The University of Oklahoma
FJJMA
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art
SPRING 2017 MEMBERS MAGAZINE
Greetings! The spring is always a busy season at the museum, and the exhibitions scheduled for 2017 promise a great year. On the evening of Jan. 26, the museum opens PHOTO/SYNTHESIS, an intriguing exhibition of the work of contemporary photographer Will Wilson (Navajo). Wilson began the Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange (CIPX) in 2012 to reengage and revise the romantic and overtly historicized images of Native sitters in Edward Curtis’s The North American Indian portfolio. Using the wet plate collodion process, similar to that employed by Curtis, Wilson photographs contemporary sitters but with the intent of reciprocity and collaboration. The CIPX project provides the aesthetic foundation for PHOTO/SYNTHESIS. Wilson has photographed the descendants of sitters included in Curtis’s Indians of Oklahoma portfolio, but he has given the sitters and tribes control over their representation in order to rectify Curtis’s authoritative approach and his desire to fix Native tribes in an unchangeable past. Wilson photographed members of seven tribal nations, thus creating an insightful essay on Oklahoma’s Native community. Also opening on the evening of Jan. 26 is the Abbreviated Portrait Series, wherein Oklahoma artist Poteet Victory reduces celebrities and iconic figures to minimal forms and associated colors. Mr. Victory will present a guest lecture about the series on Feb. 28, so we hope you will join us for this special opportunity to meet the artist. The museum hosts the 103rd Annual School of Visual Arts Student Exhibition, opening April 20, and we are pleased to continue this collaboration with Dr. Bette Talvacchia and the faculty of the newly renamed OU School of Visual Arts. The annual exhibition offers our audience the opportunity to see the latest student work, and the opening is always a wonderful time. The spring exhibition schedule concludes with Picher, Oklahoma: Catastrophe, Memory, and Trauma, opening on June 13. This photoessay by Todd Stewart, the art, technology and culture associate professor at the School of Visual Arts, explores the ghost town of Picher, Oklahoma, which was a significant national supplier of lead and zinc in the early twentieth century. Overzealous mining activity had not only seriously undermined the town but also left it the nation’s most toxic Superfund site. On May 10, 2008, a tornado struck the northeastern Oklahoma town, leading to its dis-incorporation. Picher, Oklahoma offers an unsettling photographic investigation of this otherworldly ghost town and the legacy of environmental abuse. As always, we appreciate your ongoing support of the museum, and we look forward to seeing you soon. Best, Mark A. White The Wylodean and Bill Saxon Director
INTRODUCTION 2
EXHIBITIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS On display through June 4, 2017 Ellen and Richard L. Sandor Photography Gallery Creighton Eddy Gilbert (1924-2011) was a renowned art historian specializing in the Italian Renaissance and was one of the foremost authorities on Michelangelo. He received his bachelor of art degree from New York University in 1942 and eventually earned his doctorate there in 1955. After teaching for a few years at Indiana University in Bloomington, he served as a curator at the Ringling Museums in Sarasota, Florida, as a professor at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and as a professor at Queens College in Flushing, New York. In 1967, Gilbert left for a position at Harvard University, then taught at Cornell University before joining the faculty of Yale University in 1981. The prior year, he was named the editor-in-chief of Art Bulletin, one of the leading journals of art historical research, and he remained in the position until 1985. Gilbert published extensively during his career, including the important texts Michelangelo: On and Off the Sistine Ceiling (1994) and Caravaggio and His Two Cardinals (1995). In 2005, Dr. Eric Lee, then-director of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, encouraged Gilbert to leave his private collection to the museum. The bequest includes a total of 272 objects, the majority of which are works on paper, spanning a time period from the fourteenth century to the twentieth. Gilbert collected broadly but focused on Old Master prints and drawings from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods.
Jan. 27–April 2, 2017 Ellen and Richard L. Sandor Gallery In the Abbreviated Portrait Series, native Oklahoma artist Poteet Victory (Cherokee/ Choctaw) distills portraits of celebrities and other iconic figures to the most minimal forms and associated colors. The artist has long been fascinated with Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Wassily Kandinsky, and others who explore the power of symbols and colors. Victory’s portraits employ common mental cues or triggers commonly associated with popular personalities, the titles of which are abbreviated in a manner akin to popular acronyms. Public Guest Lecture & Reception 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium Finding Originality Artist Poteet Victory will speak about the rare commodity of originality in the art world as it relates to his Abbreviated Portrait Series. A public reception will follow the lecture. Cover: Will Wilson (U.S., Navajo; b. 1969); Casey Camp-Horinek, Citizen of Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, “Zhuthi”, Tribal Council Woman, Leader of Ponca Scalp Dance Society, Sundancer, Delegate to UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Matriarch of wonderful family (grandmother, companion, mother, sister), Defender of Mother Earth [detail] (2016); Archival pigment print from wet plate collodion scan, 8 x 10 in.; Image courtesy of the artist
Right: Poteet Victory (U.S., Cherokee/Choctaw; b. 1947) PRNC [detail], 2015 Oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in. Image courtesy of the artist
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Jan. 26–April 2, 2017 Nancy Johnston Records Gallery An exhibition of photography by Will Wilson (U.S., Navajo; b. 1969) extends the body of portraiture of Native Americans in Oklahoma, while shifting preconceptions about the historical narrative within which the Native community is often presented. The title refers to both the use of photography as a medium and the synthesis of Edward S. Curtis’s original work into the construction of a body of photography that extends and empowers Native representation from the historic into the present. Wilson photographically responds to Curtis’s portraits made in 1927 by photographing descendants of the same communities. Through collaboration with the tribal communities being represented, the project rejects the premise of the “vanishing” Indian. Wilson is directly countering the historicizing effect of Curtis’s images by using the anachronistic photography process of tintypes to document contemporary Indigenous people. Through the new photographs, the exhibition presents the “family portraits” side-by-side to create a family album of the communities. PHOTO/SYNTHESIS is supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Opening Reception Thursday, Jan. 26 6 p.m.: Members Preview Nancy Johnston Records Gallery Museum members are invited to preview the exhibition before it officially opens to the public and enjoy wine and heavy hors d’oeuvres from Benvenuti’s Ristorante. 7 p.m.: Public Opening Lecture Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium Photographer Will Wilson will speak about his Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange project and the process of completing PHOTO/SYNTHESIS. 8 p.m.: Public Opening Reception Sandy Bell Gallery Following the lecture, please join us for a public reception with light refreshments, cash bar, and live music. Gallery Talk 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7 Nancy Johnston Records Gallery Join heather ahtone, the James T. Bialac Associate Curator of Native American and Non-Western Art, as she leads a walking tour through PHOTO/SYNTHESIS. 4
EXHIBITIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS exchange: an Un-Symposium 2–4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 Sandy Bell Gallery Engage in an inclusive discussion about artmaking and identity with contemporary artists Will Wilson and Jeffrey Gibson, curators heather ahtone and Jennifer Scanlan, and several community leaders. This program takes as its starting point two current exhibitions: Will Wilson’s PHOTO/SYNTHESIS at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and Jeffrey Gibson’s SPEAK TO ME at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, and explores topics central to both.
Logo design by Nathan Wiewel
103rd Annual School of Visual Arts Student Exhibition April 20–May 14, 2017 Public Opening Reception: 7–9 p.m. Thursday, April 20 Nancy Johnston Records Gallery This competitive juried show is held each spring and highlights the diverse works of art created by visual art students from the University of Oklahoma. Multiple awards with cash prizes are presented to students, including the top award, the T.G. Mays Purchase Award, which is offered to a student whose artwork becomes a part of the museum’s permanent collection. Fast Friends 6–8 p.m. Thursday, April 27 Sandy Bell Gallery Emerging arts professionals and students are invited to meet established local artists in a speed-interview format. Enjoy light refreshments while making new connections in the Oklahoma arts community. Co-hosted by Current Studio and the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.
June 13–Sept. 10, 2017 Nancy Johnston Records Gallery On May 10, 2008, a tornado in the northeastern Oklahoma town of Picher struck the final blow to a onetime boomtown. The lead and zinc mining that had given birth to the town had also proven its undoing, earning Picher the distinction of being the nation’s most toxic Superfund site in 2006. Todd Stewart’s photoessay Picher, Oklahoma: Catastrophe, Memory, and Trauma explores the otherworldly ghost town and reveals how memory can be dislocated and reframed through both chronic and acute instances of environmental trauma. Left: Will Wilson (U.S., Navajo; b. 1969); Modesto Schonchin, Citizen of Comanche Nation and affiliated Klamath/Modoc/Paiute, “Tubitsi (real truthful)” [detail] (2016); Archival pigment print from wet plate collodion scan, 8 x 10 in. Image courtesy of the artist
Right: Todd Stewart (U.S., b. 1963) Chat Pile [detail], 2008 Inkjet print, 40 x 50 in.; Image courtesy of the artist
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EDUCATION
Where do art and technology collide? Select Norman seventh- and eighth-grade students spent the fall visiting the University of Oklahoma to find out. The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Bizzell Memorial Library, and School of Visual Arts at OU collaborated to offer ArtEDGE to 50 students who spent a day on the Norman campus viewing, discussing, and creating artwork. “The program’s name is about pushing against the perceived boundaries of art,” said Melissa Ski, director of education at the FJJMA. “What happens when you reimagine art using technology? How can a group collaborate to push that idea even further? That’s art at the edge.” During the first hour of their visit, students practiced “close looking,” or the use of observational skills, discussion, and drawing exercises, to interpret or think deeply about an art object in the museum. The central work for ArtEDGE was one of the oldest in the museum’s Asian art collection: a Tang dynasty-era horse sculpture from China. The students were asked to imagine the Tang horse in another space outside of the museum. They created sketches, stories, and poems to describe this space, and their work reflected one of the program’s most important goals: to connect with art in a personal, meaningful way. Next, students moved to Bizzell Memorial Library’s EDGE space, an experimental lab that centers around the latest technological tools. Under the guidance of Emerging Technologies Coordinator Matt Cook, the students interacted with a scanned model of the Tang horse using virtual reality workstations. Additionally, they received 3D-printed models of the horse that became the basis of a collaborative art project. “The most amazing thing is seeing how quickly the students take to the virtual reality,” Cook said. “Most of this hardware hasn’t even hit the mass market yet, but they can walk in, sit down, and navigate an immersive 3D learning space within the course of five minutes.”
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Whereas museums prohibit touching artwork, virtual reality gives students new ways to interact with art. “Students are quickly manipulating what is typically seen as fragile or secure museum objects to gain fresh perspectives on a piece of sculpture and making new discoveries about what constitutes art,” Cook said. “The library is proud to support interactive learning at all levels, and ArtEDGE is pioneering such initiatives.” After a lunch on Campus Corner, the students visited the sculpture studio at the School of Visual Arts. Working with Daren Kendall, assistant professor of sculpture, the students created an art installation inspired by their 3D-printed Tang dynasty horses. This group project reinforced the collaborative nature of the program and put the students’ imaginations back to work. “Like the parable of the blind men feeling all sides of the elephant, these students work from the same object yet invent respective interpretations, stories and ideas,” Ski said. “Through the art-making process, the students unite diverse viewpoints in the group. When working from ‘all sides of the horse,’ in this case, they discover that meaning making is a shared effort.” Evin Hughes, an eighth-grader at Longfellow Middle School, said the focus on creativity was rewarding. “Today was a lot of team-building and mostly exercises like that,” she said. “It taught us how to think creatively, which I really liked. I had a great time, I love the museum, I love what they’re doing for this particular age group and school, and I think that they should continue doing this.” The student projects are currently on display in the museum’s Education Gallery.
ArtEDGE is funded by the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Association.
PROGRAMS
Art Adventures
Family Days
Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom Young artists are invited to experience art through books and related art projects for children ages 3 to 5 accompanied by an adult. Art Adventures are made possible by generous support from the Kimball Foundation.
1–4 p.m. Sundays Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom March 5 Experience the photography of Will Wilson in the special exhibition PHOTO/SYNTHESIS and enjoy hands-on activities for the entire family.
Jan. 3 Jan. 10 Jan. 17 Jan. 24 Jan. 31 Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 28 March 7 March 14 March 21 March 28 April 4 April 11 April 18 April 25 May 2 May 9 May 16 May 23 May 30 June 6 June 13 June 20 June 27
Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni Squarehead by Harriet Ziefert with illustrations by Todd McKie Lines That Wiggle by Candace Whitman Red Is a Dragon: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Thong with illustrations by Grace Lin No Two Alike by Keith Baker Bridget’s Beret by Tom Lichtenheld The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship by Kelly Light Why Is Blue Dog Blue? by George Rodrigue and Bruce Goldstone The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Manus Pinkwater Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger Riley and Rose in the Picture by Susanna Gretz Bob the Artist by Marion Deuchars A Day with No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch with illustrations by Chad Cameron David’s Drawings by Cathryn Falwell White Rabbit’s Color Book by Alan Baker My Dog Is as Smelly as Dirty Socks: And Other Funny Family Portraits by Hanoch Piven Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh Cat’s Colors by Jane Cabrera The Pink Refrigerator by Tim Egan Butterflies for Kiri by Cathryn Falwell It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw Elmer by David McKee Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman Shape Shift by Joyce Hesselberth
June 11 Explore exciting contemporary art in the permanent collection and make art of your own.
Tuesday Noon Concerts Tuesdays at Noon Sandy Bell Gallery The Tuesday Noon Concerts series is a cooperative effort between the OU School of Music and the museum. Please join us on your lunch hour for these 30-minute concerts performed by OU music students and faculty. Jan. 24 Jan. 31 Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 28 March 7 March 21 March 28 April 4
Organ (located in Catlett Music Center) Opera Preview Tuba/Euphonium Computer Music Studio Singing Sooners Flute Boyd Street Brass Piano Clarinet Voice
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MUSEUM ASSOCIATION
Engage, Enhance, Educate! Every time I walk through the museum, I replay this memory in my mind: a little girl reaching out for her dad’s hand and excitedly pulling him toward her favorite painting. She wants to share with him something that is valuable, and we can see that moment become a meaningful and lasting experience. Being a member of the Museum Association and serving on the board has been an honor and a joy. As a full board, coupled with very active working committees, we have continued to move forward as a dynamic support group for the museum. Our board is working on new ways to engage the public and to approve resource streams that will support exploration of more effective means of communication. We have combined the creativity of the board with the creativity
of the museum staff to increase flexibility in educational program funding and partnerships. We will continue to enhance museum attendees’ experiences with trips and exhibitions and quality fundraising events. Our members’ benefits package has also undergone a makeover, and we offer even more value per membership. And, of course, our board still seeks out and supports new acquisitions, and we have recently added recognized and important works to the collection. It is an exciting and rewarding choice to become a member of the Association, but you all know that. I would ask you to reach out to someone who is not a member and share with them your favorite work in the museum, and sign them up. That moment will be the first in what will become a meaningful and lasting experience.
Brad Benson 2016-17 Association President
Brad Benson, second from left, with members of the Norman Arts Council Board.
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SAVE THE DATE! 7–9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 Sandy Bell Gallery Toast To The Arts: Bubbles and Blossoms Details coming soon! Enjoy these photos from our 2016 Toast to the Arts event.
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CALENDAR JANUARY
APRIL
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04
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Tuesday, 12 p.m. First Tuesday Noon Concert Tuesday, All Day Spring Association Trip Kimbell Art Museum
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Thursday, 6 p.m. PHOTO/SYNTHESIS 6 p.m. Members Preview 7 p.m. Public Opening Lecture 8 p.m. Public Opening Reception
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Tuesday, 12 p.m. Last Tuesday Noon Concert Sandy Bell Gallery Thursday, 7–9 p.m. 103rd Annual School of Visual Arts Student Exhibition Opening Reception Thursday, 6 –8 p.m. 103rd Annual School of Visual Arts Student Exhibition Fast Friends
Rembrandt van Rijn (Holland, 1606-1669) St. Jerome in a Dark Chamber, 1642 Etching and drypoint on paper, 6 1/4 x 7 1/8 in. Creighton Gilbert Bequest, 2011
FEBRUARY
MAY
07
18
11 24 28
Tuesday, 1 p.m. PHOTO/SYNTHESIS Gallery Talk Saturday, 2–4 p.m. PHOTO/SYNTHESIS exchange: an Un-Symposium Friday, 7–9 p.m. Toast to the Arts: Bubbles and Blossoms Sandy Bell Gallery Tuesday, 1 p.m. The Abbreviated Portrait Series: Poteet Victory “Finding Originality” Lecture
MARCH 05
Thursday, 4–6 p.m. Annual Association Meeting Sandy Bell Gallery
Sunday, 1–4 p.m. Family Day Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom
JUNE 02 11 13
Friday, 7–9 p.m. Media Mixer OU Ceramic Studio & Kiln Facility Sunday, 1–4 p.m. Family Day Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom Tuesday, 10 a.m. Picher Oklahoma: Catastrophe, Memory, and Trauma opens
Todd Stewart (U.S., b. 1963) Blue Boy, 2012; Inkjet print, 20 x 24 in. Image courtesy of the artist Top: Will Wilson (U.S., Navajo; b. 1969) Cheyenne Lee Pocowatchit, Citizen of Comanche Nation and affiliated Cheyenne, Nationally recognized Fancy Dancer [detail] (2016); Archival pigment print from wet plate collodion scan, 8 x 10 in.; Image courtesy of the artist
In conjunction with: PHOTO/SYNTHESIS The Abbreviated Portait Series: Poteet Victory School of Visual Arts Student Exhibition Picher, Oklahoma: Catastrophe, Memory and Trauma
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ASSOCIATION EVENTS
Spring Association Trip Tuesday, Jan. 24 Kimbell Art Museum Monet: The Early Years Join us for our annual Museum Association day trip to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, as we explore Monet: The Early Years. This groundbreaking exhibition is the first ever to be devoted to the young genius of Claude Monet. The featured works focus on the first phase of the artist’s career, from his Normandy debut in 1858 to 1872, when he settled in Argenteuil, on the River Seine near Paris. Trip attendees will enjoy a docent-led tour of this special exhibition, as well as a boxed lunch in the Kimbell’s Piano Pavilion Café. Transportation to and from the Kimbell Art Museum will be provided. Watch your mailbox for more information soon! Members Preview 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 Nancy Johnston Records Gallery PHOTO/SYNTHESIS is an exhibition of photography by Will Wilson (U.S., Navajo; b. 1969) that extends the body of portraiture of Native Americans in Oklahoma. Museum members are invited to enjoy wine and heavy hors d’oeuvres from Benvenuti’s Ristorante, as well as the opportunity to explore the exhibition before it officially opens to the public. Following the reception, a public lecture will be presented by Will Wilson. Members at the Supporter level and higher may reserve seats for the lecture. Seating in the auditorium and overflow is expected to fill up quickly, so please call us at (405) 325-2297 to reserve your spot today! Toast to the Arts: Bubbles and Blossoms 7-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 Sandy Bell Gallery
Bubbles & Blossoms
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The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Association hosts an annual wine tasting event to raise funds for the organization. For this year’s event, we will partner with local florists to present breathtaking floral arrangements inspired by the museum’s permanent collection. During the event, visitors will sample eight unique pairings of art, sips, and bites while admiring four elegant arrangements. This event is made possible by Republic National Distributing Company.
Annual Meeting 4-6 p.m. Thursday, May 18 Sandy Bell Gallery Join us for the Museum Association’s Annual Meeting to appoint the new 2017-18 Association Board members. This year, we will be voting on changes to the bylaws and other areas that affect your membership at the FJJMA. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your thoughts, ideas, concerns, or questions with museum staff and your Association Board! The annual meeting is open to all current Museum Association members. Light refreshments will be provided. Media Mixer 7-9 p.m. Friday, June 2 OU Ceramic Studio & Kiln Facility This summer, members are invited to relax and unwind with a hands-on art project! This fun event will offer an opportunity to engage with a local artist, enjoy music and complimentary beverages, and mingle with others from the community. Members enrolled in the New Friend add-on program will receive free admission. All other members may purchase a ticket for $15, and those who are not yet members can join the fun for only $25. The OU Ceramic Studio and Kiln Facility is located at 401 E. Congress St. Norman. For more information on any of these events, please visit our website at ou.edu/fjjmamembers or call (405) 325-2297.
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RECENT GIFTS AND ACQUISITIONS
We wear the mask that grins and lies It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, – This debt we pay to human guile; With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, And mouth with myriad subtleties. Why should the world be over-wise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask…
So recited Minnesota-based artist Melvin R. Smith from AfricanAmerican poet Paul Laurence Dunbar’s 1896 poem, “We Wear the Mask,” when inquired as to what inspired his Mask of Found Objects (False Faces Series). The colossal mask, two collages, and two works on paper by his spouse, Rose J. Smith, form an important 2016 gift to the museum’s permanent collection. All five works are currently on view in the museum’s Sandy Bell Gallery. “We all wear masks… whether you can see it or not,” Smith said, his pause between recitation and conversation barely audible. Dunbar’s poem, in part, stimulated Smith to begin making masks from found objects in 1997. His earlier masks tend to represent portraits of a family member, friend, or mentor. Mask of Found Objects (False Faces Series) consists of large chunks of rusting metal, remnants of an electric starter (with operating instructions still adhered), and a snow shovel, all composed in situ in a junkyard or—as Smith describes it— an “art supply store.” Although Smith originally titled masks with the names of the people they represent, he now keeps the identities secret. While Smith’s masks comment on African-American history and identity, his collages more overtly reflect personal history. He grew up in Sandtown, an impoverished but close-knit neighborhood just east of May Avenue, on the banks of the North Canadian River. Annexed by Oklahoma City in 1930, the community was first settled by freedmen during the early 1880s. Smith’s collage, June Bug, honors longtime Sandtown resident June Bug Williams, with whom Smith became well acquainted while serving as an artist-in-residence for the state in the late 1990s. A return trip to Oklahoma in 2009 resulted in Smith’s panoramic collage, Second Street. The collage presents a child’s-eye-view of wellTop Left: Melvin R. Smith (U.S., b. 1941) Mask of Found Objects (False Faces Series), 2010; Mixed media, 50 x 30 x 15 in. Gift of Melvin R. Smith, 2016
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Bottom Left: Rose J. Smith (U.S., b. 1943) Broken Dreams (Katrina Series) [detail], 2008 Oil on paper, 2008 Gift of Melvin R. Smith, 2016
dressed couples, families, and individuals spilling out of the famous Aldridge Theatre in Oklahoma City’s Deep Deuce neighborhood. Jazz legends, vaudeville stars, and celebrated musicians, including Billie Holiday, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington, performed at the Aldridge, which opened in 1919. This vibrant center of the city’s AfricanAmerican community life figures prominently in Smith’s childhood memories. But when Smith visited Second Street in 2009, the Deep Deuce of his childhood no longer existed, buried beneath luxury condominiums. In fragile paper, he assembled an image that depicts the place not as it actually was, but as it survives in his memory. Shadowy, mysterious forms and crisp, boldly dressed figures dance, stride, and sway together in kaleidoscopic perpetual motion. Rose J. Smith’s mixed-media works similarly merge personal emotion and public history. Born in Kansas City, she attended art school at the University of Minnesota—where she met Melvin, on a blind date—and has worked as a design consultant and fashion designer. During the early 1990s, the Smiths traveled to historic, vibrant African-American communities, including New York City’s Harlem and Chicago’s Bronzeville, and created works inspired by the experience. In 2005, they visited New Orleans. Both of Rose’s works acquired by the FJJMA respond to the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, particularly to the tragedy of human suffering caused less by the disaster than by the slow response of government relief efforts. In Broken Dreams (2008), she pictures despair. Carefully rendered lines delineate a man slumped over his knees, his face hidden. Blank picture space both isolates and confines him. Melvin notes that for the Smiths, Broken Dreams refers not just to the aftermath of Katrina, but to broader devastation caused by continual flooding in the South, which destroyed not only individual dreams, but faith in the American Dream. And yet, “Oklahoma has been good to us,” Melvin said, speaking fondly of the years he and Rose spent in the state making art, leading mask workshops, and running the former Oklahoma Museum of African American Art. He readily acknowledges that the honor given legendary African-American running back Prentice Gautt during an OU football game led them to consider giving art to the university. As a result, the museum is now fortunate to count works by Melvin R. and Rose J. Smith in its permanent collection. The museum is grateful to the Smiths for their generosity in sharing these works with its visitors.
Top Right: Melvin R. Smith (U.S., b. 1941) Second Street (Sandtown Series) [detail], 2009; Mixed media, 21 x 54 in. Gift of Melvin R. Smith, 2016
Bottom Right: Melvin R. Smith (U.S., b. 1941) June Bug (Sandtown Series) [detail], 1999 Mixed media, 28 1/2 x 24 in. Gift of Melvin R. Smith, 2016
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ASSOCIATION RECOGNITION
Supporters
FJJMA Board of Visitors Robert Beall Max N. Berry David L. Boren Sandra Saxon Brice Robert Clements Carolyn Cox Molly Crawley Fred J. Hall Kirk Hall Janell Helmerich John H. Kennedy, Jr. Ruth Newman Nancy Records LaVona Rushton
Mary Jane Rutherford Elizabeth Pierson Sainty Ellen Sandor Dee Dee Stuart Suzi Sugarman Max Weitzenhoffer Wanda Westheimer
Ex Officio: Brad Benson Mark White
Director’s Circle Matthew Sena
Benefactors Denny & Dixie Bartell John & Virginia Groendyke
Richard Mallinson Ed O’Rear* Mary Jane Rutherford
Patrons Brad* & Liz Benson Neal & Lora Buck Mary Calvey Jorge Charneco* & Stacey Spivey Karen Dye Dale Fitz
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Sarah Iselin Chelsea Julian Claren Kidd Lynn & Vicki Rose Todd & Melissa Scaramucci Joe & Priscilla Tate
Linda Anderson Van & Pat Barber J.D. & Joy Brown Lee Ann Ledbetter Burgess Marty & Tammy* Cain H.C. & Lea DeLong Claude & Helen Duchon Douglas Elder Don & Judy* Garrett Frank & Bette Jo Hill Bill & Jill* Hughes
Thomas & Lisa* John Joe & Susan Kopta David & Renee Light Emma Maggard Will & Katie Merrick D.J. & Melissa* Nuzum Will & Julie Obering Dirk & Stephanie* O’Hara Charles & Karen Powell Michael* & Jim* Pullen Rose Sharp Jeremy* & Tessa Short
Joe & Kathryn Sterr Chris & Lisa Steves Dwight & Mary Strickland James & Regina Turrentine Larry & Brenda Williams
Martin & Kathleen Hallren Doane & Julie Harrison Marjorie Henry Doris Hinson Ron & Mary Jane Hulin Wally Huskonen* & Marcia Buchanan Grant Irwin & Nadine Ware Gregory Jacobson Jim & Laurie Keffer William Kern & Kathleen Duncan Lou Kerr Joshua & Julianna Kershen Michael Lerner & Madeleine Cunningham Gerald & Jeanette Lister Alan Livingston Ruth Loeffler Kenneth MacDonnell Michael Markham & Kristi Isacksen Geraldine Mayes Mike & Christina McCurtain Dane McDowell Bill & Terry McNichols William & Peggy Megginson T. H. & Kathleen Milby David Miller & Barbara Neas Keith & Linda Miller Diane Moershel Jack & Patricia Murray Mark & Nancy Nagle Leon & Marcene Nelson John Perry
Bob & Karen Petry Mike & Cindy Pullin Robert & Connie Reilly Barbara Reynolds Donna Richardson Roger & Brenda Rideout Ted & Marilyn Roberts Carl & Deborah Rubenstein Ted & Kay Sandridge LaVon Scanlan Barbara Schindler Francis & Phoebe Schmitz Randy & Nancy Sengel Tom & Gloria Shadid Robert & Emma Shalhope John & Janice Short Jerry Snow Jimi Sparlin Billie Spector Debra Staley Judith Steelman Mike Sugg & Sandy Kinney David & Mary Swafford Chuck & Gina Thompson Patrick & Barbara Tunney Alvin & Carmelita Turner Joan Weil William & Marsha Wetmore J.M. Williams Diane Willis Hugh & Barbara Wilson Anne Workman
Associates Sharman Addy Gordon & Peggy Allen Bruce & Peggy Allen Kathy Anderson Mervin & Eleanor Barnes Robert & Shelley Beall Caroline Blakey Lewis & Virginia Blockcolski Helen Bondurant Daniel Brackett* Fred & Meg Brady Carr Jon & Cheryl Bredeson Brigid Brink Jimmy & Mary Ann Burdett Ramon Busick Allen & Mary Carter Robert & Linda Crawford Shirley Crosby Robert & Mary Dauffenbach Richard Dawson Dave & Judy Egle Bob & Diana England Gordon & Ann Flygare Doug Gaffin & Mariëlle Hoefnagels Rose Gideon Charles & Mary Carol Gilbert Paul & Ann Gilje Frank Gilson Marshal & Melissa Gimpel Susan Gonzalez Marcia Goodman Rob Griswold & Ellen Wisdom Kirk & Julie Hall
*Denotes current Association Board members.
Family/Dual Andrew & Judy Ackerman Michael & Faye Angelotti Bill & Millie Audas Richard & Sandy Bell Ralph & Cathie Blodgett Bill & Jami Boettcher Lee & Ann Borden Leslie & Donna Brown Fredrick & Nancy Bucklin Jay & Sherri Cervi James Chappel David Chappell James & Dail Cobb John & Leslie Cornwell John Covaleskie & Leah Nellis Michael & Sara Daves Ryan & Mary Doezema
Henry Enterline & Anita Bednar John & Catherine Fagan Jim Fellers & Sue Phillips Janet Foss Pat & Carmelita Garrison Stan & Mary Ann Gralla Gary & Wanda Gress Dick & Lois Hilbert Douglas Hill Don & Kay Holladay Thurston & Sarah Holt Charles & Claudette Hooper Kimball & Wendy Humphrey Ken & Dorothea Johnson Charles & Susan Jones Brian Kemp David & Sharyl Kinney
Roy & Judy Knapp James & Daphne LaDue Jacob Larson & Joy Nelson Kai & Anna Lau Paul & Mary LeBlanc David & Lynne Levy James & Gloria Long Donald & Maryanne Maletz Donald & Patricia Mason Patrick & Judith Mee Carolyn & David Morgan John & Julia Norlin Randy & Sheila Ott Rick & Sharon Pena James & Barbara Peters E. Cheryl Ponder Elisabeth Radtke
Christopher Ramseyer & Karen Barker Jean-Claude & Jeanne Roegiers John & Mary Seward Gene & Jo Ann Sharp Gale & Lucy Smith Steven & Riki Snyder Pete & Pat Stamper Abe Stanley & Susan Sasso Ken & Barbara Starling Craig Stinson & Krista Jones David & Emily Stratton
David Durica Jamie Earles Betty Eick Anna Eischen Gloria Jean Fenn Carolyn Fitz Jonathan Forman Stan Foster Patsy Fowler Evelyn Friedman Trent Gabert Michael Givel Rick Gomez Raymond Gray Marjorie Greer Susan Greer Sarah Hall Matt Hamilton Beth Hammack Suzanne Harrell Joanne Hendrick Judith Henry Catherine Hobbs Donna Hopper Candace Hottle Elaine Hunter Lyle Hutchison Jill Irvine Beverly Jones Charlotte Jones Sean Jones Johna Jupe Norman Kangun Tommy Karns
Shirley Kendall Valerie Kimble Julie Klopfenstein Marilyn Korhonen Victor Koshkin-Youritzin Julie Kunesh Doris Kupfer Judith Lane Mariana Lehman Vincent Leitch Diane Lewis Charles Little William Lowry Margaret Luza Lesha Maag* Steven Magee Carol Magid Linda McClintock Robert McDonald Katherine McRae Dianne Medina Paulo Moreira Ricardo Morrison David Moxley Renee Mungle Juneanne Murphy Sonia Newman Wanda O’Neil Bhupinder Obhrai Marilyn Ogilvie Barbara Ozinga Allison Palmer Katie Parker Stephanie Peùa
Edna Pollis Katie Pursley Edie Ragland Anita Ray Caroline Reynolds Lee Reynolds Mac Reynolds Carol Roberts Lindsay Robertson Janice Rodgers Alexis Rodgers Leonard Rubin Sue Schofield Carl Sennhenn Pamela Sharp Susan Shaughnessy Christopher Sohl Carol Sokatch Carol Soule Herbert Spencer Jona Steed Robin Stroud Ann Swank Yuhong Tang John Tanton Katherine Taylor Kenneth Taylor Gary Tesch Marty Thompson Haven Tobias Jeremy Wance Catherine Webb Karen Weddle Dick Wells
Neil Suneson & Judith Reynolds Debbie Taylor Donna Vogel Letty Watt Charles & Lyntha Wesner Jim & Nancy Yoch Linda York
Individuals Ed Adwon Barbara Alvis Eric Anderson Merlaine Anderson Joan Atterbury Lori Bacigalupi Judy Barnett Sydona Baroff Steve Belev Julia Best Judith Blake Elyse Bogart Mary Bowring David Brockus Berry Brown Betty Brown Ross Brown Pamela Cadamy Paul Carpenter Kathy Chanes Lida Clinton Julie Collins Caitlin Corbett Herman Curiel Mary Ellen Davenport James Davis Michael Davis Kathryn Dean Helen Debolt Glenn Downs Jacklyn Dugger Janet Dulin Anne Dunn Luceen Dunn
Please note: these names reflect members between Sept. 1, 2015 and Oct. 31, 2016.
Jeffrey Wilhite Mara Willard Laurie Williams Mary Williams Rebecca Wilson Barbara Wymore Dusan Zrnic
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MUSEUM INFORMATION
Admission Admission is always FREE, thanks to the generous support of the University of Oklahoma Office of the President and the OU Athletics Department! Group tours are available by calling (405) 325-1660 at least two weeks in advance. Hours Tuesday–Wednesday Thursday Friday–Saturday Sunday
Parking Map
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1 to 5 p.m.
Closed Monday and university holidays. Muse - The Museum Store Located just within the front doors of the museum is a wonderful store that houses a vast array of gift items for any or no occasion! We invite you to visit the store during the museum’s regular operating hours or call (405) 325-5017. Support the Museum Be a patron of the arts! Museum members enjoy admission to exclusive events, a 20 percent discount at Muse, as well as discounts on other special programs, trips, and more. For more information, visit ou.edu/fjjmamembers or call (405) 325-2297. Accommodations/Equal Opportunity For accommodations, please call Visitor Services at (405) 325-4938. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art The University of Oklahoma 555 Elm Ave., Norman, OK 73019-3003 (405) 325-4938 fjjma.ou.edu | @fjjma
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The museum now offers expanded complimentary parking during normal museum operating hours, Tuesday through Friday, WITH A VISITOR PERMIT. Permits are not required on weekends. Please visit the museum website or call (405) 325-4938 for more information before parking at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. This publication, printed by University of Oklahoma Printing Services, is issued by the University of Oklahoma. 600 copies of this newsletter have been printed at no cost to the taxpayers of the State of Oklahoma.
THANK YOU
The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art would like to thank all of the 2016 sponsors for their generous support through events such as Toast to the Arts and the Silver Soirée!
Erin Williford Real Estate – 405-413-0772
30% discount for Association Members during your birth month! Don’t forget that all Museum Association members receive a 30% discount on a one-time purchase during their birth month. Just come in with your ID and membership card for the discount on your total purchase during the month of your birthday! Good for one visit per year. Come browse our large selection of artistic, educational, and quirky gifts!
555 Elm Ave. Norman, OK 73019-3003
“VISITOR VOICES”
July 2016
“You should devote at least one hour of your trip to Norman to visit this wonderful museum located right on the University of Oklahoma campus. There are excellent pieces of art from a variety of styles and some very famous painters. Don’t miss the unbelievably beautiful pieces done in glass. Enjoy!” – Blackhawks81 from Deer Park, Illinois
Aug. 2016
“Admission is free. Amazing art displayed very well over the 4 floors of the museum. I read about 1 hour touring times by people, so we only allotted 2.5 hours of our trip. 2.5 hours weren’t close to enough time for us to enjoy this museum. We will have to plan periodic return trips to really enjoy this museum more fully, an afternoon at a time. We loved the Greek religious art section.” – glwadeod from Norman, Oklahoma
Sept. 2016
“This was an unexpected surprise when we went to visit our daughter at OU. Very nice and interesting collection contained in a beautiful space. Great gift shop and very knowledgeable staff.” – DLM212 from Washington, D.C.