facet
David Ligare
Green Symposium
Curator Shawnya Harris
www.georgiamuseum.org
Winter 2016
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Board of Advisors
Department of Publications
Mr. B. Heyward Allen Jr., past chair
Hillary Brown and Stella Tran
Dr. Amalia K. Amaki Mrs. Frances Aronson-Healey
Publications Interns
Mrs. June M. Ball
Gais Chowdhury
Dr. Linda N. Beard
Rebecca Stapleford
Ms. Karen L. Benson Mr. Fred D. Bentley Sr.* Mr. Richard E. Berkowitz Mrs. Jeanne L. Berry
Design The Adsmith
Mrs. Devereux C. Burch Mr. Robert E. Burton** Mrs. Debra C. Callaway** Mr. Randolph W. Camp Mrs. Shannon I. Candler* Mrs. Faye S. Chambers Mr. Harvey J. Coleman Ms. Martha R. Daura***
From the Director On September 21, 2015, we lost M. Smith Griffith, or “Smitty,” as we knew her. Smitty is an abiding presence for us here at the museum, and her death does not mean the end of her patronage — an endowment carries her name, as do the grand hall and auditorium of the museum; these, and more, are the physical testaments of her philanthropy. Smitty sustained us at many transformative moments in our history. In 1973, she co-founded the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art along with Bill Paul, Edda Agee and Mel Fuller. She was a dedicated and long-time member of our Board of Advisors as well as the first member of the Director’s Circle, when the museum was almost 100 percent dependent on the university for its funding. She helped lobby for the museum to become the official state museum of art in 1982. In 1986, she organized and chaired our first big fundraiser, Elegant Salute. She continued to chair those gala occasions until they were an established part of our social and fiscal life. She helped us move from UGA’s North Campus to our new building in 1996, and she provided funding both for that expansion and the following one, in 2011. She believed in our mission and by extension that of the University of Georgia: she expected us to serve; she helped fund our research; and she demanded that we teach Athens to look, to see, to learn.
Mrs. Martha T. Dinos** Mrs. Annie Laurie Dodd*** Ms. Sally Dorsey Professor Marvin Eisenberg* Mr. Howard F. Elkins Mrs. Judith A. Ellis Mr. Todd Emily Ms. Carlyn F. Fisher*
University of Georgia
Mr. James B. Fleece
90 Carlton Street
Mrs. Phoebe G. Forio***
Athens, GA 30602-1502
Mr. John M. Greene** Mrs. Helen C. Griffith** Ms. Judith F. Hernstadt Mrs. Marion E. Jarrell Mrs. Jane Compton Johnson*
www.georgiamuseum.org Admission: Free
Mrs. George-Ann Knox*
HOURS
Mrs. Shell H. Knox
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday,
D. Hamilton Magill III, M.D. Mr. David W. Matheny
10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.;
Ms. Catherine A. May
Sunday, 1–5 p.m. Museum Shop closes 15
Mr. Mark G. McConnell
minutes prior.
Mrs. Marilyn M. McMullan Mrs. Marilyn D. McNeely Mrs. Berkeley S. Minor
Ike & Jane at the Georgia Museum of Art
Mr. C.L. Morehead Jr.*
Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., when UGA
Mr. Carl W. Mullis III* Mrs. Betty R. Myrtle Mrs. Deborah L. O’Kain Dr. Randall S. Ott
is in session. 706.542.4662
Dr. Gordhan L. Patel
Fax: 706.542.1051
Mrs. Janet W. Patterson
Exhibition Line: 706.542.3254
Mr. Christopher R. Peterson Ms. Kathy B. Prescott Mr. Bill Prokasy* Mr. Rowland A. Radford Jr.* Ms. Margaret A. Rolando Mr. Alan F. Rothschild Jr., chair Mrs. Dorothy A. Roush* Ms. Jan E. Roush
In truth, Smitty meant for her philanthropy to be an example to others, and she hoped others would emulate her spirit of volunteerism. The museum honored her in 1998 when it established the Smitty Award, which is one of our highest honors and which recognizes exemplary service by volunteers at the museum. In 2007, the university and the city of Athens joined us in honoring Smitty with the Blue Key Service Award, and the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries made her the recipient of the state’s Patron of the Year Award in 1992. These acknowledgments of her importance in the history of the city and state are impressive, but our grief is as personal as it is civic.
Georgia Museum of Art
Mission Statement The Georgia Museum of Art shares the
Mrs. Sarah P. Sams**
mission of the University of Georgia to
Mr. D. Jack Sawyer Jr.
support and to promote teaching,
Mrs. Helen H. Scheidt**
research and service. Specifically, as a
Mr. Henry C. Schwob**
repository and educational instrument of
Ms. Cathy Selig-Kuranoff** Mr. S. Stephen Selig III**
the visual arts, the museum exists to
Mr. Ronald K. Shelp
collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret
Mrs. Margaret R. Spalding
significant works of art.
Mrs. Dudley R. Stevens Mrs. Carolyn W. Tanner Dr. Brenda A. Thompson, chair-elect Mrs. Barbara Auxier Turner Mr. C. Noel Wadsworth* Dr. Carol V. Winthrop
Partial support for the exhibitions and programs at the Georgia Museum of Art is provided by the
With Smitty’s death, this museum says good-bye to one of its greatest patrons, but her generosity will continue to be quietly manifest in the activities of the students of all ages who use our collections, the senior citizens who discover the museum through our special programs and the visitors who find in the museum at least one beacon of the rich, cultural life of our home, our Athens.
William Underwood Eiland, Director
Georgia Council for the Arts through the Ex-Officio Mrs. Linda C. Chesnut Dr. William Underwood Eiland Professor Chris Garvin
bly. The Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency, the
Ms. Cynthia Harbold
National Endowment for the Arts. Individuals,
Mr. Kelly Kerner
foundations and corporations provide additional
Dr. Russell Mumper
museum support through their gifts to the
Dr. Pamela Whitten
University of Georgia Foundation. The Georgia
*Lifetime member **Emeritus member ***Honorary member
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appropriations of the Georgia General Assem-
Museum of Art is ADA compliant; the M. Smith Griffith Auditorium is equipped for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Contents FEATURES
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Exhibitions
Green Symposium
Donor Spotlight
Event Photos
Exhibitions
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Green Symposium
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Staff Spotlight: Shawnya Harris
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Donor Spotlight: Alan F. Rothschild Jr.
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Calendar of Events
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Museum Notes
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Event Photos
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In the Shop
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On the front cover:
On the back cover:
David Ligare (American, b. 1945)
Alice Aycock (American, b. 1946)
Landscape with an Archer, 1990–1991
Waltzing Matilda, 2014
Oil on canvas
Reinforced fiberglass
110 x 78 inches
15 x 18 x 18 feet
www.georgiamuseum.org
Collection of the Pasadena Museum of California Art
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Ligare to create art that is richly layered, broadly universal
and yet specifically of our time and place.
perfectly ordered still-life, landscape, architectural and
figurative paintings that occupy their own poetic world. The
Galleries: Virginia and Alfred Kennedy, Philip Henry Alston Jr.
and Lamar Dodd Galleries
Sponsors: Mr. Alan F. Rothschild Jr. through the Fort Trustee
Fund, Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley,
the W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends
of the Georgia Museum of Art
the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California. Although
often grouped with California’s Photorealists, the very unreality
of Ligare’s paintings and his underlying interest in antiquity
belie such a label, and the perfection of his unblemished
subjects and hyper-purity of his paint application seem
more unearthly than real. In achieving these qualities, Ligare
And yet, his paintings are firmly based in the specifics of
relationships found in Classical sculpture and architecture.
looks to the ancients for guidance and references the formal
In-House Curator: Sarah Kate Gillespie, curator of American art
this retrospective exhibition of nearly 80 works, organized by
complete range of his subject matter is represented here in
California — and the Monterey region in particular — allowing
A self-proclaimed Classicist, David Ligare (b. 1945) creates
David Ligare: California Classicist February 13–May 8, 2016
Georgia Museum of Art facet | Winter 2016
David Ligare (American, b. 1945) The Philosophy of Flowers II, 2006 Oil on canvas 20 x 24 inches Collection of the artist
David Ligare (American, b. 1945) Landscape for Baucis and Philemon, 1984 Oil on canvas 34 x 48 inches The Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner Collection Fund
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www.georgiamuseum.org
Cherokee Basketry: Woven Culture January 23–April 17, 2016 Cherokee basketry is a regional treasure, and these objects have been enthusiastically collected as art and as souvenir for many decades. Collectors and casual purchasers alike provide a market for the continuation of this important indigenous craft, which assists the Cherokee people in preserving their rich culture. Baskets played a role in the life of early settlers and later in the lives of yeoman 19th-century farmers and aristocrats alike. This exhibition will look at the early basket-making history of the Cherokee, including the early-20th-century revival of the craft and the work of modern Cherokee basket makers. Examples of both traditional and modern design will be included. The exhibition catalogue, published by the museum, includes new and original research on the culture and history of Cherokee baskets. Curators: Janice Simon, Mary Scales and Dale Couch, curator of decorative arts Galleries: Martha Thompson Dinos and Dorothy Alexander Roush Eva Wolfe (Cherokee, 1922–2004) Basket, ca. 1970s Rivercane, walnut or butternut, and yellowroot dyes with complex patterned lid and body Collection of Deanne Deavours
Galleries Sponsors: Community Foundation for Northern Virginia — MOTSTA Fund, Peggy Galis, William D. Wansley in honor of Stevi Smith Wansley and Elizabeth Dunn Wansley and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art
Twists and Turns: Sculptures by Alice Aycock September 4, 2015–September 4, 2016 Alice Aycock designed these two works — “Waltzing Matilda” and “Twin Vortexes” — as part of her series “Park Avenue Paper Chase,” originally installed on the Manhattan boulevard of the same name. Born in Pennsylvania to an architect-engineer father, she trained as a sculptor with Robert Morris at Hunter College, New York, and has often focused on creating public art installations, from her early land art to these complex objects made of fiberglass and aluminum. For “Park Avenue Paper Chase,” she says she “tried to visualize the movement of wind energy as it flowed up and down the Avenue creating random whirlpools . . . touching down here and there and sometimes forming dynamic three-dimensional massing of forms.” Aycock has work in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum and the National Gallery, as well as on view in cities across the United States. Curator: Annelies Mondi, deputy director Gallery: Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden
Georgia Museum of Art facet | Winter 2016
Alice Aycock (American, b. 1946) Twin Vortexes, 2014 Painted aluminum 12 x 12 x 18 feet
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Tools of the Trade January 30–March 13, 2016 Have you ever wondered what it takes to put together an exhibition in a museum? “Tools of the Trade” will provide museum visitors a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes. Through interactive displays, visitors will learn what archival materials are and why they are necessary, see inside of an art shipping crate, design their own exhibition layout and write their own object labels. Curators: Tricia Miller, head registrar, and Carissa DiCindio, curator of education Galleries: Boone and George-Ann Knox Gallery I, Rachel Cosby Conway, Alfred Heber Holbrook and Charles B. Presley Family Galleries Sponsors: Leila G. Allen Endowment, the W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art
George Segal was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. He was affiliated with the Pop Art movement of the 1960s, along with Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns. Like these artists, Segal’s work addresses the conditions of modern daily life. He is best known for his life-size plaster sculptures of human figures arrayed in tableaus. These figures, sometimes ghostly white, sometimes brightly painted, exude a melancholy and isolation that Segal explored as inherent to the human condition in the 20th century; his work has often been labeled as a sculpted version of Edward Hopper’s paintings. The works in this exhibition, including one of the iconic life-size plaster sculptures, “Young Woman in Doorway,” are recent gifts to the permanent collection from the George and Helen Segal Foundation. Curator: Sarah Kate Gillespie, curator of American art Gallery: Alonzo and Vallye Dudley Gallery Sponsors: The W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art
Don’t Miss:
Harold Rittenberry (American, b. 1938)
Georgia’s Girlhood
Escape, 2000
Embroidery: “Crowned with
Welded steel
Glory and Immortality”
Georgia Museum of Art,
On view through February 28
University of Georgia; Gift of Mary and Michael Erlanger
This exhibition features
92 inches high
antebellum ornamental
GMOA
2009.77
needlework and investigates girlhood education in Georgia. The accompanying exhibition catalogue takes readers into the lives and histories of the sampler makers and is available for purchase online and at the Museum Shop. Curators: Kathleen Staples, independent scholar, and Dale Couch, curator of decorative arts Gallery: Boone and George-Ann Knox Gallery II Sponsors: This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the W.
George Segal (American, 1924–2000) Post No Bills, 1990 Wall relief: plaster, wood and paint 49 x 48 x 19 inches Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Gift of the George and Helen Segal Foundation GMOA 2015.181
Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art Tribute to Cosmo Richardsone, dated 1852 The Miller Collection
www.georgiamuseum.org
George Segal: Everyday Apparitions November 7, 2015–March 6, 2016
On View: New in the M. Smith Griffith Grand Hall
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Georgia Department of Natural Resources, will discuss
“Three Georgia Women of Achievement and the
Homes They Left Behind.”
editions of large-format art books celebrating the art
and artists of the American South. He has also been a
dealer for some of the greatest discoveries in antique
at 9 a.m. The following individuals will present:
The symposium will continue in Mahler Hall on Friday
center will be provided.
shuttles between the museum and the conference
quarterly reception. Admission is free. Complimentary
be followed by 90 Carlton: Winter, the museum’s
by the Georgia General Assembly. Hicklin’s talk will
by Georgia Humanities through appropriations made
Jackson Sisters, Colonial Revival, and Modernity.”
Savannah College of Art and Design, will discuss “The
Jessica Smith, artist and designer, who teaches at the
on textiles as an expression of material culture, and
the Savannah College of Art and Design with a focus
Susan Falls, cultural anthropologist and professor at
Abbot: Georgia’s Artist-Naturalist.”
studies at the University of Georgia, will present “John
Beth Fowkes Tobin, professor of English and women’s
programs at the Historic Preservation Division of the
His publishing imprint, Saraland Press, prints limited
southern pottery. The keynote lecture is supported
Jeanne Cyriaque, coordinator of African American
Filibusters.”
“Stars and Stripes: Georgia Silver and Southern
preservation at the University of Georgia, will present
Caroline G. Rainey, master’s candidate in historic
Louise Dubose and the Battleship Georgia Silver.”
North Georgia, will present “Women in a Man’s World:
involved in the art and antiques trade since 1972.
which is free and open to the public. Hicklin has been
keynote lecture, “The Story of Southern, in Pictures,”
of the Charleston Renaissance Gallery, will deliver the
dealers in southern fine art and owner and founder
Robert M. Hicklin Jr., one of the nation’s leading art
At 5:30 p.m. on February 4, in Mahler Hall,
Conference Center at http://bit.ly/green2016.
free. Registration is handled by the UGA Hotel and
$80. Students can register to attend the lectures for
to obtain only admission to lectures may register for
Deborah Prosser, dean of libraries at the University of
The Search for the Identity of a Chalky Level Portrait.”
lunch on Friday and Saturday, dinner on Friday,
breaks and admission to all lectures. Those wishing
Foundation, will give a talk on “The Illusive Miss Cox:
The full registration package is $285 and includes
Drawings and Sculpture at the Colonial Williamsburg
Laura Barry, Juli Grainger Curator of Paintings,
The eighth biennial Henry D. Green Symposium of the Decorative Arts will be held February 4–6, with presentations in the UGA Hotel and Conference Center’s Mahler Hall. In keeping with this symposium’s theme — “Folk and Folks: Variations on the Vernacular” — a wide variety of scholars will give presentations on southern decorative arts, with a focus on the arts of the common people.
Georgia Museum of Art facet | Winter 2016
“Jug or Vase: A Georgia Flower Vessel Explored.”
“Salt-Glazed Stoneware in Early America,” will discuss
Colonial Williamburg Foundation and coauthor of
Suzanne Hood, curator of ceramics and glass at the
Georgia Folk Pottery.”
present “A Masked Tradition: British Porcelain and
and participant in the National Scholars Program, will
Green Center for the Study of the Decorative Arts
at Clemson University, former intern at the Henry D.
John and Marilyn McMullan
Jennifer and Gregory Holcomb
Helen C. Griffith
Sylvia and Robert Gibson
Epting Events
Deanne Deavours and Sally Hawkins
Linda and David Chesnut
Elizabeth B. Chastain
Mr. and Mrs. E. Davison Burch
Brunk Auctions
Dr. Larry H. Beard and Linda N. Beard
Mr. and Mrs. B. Heyward Allen, Jr.
INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS:
Forward Arts Foundation
Betty A. Slaton and T. Marion Slaton
foodways.
Joseph Litts, history major with a minor in chemistry
Jane Royal, Madison Markets
specializes in research on early South Carolinian
The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art
Epting Events
Barron’s Rental Center
Athens Printing Company
EVENT SPONSORS:
Professor and Mrs. John C. Waters
William Dunn Wansley, in memory of Louise Dunn Gibson Wansley and in honor of Stevi Smith Wansley and Elizabeth Dunn Wansley
Margie Spalding
Letitia and Rowland Radford
Pan from Urban Charleston, 1800–1830.” Kean
Marian and Carl Mullis Carey Pickard and Chris Howard
LEAD SPONSOR:
Rebecca Stapleford Intern, Department of Publications
research on southern decorative arts.
gathering of scholars in the presentation of original
arts professionals an opportunity to experience the
Coast, provides the next generation of decorative
second largest event of its kind held on the East
to attend and to participate. This symposium, the
graduate students. Students are highly encouraged
organizations and a mix of undergraduate and
affiliated with universities, museums and historical
Presenters include independent scholars and those
industrial South.
especially artists and artisans who worked in the pre-
Georgia.” Priddy’s specialty is American folk art,
Hath Seen’: Painted Dower Chests in Walton County,
Foundation, will present “‘The Tree of Life, My Soul
Interpreting the Life of a Catawba Indian-Made
present a talk titled “The Creolized Kitchen:
history at the University of California, Davis, will
Kelly Kean, doctoral candidate in early American
Museum of Art, will deliver a note titled “A Preliminary
Moravians in Georgia.”
Report of a Group of Georgia Painted Furniture.”
Dale Couch, curator of decorative arts at the Georgia
Johannes Spitler.”
“A Fresh Coat of Paint: Recent Findings on Craftsman
DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, will present
of the American Revolution Museum as well as the
scholar and previous guest curator for the Daughters
Elizabeth A. Davison, independent decorative arts
Life in the Dutch Fork, South Carolina.”
Margaret Houseal: A Glimpse in German American
UGA, will present her paper “The Taufschein of Mary
of the Decorative Arts and art history graduate of
intern at the Henry D. Green Center for the Study
deliver “‘Received in the Most Friendly Manner’:
and Gardens in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will
of Moravian decorative arts at Old Salem Museums
Johanna Brown, director of collections and curator
Mahler Hall, with the following speakers:
The symposium will resume at 9 a.m. Saturday, in
Southern Craft: Photography and Doris Ulmann.”
the Georgia Museum of Art, will present “Picturing
Sarah Kate Gillespie, curator of American art at
Mary Jane Smithey’s Memorial Embroidery.”
deliver a note titled “Teach Me to Feel Another’s Woe:
Kathleen Staples, independent textiles scholar, will
preservation at the University of Pennsylvania, former
Courtney Magill, master’s candidate in historic
former associate curator for the Colonial Williamsburg
antiques dealer in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, and
Sumpter Priddy III, independent scholar and
of Northern Georgia Inlaid Chests.”
Trust for Historic Preservation, will deliver “A Grouping
Eric Whisman, associate director of the Kentucky
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www.georgiamuseum.org
Johannes Spitler (attributed, 1774–1837) Blanket chest, Shenandoah (now Page) County, VA, ca. 1800–1809 Yellow pine, paint, iron and brass Courtesy Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, VA Photo by Ron Blunt
If it hadn’t been for a vacant seat on a shuttle bus and a welcoming smile, the Georgia Museum of Art might never have had Shawnya Harris as its inaugural Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Curator of African American and African Diasporic Art.
T
he way Harris tells it, she stepped aboard the bus at the annual College Art Association conference only to be greeted by the grin of Lynn Boland, the museum’s Pierre Daura Curator of European Art, who encouraged her to take the seat next to him. As they chatted on the drive, she was intrigued
by his ability to pursue academic research, organize exhibitions and work with the public, all at the same time. Finding out her specialty was African American art, he immediately mentioned that the museum was hiring for a curatorial position in the area. They spent the rest of the drive talking about the Thompsons’ collection, which she knew from the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland. Boland had spent two days sitting at a table in the CAA exhibition hall, representing the museum and hoping to receive applications for the position, with little luck. As Harris puts it, “everything was dovetailing.” She had seen the job posting before leaving for the conference, but her interaction with Boland made her determined to apply. Harris didn’t start out wanting to work in museums, and it wasn’t until her undergraduate years at Yale, where she got her bachelor’s degree in African American Studies, that she really took advantage of their offerings. The way the university integrated its gallery into the curriculum, combined with the enthusiasm of certain crucial professors for visual arts, hooked her. One of those teachers was Robert Farris Thompson, a specialist in Black Atlantic art, and Harris was inspired by his eclectic way of approaching material, fusing fine with vernacular art in an effort to tell a sweeping, inclusive story. After interning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Ackland Art Museum while in graduate school, she looked for various places to volunteer upon completing her degree. As she puts it, “I stumbled into North Carolina Central University Art Museum and asked the question ‘Do you have a website?’ I instantly became its first webmaster, and that position led to me assisting the director with various curatorial projects, grant writing, etc.” Harris seems to have been thrown into the fire repeatedly, in a number of different museum positions, but she kept coming back to the field, and she says she learned “how to work through a lot of things with grace and a sense of humor.” That kind of can-do attitude also means she gained a wide variety of skills, from research to working with students, commissioning large-scale works of art, navigating university partnerships, building a collection and, as she mentioned during her talk while applying for the position here, sometimes emptying the trash. In short: she figured out what needed to be done and then she often did it herself, even while serving as director of North Carolina A&T State University’s galleries, which she did for eight years. Her eyes light up when she talks about what she wants to accomplish in her position at the Georgia Museum of Art. The upcoming reinstallation of the permanent collection, for example, is a way to juxtapose artists of color with their peers, helping them become part of the narrative of art history rather than confining them to their own section in the galleries. The Thompsons’ requirement, with their gift, that the curator organize at least one monographic show of work by an African American artist, is equally exciting, and Harris doesn’t take long to rattle off a list of the artists she has ambitions to address. Edmonia Lewis, for example, a 19th-century African American/Mississauga sculptor, is ripe for a solo showcase. Emma Amos, born in Atlanta and the only female member of the African American arts collective Spiral, is another dream exhibition. She also hopes
Georgia Museum of Art facet | Winter 2016
to focus on African American abstractionists such as Norman Lewis, which she calls “an
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undiscovered chapter in art history.” Harris will start teaching at the Lamar Dodd School of Art next academic year, with Introduction to African American Art, a survey course that will allow her to use the museum’s permanent collection. Here, as elsewhere, she plans on conveying what she learned from her own teachers: an enthusiasm for the subject and for the work. To Harris, that is the most important thing she can pass on. In short, she wants to serve as a model for students who might not otherwise see themselves in the museum field and show them that a nontraditional path can open doors as readily as traditional academic training.
Hillary Brown Director of Communications
Her eyes light up when
she talks about what she wants to accomplish in her position at the Georgia Museum of Art.
The Georgia Museum of Art is pleased to announce the new chair of its Board of Advisors, Alan F. Rothschild Jr., a board member since 2008.
F
or Rothschild, his goal as chair is to help the museum obtain the “resources [it] needs to continue to provide quality programming and exhibitions to the UGA community and the state at large.” A lawyer by day, he is also president of the Mildred Miller Fort Foundation, Inc., a
member of the board of directors of the Georgia Humanities Council, a past chair of the UGA Law School Association Council and a visiting adjunct professor in the University of Miami’s graduate program in estate planning. Rothschild enjoys his many roles, especially those that support the cultural life of his home state. A native of Columbus, Georgia, Rothschild received his Juris Doctor degree from the UGA School of Law in 1985 and his Master of Laws in Taxation from Emory University in 1991. He began practicing estate planning and nonprofit law in Columbus 30 years ago and continues to practice full-time today. Rothschild has had an interest in art since he was a child. His father served on a number of cultural arts boards when Rothschild was younger, and they went to many cultural events together. In particular, Rothschild’s interest in art is tied to the humanities and to the historical contexts of art. He praises Dale Couch, the museum’s curator of decorative arts, for his ability to connect decorative arts to the history of our region. Rothschild says, “Art for art’s sake is wonderful, but it is the beauty [of the story] behind the art that helps me understand art, and Dale does a great job in explaining that connection.” In 2012, Rothschild founded the Do Good Fund, a public charity based in Columbus that focuses on building a museum-quality collection of contemporary southern photography, including works by emerging photographers. The fund aims to make its collection broadly accessible through regional museums, nonprofit galleries and nontraditional venues and encourages complementary, communitybased programming to accompany each exhibition. According to Georgia Museum of Art director William U. Eiland, “The Do Good Fund is but one example of Alan’s commitment to the cultural enrichment of the lives of southerners, particularly Georgians. His devotion to the museum is equally exemplary.” Rothschild emphasizes the importance of having young people visit museums and establishing a “museum-going habit,” so that they can see great works of art in
In particular, Rothschild’s interest in art is tied to the humanities and to the
historical contexts of art.
person. He sees the role of the Georgia Museum of Art as integral to developing this habit: “The museum offers our visitors free entry to serve that experience, not only to the UGA community, but to the citizens of Georgia as a whole.” Rothschild’s willingness to take this new role as chair of the board came partially from the fact that his daughter, Caroline (pictured in photo), is a current student at UGA, which gives him additional chances to visit her. Caroline served as a volunteer intern with the museum’s development department in 2014. Rothschild also has high praise for Eiland, particularly in his commitment to spreading the word about the museum. He says, “Bill is very involved in the museum community, not just in Athens or in the region, but internationally. He has been instrumental in defining best practices to help all museums navigate many challenging issues in the museum field. Bill’s enthusiasm for helping other museums greatly enhances the reputation of our museum and its ability to accomplish its mission.” Rothschild stresses that the museum offers more than just free admission to attract visitors. He praises the museum staff’s efforts in completing award-winning publications and organizing exhibitions and other behind-the-scenes work, which compel the public to come. He says, “It’s about sharing our [art] and resources with people throughout the state. Its doors, its collections, and its staff are open for all the
Gais Chowdhury Intern, Department of Publications
In conjunction with the Do Good Fund exhibitions held at various locations throughout the city of Athens this February, William Ferris, Joel R. Williamson Eminent Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel HIll and senior associate director of UNC's Center for the Study of the American South, will address the Do Good Fund, southern photography, images of the American South and the region as a whole on February 18, 5:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. The lecture is free and open to the public.
www.georgiamuseum.org
people of Georgia, and I am honored to be associated with such a great team.”
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All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Please note the museum will be closed on January 1.
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Seven of Athens’ established venues for visual art (the Georgia Museum of Art, the Lamar Dodd School of Art, Lyndon House Arts Center, Glass Cube & Gallery@Hotel Indigo-Athens, Ciné, the Classic Center and ATHICA) hold this event devoted to art in the evening hours, on the third Thursday of every month to showcase their visual arts programming. Details are posted at 3thurs.org.
Interwoven Georgia: Three Centuries of Textile Traditions January 14–16, 2016 The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts will hold its 2016 Textile Symposium at the Georgia Museum of Art, in conjunction with the exhibition “Georgia’s Girlhood Embroideries: ‘Crowned with Glory and Immortality.’” Celebrate more than 250 years of Georgia’s rich textile heritage, from 18th-century silk production to bed furnishings, the contributions of African Americans to textile production and chenille fashions of the 20th century. $345 ($325 for Friends of MESDA/Old Salem or Georgia Museum of Art). Register at http://bit.ly/ mesda-textiles.
Folk and Folks: Variations on the Vernacular February 4–6, 2016 The eighth Henry D. Green Symposium of the Decorative Arts. See elsewhere in this issue for full details. $285 full registration package, $80 lectures only, free for students (registration required). Register at http://bit.ly/green2016.
Keynote: Henry D. Green Symposium of the Decorative Arts Thursday, February 4, 5:30 p.m. The eighth symposium commences with “The Story of Southern, in Pictures,” the keynote speech by Robert M. Hicklin Jr., one of the nation’s leading art dealers in southern fine art and owner and founder of Hicklin Galleries, LLC and the Charleston Renaissance Gallery. Registration not required. The keynote will be held at the UGA Hotel and Conference Center’s Mahler Hall.
90 Carlton: Winter Thursday, February 4, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
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The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art present this reception featuring the winter exhibitions in conjunction with the Henry D. Green Symposium of the Decorative Arts. Enjoy refreshments by Epting Events, gallery activities, door prizes and “Ask the Experts” from 8–9 p.m. Free and open to the public. Event partners: Athens Printing Company, Barron’s Rental Center and Epting Events. RSVP to gmoarsvp@uga.edu or 706.542.4199.
Make It an Evening Thursday, February 11, 6–8 p.m. Enjoy coffee, dessert and a gallery tour prior to the performance by pianists Wu Han and Alessio Bax, artist members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and special guest pianist Robert Spano in Hodgson Hall. Jittery Joe’s Coffee and Cecilia Villaveces’ cakes. Purchase tickets for the concert at pac.uga.edu.
Georgia Museum of Art facet | Winter 2016
Student Night Thursday, February 18, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
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Schedule a Visit to the Georgia Museum of Art To schedule a class visit or student assignment at the Georgia Museum of Art, please call us at 706.542.4662 at least two weeks prior to the visit. Scheduling in advance enables us to prepare for your visit, whether it is a self-guided tour led by an instructor, a docent-led tour or students coming on their own to complete an assignment.
Inclement Weather
Join the Student Association of the Georgia Museum of Art for a night of music, food, fun and themed activities to celebrate the latest exhibitions. Student Night is generously sponsored by the UGA Parents and Families Association.
The Georgia Museum of Art follows the inclement weather policies of the University of Georgia. When the university is closed, the museum is closed as well. Announcements are posted to the UGA homepage (www.uga.edu) and appear on Athens Charter cable channel 15. Announcements also will be posted to Twitter (@universityofga and @UGAEVENTS) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/uga.edu and www. facebook.com/UgaToday). Up-to-date information is provided to Athens radio stations: AM 960 and 1340; and FM 88.9, 90.5, 91.7, 97.9, 98.9, 100.1, 102.1, 103.7 and 106.1.
Black History Month Dinner Friday, February 26, 6–9 p.m. This year’s event, Hallowed Ground: Sites of African American Memory, echoes the national Black History Month theme, which celebrates the physical places that are important in African American history. The Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Award and the Lillian C. Lynch Citation will be presented. $55 for members, $75 nonmembers. Presenting sponsor: Morgan Stanley. RSVP to gmoarsvp@uga.edu or 706.542.4199.
Thursday Twilight Tour: Highlights from the Permanent Collection Thursday, January 21, February 18 and March 17, 7 p.m. Led by docents.
Tour at Two: “Tools of the Trade” Wednesday, February 10, 2 p.m.
Saxton's Cornet Band performing in October. Photo courtesy of Marty Steiner.
Join the co-curators of the exhibition, Carissa DiCindio, curator of education, and Tricia Miller, head registrar, for a special look at this show that explores the behind-thescenes side of museum work.
Make It an Evening Tuesday, March 22, 6–8 p.m.
Tour at Two: “David Ligare: California Classicist” Wednesday, February 17, 2 p.m.
Lectures & Gallery Talks “Alice Aycock: Selected Work” Thursday, February 11, 5:30 p.m. Join Alice Aycock as she shares stories of her career as an artist and get an in-depth look at selected works from the artist’s oeuvre. Her large-scale pieces in earth and industrial materials pertain to themes of human and spatial relationships with nature, architecture and the built environment.
“The Storied South: Voices of Writers and Artists” William Ferris, Joel R. Williamson Eminent Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and senior associate director of UNC’s Center for the Study of the American South Thursday, February 18, 5:30 p.m. Ferris will address the Do Good Fund, southern photography, images of the American South and the region as a whole in this lecture. Presented in conjunction with the Do Good Fund Exhibitions. Co-sponsored by the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts.
Family Days Family Day programs are sponsored by Heyward Allen Motor Co., Inc., Heyward Allen Toyota and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art.
Family Day: Art and Animals Saturday, January 23, 10 a.m.–noon Check out an array of animals running wild through works in the museum’s permanent collection with a scavenger hunt and fun gallery activities, then create your own artful animal in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom.
Family Day: Tools of the Trade Saturday, February 13, 10 a.m.–noon
This film follows famed German painter Gerhard Richter in his studio through the spring and summer of 2009, granting viewers access into the artist’s personal, tension-filled process of artistic creation. With a fly-onthe-wall perspective, viewers follow Richter as he creates large abstract paintings with fat brushes and a massive squeegee, applying layers of paint until the highly charged process creates a work of art. Directed by Corinna Belz. German with English subtitles. 2012, 97 min.
“National Gallery” Thursday, February 25, 7 p.m. The National Gallery in London is one of the most famous art museums in the world, and this documentary takes viewers beyond the public galleries into the astonishing collection of the gallery. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the preservation and restoration processes, the development of educational and public programs and how staff from different departments work together to create a successful show. Directed by Frederick Wiseman. 2014, 180 min.
´ The Artist Is Present” “Marina Abramovic: Thursday, March 3, 7 p.m. This film offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes portrait of “the grandmother of performance art” as she prepares for a blockbuster retrospective exhibit of her controversial work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. With total access granted by Abramovic´ and MoMA, the documentary takes the viewer inside the world of radical performance and provides an intimate, engaging portrait of a woman who draws no distinction between life and art. Directed by Matthew Akers and Jeff Dupre. 2012, 106 min.
“Le Mystère Picasso” Thursday, March 10, 7 p.m. Director Henri-Georges Clouzot peers into the imagination of Pablo Picasso in this quiet documentary that captures the revolutionary painter’s creative process through a combination of stop-motion and time-lapse photography. Picasso’s work comes to life on screen, paint strokes and splashes of color appear as if by magic, and empty canvases become platforms for a series of daring and original drawings and paintings that exist only within the confines of this film. French with English subtitles. 1956, 78 min. Films are generously sponsored by
Explore the behind-the-scenes world of art museums in the exhibition “Tools of the Trade,” then try your hand at organizing your very own mini-exhibition in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom
Family Day: Cherokee Baskets Saturday, March 26, 10 a.m.–noon Learn about the rich traditions of Cherokee basket making in the exhibition “Cherokee Basketry: Woven Culture,” then head down to the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom to try weaving your own basket.
Films Film Series: Art Behind-the-Scenes Presented in conjunction with the exhibition “Tools of the Trade.”
Tours Tour at Two: Highlights from the Permanent Collection Wednesday January 6, 20 and 27, February 3, March 16 and 30, 2 p.m. Led by docents.
Sunday Spotlight Tour: Highlights from the Permanent Collection Sunday, January 10, February 14 and March 13, 3 p.m. Led by docents.
Tour at Two: “Face Jugs of the South” Wednesday, January 13, 2 p.m. Led by Brittany Ranew, education program specialist.
Join museum director William Underwood Eiland for a tour of the exhibition.
Tour at Two: “Cherokee Basketry: Woven Culture” Wednesday, February 24, 2 p.m. Dr. Janice Simon, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor of Art History and co-curator of the exhibition, will give a tour.
Artful Conversation: David Ligare Wednesday, March 2, 2 p.m. Join Carissa DiCindio, curator of education, for an in-depth discussion of Ligare’s “Hercules Protecting the Balance between Pleasure and Virtue” (1993).
Tour at Two: “Cherokee Basketry: Woven Culture” Wednesday, March 9, 2 p.m. Join Mary Scales, co-curator of the exhibition, for a special guided tour.
Tour at Two: “David Ligare: California Classicist” Wednesday, March 23, 2 p.m. Sarah Kate Gillespie, curator of American art, will lead a tour of this exhibition.
Workshops & Classes Studio Workshop: Printmaking Thursday January 7, 14, 21 and 28, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Athens-based artist and Piedmont College professor Brian Hitselberger will lead a series of studio-based courses exploring various printmaking methods and assorted materials. Artists from all backgrounds are encouraged to attend, as these sessions are designed to be equally engaging for enthusiastic beginners and seasoned practitioners. The cost of the course is a $15 materials fee, which will cover all necessary supplies for the four sessions. The workshop is limited to 15 participants. Call 706.542.8863 or email callan@uga.edu to register.
Morning Mindfulness Friday, January 22, February 12 and 26 and March 18, 9:30–10:30 a.m. The museum invites you into the galleries to experience mindful practice in an environment of creative energy. Sessions include instructor-led meditation followed by a period of reflection and discussion. Stools without backs are provided; please bring a cushion if desired. Reservations are encouraged, contact 706.542.0448 or branew@ uga.edu.
Teen Studio Thursday, February 25, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Teens ages 13–18 are invited to participate in this special studio workshop program led by local artist and educator Kristen Bach. We’ll check out beautiful examples of embroidered textiles in a tour of the exhibition “Georgia’s Girlhood Embroidery: Crowned with Glory and Immortality,” then create our own embroidered wall hanging that tells our story. Includes a pizza dinner. This program is free, but space is limited. To reserve a spot please email callan@uga.edu or call 706.542.8863. www.georgiamuseum.org
Enjoy coffee, dessert and a gallery tour prior to the performance by Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn in Hodgson Hall. Jittery Joe’s Coffee and Cecilia Villaveces’ cakes. Purchase tickets for the concert at pac.uga.edu.
“Gerhard Richter Painting” Thursday, February 11, 7 p.m.
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Samuel Cormac Rhicard
PERSONNEL Last October, we bid a fond farewell to Caroline Maddox, our director of development since 2011, and to Laura Valeri, our associate curator of European art since 2012. Caroline accepted a position at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and Laura accepted a position at Georgetown University Press in Washington, D.C. We will miss them very much, but know they will do a fantastic job in their new roles. We also welcomed a new arrival this past November. Laura Rhicard, administrative and library assistant, and her husband, Andy, announced the birth of Samuel Cormac Rhicard on November 5, 2015. Congratulations Laura and Andy!
GIFTS The Georgia Museum of Art received the following gifts between July 23 and October 23, 2015: PATRON Ted and Caroline Ridlehuber
“Tristan Perich: Machine Drawings”
Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Phares Kathy Prescott and Grady Thrasher Bill and Pamela Prokasy Patricia G. Staub Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Stortz Alex Vazquez In memory of Patricia Irvin Cooper by Karen Prasse “El Taller de Gráfica Popular: Vida y Arte”
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Howard and Helen Elkins Erika G. Lewis Scott and Heather Kleiner Chris and Elizabeth Willett Lars G. Ljungdahl Jay Robinson Blair and Betsy Dorminey
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DESIGNATED
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Teri Harris Anglin Anonymous Beth Hoover Baile Meg Brya, Five Points Eye Care Devereux and Dave Burch Peter Dale Bill and Marya Free Mary Ann Griffin Dortha and Bruce Jacobson Katherine C. Jones Melinda B. Jones Matthew and Mary Beth Justus Mrs. Ramon D. Lantz Sarah Elizabeth Mayo Marilyn McNeely, McNeely Foundation Dan and Berkeley Minor Van and Libby Morris Bob and Martha Noble Deborah and Dennis O’Kain William A. Parker III Gordhan and Virginia Patel
In memory of Frances Yates Green by the Broadfield Foundation and the Friends of Coastal Georgia History In memory of M. Smith Griffith by Devereux and Dave Burch, Betty Jean Craige, Gwen W. Griffin, Laurel and Jack Halper, Jane C. Johnson, Jana and Bill McGee, Van and Libby Morris, Bonnie and Henry Ramsey, Mr. and Mrs. James L. Smith, Jan and Mark Wheeler, Carol and Rob Winthrop and Patricia and Tom Wright
AWARDS The Georgia Museum of Art won two awards at the Southeastern Museums Conference’s annual meeting last October, held in Jacksonville, Florida. The museum received the Commendation for Outstanding Exhibition in the Under $25,000 category from the SEMC Curators’ Committee Exhibition Competition for “Tristan Perich: Machine Drawings,” organized by Lynn Boland, Pierre Daura Curator of European Art. The museum also received silver in the Southeastern Museums Conference Publication Design Competition this year in the Books and Catalogues category for “El Taller de Gráfica Popular: Vida y Arte.” The handsome hardbound book, designed by Fold Four, Inc., includes full-color images of every work in the exhibition and is the most comprehensive publication on the workshop to date. The exhibition catalogue “Pierre Daura (1896–1976): Picturing Attachments” received distinction as a category finalist in art for the Eric Hoffer Book Awards and was a finalist in the art category for IndieFab Book of the Year.
In memory of Gail Lester by William Underwood Eiland In honor of the birth of James Benson Gurley by Jana and Bill McGee In honor of Kenny Garbee by Peg and Norm Wood In honor of the staff of the Georgia Museum of Art by Kathy Prescott and Grady Thrasher
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS OF THE GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART.
Support our programming and exhibitions. Join on our website, georgiamuseum.org, or call 706.542.0830.
For more event photos see www.flickr.com/gmoa
Director’s Circle Reception Sake Tasting for “Samurai: The Way of the Warrior” Donors
Collectors Day Trip to Milledgeville, GA
IN THE SHOP “Tools of the Trade” explores the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating an art exhibition and even invites you to design an exhibition of your own. You’ll want to put your newfound knowledge to good use, so how about some great artist’s tools to create the works you’ll want to display expertly at home? Luckily, the Museum Shop has a wide selection of art supplies available for all ages.
Art Unveiling: Three restored paintings by Athens native Mary Franklin, sponsored by Hildegard Timberlake
Urban sketchbook set – $15.95
Members of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art – $14.36
Complete art set in wooden case – $55.95
Members of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art – $50.36
Tube of colored pencils – $5.50
Members of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art – $4.95
Gouache paints, markers, pastels or watercolor pencils – $12.95 each
www.georgiamuseum.org
Members of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art – $11.66
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non-profit org. u.s. postage paid
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA 90 Carlton Street
athens, ga permit no. 49
Athens, Georgia 30602-1502 www.georgiamuseum.org address service requested
Georgia Museum of Art facet | Winter 2016
winter 2016
Exhibitions
Green Symposium
Calendar of Events
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