to create a space of discovery and learning within our community is to properly steward the collection it holds in trust, and to maintain the integrity of each work within it.
TESTS CONDUCTED Visual Analysis & Microscopy X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) Spectral Imaging CT Scan
DISCOVERIES Visual Analysis & Binocular Microscopic of Morphology • Reedbuck antelope horns • Wood of Bombax species, commonly known as the cotton tree • Cowrie shells • Mirrors and glass • Identification of talismanic text from the Arabic “Charity” as part of multi-page pamphlet hidden within base of skull form and wrapped in polyethylene plastic wrap XRF • Iron alloy wire FTIR • Polyethylene plastic wrap hidden within base of skull form and enclosing printed pamphlet CT Scan • Seed pods, skeletal remains, fabric, and gravel material hidden within the horns •Tree rings • Wooden female figure with as-yet unidentified metallic alloy base • Method of craftsmanship via carving and assembly
ON THE SCENE
ON THE SCENE DMA Members get exclusive invitations to exhibition openings, dinners, and receptions. Want to gift a membership to a friend? Visit DMA.org/members.
Phot os: T a m y t h a C a m er o n a nd Jo h n C a i n
THANK YOU EXHIBITION AMBASSADOR Elaine Agather
Lisa Rocchio
An exhibition of this magnitude requires the support of many to make it possible.
Nancy Carlson
Lisa Runyon
Tina Craig
Deborah Scott
Thanks to all of our Exhibition Ambassadors who pledged their generous support.
Joanna Czech
Diane Scovell
Barbara Daseke
Stephanie Seay
Nancy Dedman
Gowri Sharma
EXHIBITION MAJOR SUPPORTER
Rachael Dedman
Nancy Shutt
Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation
Shelly Dee/The Hoglund Foundation
Merry Vose
Ann and Lee Hobson
Suzanne Droese
Shelby Wagner
Gene and Jerry Jones Family
Claire Emanuelson
Carl and Elizabeth H. Webb
Cindy Rachofsky
Tucker Enthoven
Christen Wilson
Nancy C. and Richard R. Rogers
Tom Fagadau
Kathy Esping Woods
Laura Lee Clark Falconer
Piper Wyatt Sharon Young
EXHIBITION AMBASSADOR TABLE SPONSOR
Olamaie G. Fojtasek
Lisa Cooley and Tracy Lange
Nancy Halbreich
Mandy Dillard and Amanda Dillard Shufeldt
Julie B. Hawes
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Rusty and Bill Duvall/Lincoln Property Company
Interceramic
Gina Betts
Jennifer Eagle
Jennifer Karol
Pat McEvoy
Kara and Randall Goss
Hallie Lamont
Katherine and Eric Reeves
Georgina Hartland
Mary Noel Lamont
Jan Showers
Nasiba and Thomas Hartland-Mackie
Nicolette Lamont
Jan Strimple
Allen and Kelli Questrom
Eleanor Lemak
Catherine and Will Rose
Brett Levy
Deedie Rose
Locke Lord LLP
Peggy Sewell
Susan and Bill Montgomery
Sidley Austin LLP
Elizabeth Ornani
Gayle Stoffel
Elaine and Trevor Pearlman
Lisa and Kenny Troutt
Deborah Perry
Westwood Wealth Management
The Aileen and Jack Pratt Foundation
DIOR: FROM PARIS TO THE WORLD was organized by the Denver Art Museum in association with the Dallas Museum of Art. Accommodations provided by the OMNI Dallas Hotel. Event support provided by Todd Events, Whispering Angel, and POSH Couture Rentals. PRESENTED BY
Nancy C. and Richard R. Rogers MAJOR SUPPORT
Ann and Lee Hobson Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation
Gene and Jerry Jones Family Cindy Rachofsky
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Georgina Hartland/Nasiba and Thomas Hartland-Mackie
MARKETING SUPPORT
HAPPENINGS SEPTEMBER Exclusive Member Event SEPTEMBER 11 DMA Circle Reception and Preview: Focus On: Ragnar Kjartansson Focus On: Alex Katz Wednesday, 6–8 p.m. Open to members at the Contributor level and above SEPTEMBER 12 Second Thursday with a Twist: Assistant to the Regional Manager Thursday, 5–9 p.m. Exclusive Member Event SEPTEMBER 12–14 Member Previews: Focus On: Ragnar Kjartansson Focus On: Alex Katz Thursday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 19 Exhibition Talk: Caravaggio's Revolutionary Road with Dr. Eve Straussman-Pflanzer Thursday, 7 p.m. SEPTEMBER 20 Late Night: Bollywood Friday, 6–11 p.m. SEPTEMBER 22 Exhibition Closes: Caravaggio: Martha and Mary Magdalene
SEPTEMBER 15 Exhibition Closes: America Will Be!
SEPTEMBER 17 Arts & Letters Live: Tracy Chevalier Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. SEPTEMBER 18 Gallery Talk Wednesday, 12:15 p.m.
photo by Liam Sharp
Exclusive Member Event SEPTEMBER 16 European Galleries Celebration Monday, 6 p.m. Open to members at the Collector level and above
SEPTEMBER 23 Arts & Letters Live: Margaret Atwood Monday, 7:30 p.m. SEPTEMBER 28 Talk: Going Against Tradition: Austrian and German Art in the Early 20th Century with Dr. Alessandra Comini Saturday, 1 p.m. SEPTEMBER 30 Arts & Letters Live: Kristin Hannah Monday, 7:30 p.m.
For a full schedule of events, visit DMA.org.
OCTOBER OCTOBER 1 Arts & Letters Live: Casey Gerald Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. OCTOBER 2 Gallery Talk Wednesday, 12:15 p.m. OCTOBER 6 Arts & Letters Live: Ann Patchett Sunday, 7 p.m. OCTOBER 10 Second Thursday with a Twist: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice Thursday, 5–9 p.m.
OCTOBER 11 Museum Murder Mystery: An Artful Game of Clue Friday, 8–9:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 12 Arts & Letters Live: Kate DiCamillo Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 19 Sensory Day Saturday, 8–11 a.m.
Exclusive Member Event OCTOBER 14 Luncheon with the Director Open to members at the Associate and Collector levels
OCTOBER 20 Artist Talk: Wanda Koop Sunday, 3 p.m.
OCTOBER 16 Gallery Talk Wednesday, 12:15 p.m. OCTOBER 17 Brettell Lecture: Cézanne in DFW with Dr. Richard Brettell Thursday, 7 p.m. OCTOBER 18 Late Night: Mythical Beasts Friday, 6–11 p.m.
OCTOBER 22 Arts & Letters Live: Ruta Sepetys Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. OCTOBER 24 State of the Arts: Painting the Town Thursday, 7 p.m. OCTOBER 26 Film Event: Midcentury Modern Horror Saturday, 3–11:30 p.m. OCTOBER 27 Exhibition Closes: Dior: From Paris to the World Exclusive Member Event OCTOBER 30 DMA Circle Reception with artist Sandra Cinto Wednesday, 6 p.m.
NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 1 Boshell Lecture: Dr. Space Junk vs. The Universe Friday, 7 p.m. NOVEMBER 6 Gallery Talk Wednesday, 12:15 p.m.
Exclusive Member Event NOVEMBER 6 DMA Circle Reception and Preview: Speechless: Different by Design Wednesday, 6–8 p.m. Open to members at the Associate level and above
NOVEMBER 7 Annual Fête: Celebrating 18th-Century French Art Presented by The Rosenberg Foundation Thursday, 5–9 p.m.
NOVEMBER 9 Member Appreciation Day
Exclusive Member Event NOVEMBER 7–9 DMA Member Previews: Speechless: Different by Design Thursday, 6–9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
NOVEMBER 14 Second Thursday with a Twist: The Upside Down Thursday, 5–9 p.m.
Exclusive Member Event NOVEMBER 8 DMA Member Exhibition Opening: Speechless: Different by Design Friday, 6–8 p.m.
NOVEMBER 11 Arts & Letters Live: Tim O'Brien Monday, 7:30 p.m.
NOVEMBER 15 Late Night: Speechless Friday, 6–11 p.m. NOVEMBER 16 DMA Family Festival NOVEMBER 20 Gallery Talk Wednesday, 12:15 p.m.
For a full schedule of events, visit DMA.org.
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Visit DMA.org/renew.
Call 214-922-1247.
Explore more than 25,000 works of art from all cultures and time periods. MUSEUM HOURS Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Monday
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Tuesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.