FALL 2018 | VOLUME 7 | ISSUE 1
FEATURED EXHIBITION: COMFORT ZONES PAGE 12
PEOPLE OF MUAM: ELLEN PRICE PAGE 7
DOCENT FEATURE: LEE HAMILL PAGE 9
UPCOMING: EXHIBITIONS PAGES 12-14
From the Editor What a fantastic year it has been so far at the Miami University Art Museum! We enjoyed local, regional and national publicity paired with record-breaking attendance for the first-of-its-kind, African-American children’s-illustrated literature exhibition Telling A People’s Story. We are thrilled to offer two ongoing iterations of the exhibition in order to keep the story fresh and vital through an online exhibition and a traveling panel exhibit. Learn more about these on page 5 and online at blogs.MiamiOH.edu/TellingAPeoplesStory. We round out the year by encouraging our visitors to think differently once again, this time about the theme crossroads. The exhibitions are a mix of works by two landscape painters, a photographer and prints by Rockwell Kent from our permanent collection.
IN THIS ISSUE From the Director About the Art Museum Telling A People’s Story, the Next Chapter From the Collection: New to the Fold People of MUAM: Ellen Price MUAM Education Updates Docent Feature: Lee Hamill Spring 2019 Exhibition Preview MUAM Exhibitions ~ Fall 2018 In the Cage: Cage Gallery Hiestand Happenings: Hiestand Galleries Contemporary Art Lecture Series McGuffey Moments Exhibitions & Programs at a Glance
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AND, we will celebrate the Art Museum’s 40th birthday with a special 40 at 40 celebratory exhibition coming in the Spring of 2019. As always it is with great pride that we bring you the latest issue of Visual Arts at Miami featuring yet another super line-up of exhibitions and programs in the visual arts at Miami University. As with each issue, we are pleased to provide an at-a-glance overview of the wide range of visual arts exhibitions, programs and events at Miami University. I encourage you to use the schedule to plan your regular visits and engage with the visual arts. Plenty of opportunities exist—ENJOY the Visual Arts at Miami and welcome to the new academic year! Sincerely,
SHERRI KRAZL, EDITOR MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS MIAMI UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM
About the Magazine Visual Arts at Miami (VAAM) is a bi-annual publication of the Miami University Art Museum (MUAM) showcasing visual arts at Miami University for members and the arts community. Distributed in print inside the Journal News and Oxford Press prior to the Fall and Spring semesters, Visual Arts at Miami also is available digitally through the companion blog at blogs.MiamiOH.edu/VisualArts. Check the back cover for a map detail, contact information and hours.
On the cover: Rockwell Kent (American, 1882-1971); (Detail) The Bather, 1931; Wood engraving on maple from an edition of 120, signed in pencil; Bequest of Thomas J. Cobbe; 2000.112
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From the Director AT THE CROSSROADS: AMERICA’S RURAL IDENTITY What is the value of small town America? How can we preserve the best of what rural life has to offer? Our current exhibitions provide a lens through which one can consider these and related questions. With the proliferation of Walmart, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and others of their ilk, much of what is distinctive about small town America is disappearing. An article in Atlantic magazine late last year concluded, “To erode small-town culture is to erode the culture of the nation.” Compared to a century ago when nearly half of the population was rural, today only about one in five of the U.S. population lives in a rural community. Those towns that remain are facing major economic challenges, in maintaining basic services such as healthcare, public safety and even postal delivery, and struggling to attract 21st century businesses and talented workers, especially young creatives. Consider what makes our town distinctive. Oxford has been designated as the “best college town” in the U.S. by Forbes magazine, and promoted as a great place to retire. Those rankings are due in part to strong cultural organizations--Oxford Community Arts Center, Oxford Museum Association, Oxford Lane Library and of course Miami University with its myriad of offerings, all of which contribute to Oxford’s quality of life. Other important features of small town life are what Arthur Morgan defined as “good will, neighborliness, fair play, courage, tolerance, open-minded inquiry, [and] patience.” In The Small Community: The Foundation of Democratic Life Morgan argues that these are also the ”lifeblood of civilization,” foundations of our national identity.
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One way to gauge the caliber of our citizens is how these traits are activated by a willingness to serve others. Volunteerism is an opportunity to become involved in something larger than oneself, a nurturing environment of selfless service and mentorship. What makes Oxford distinctive, and truly worthy of the accolades, is that there are large numbers of residents who assist the underserved in our community, by working with campus service organizations, Kiwanis, Freemasons, Lions Club, City Council, the Talawanda School Board, Oxford Community Choice Food Pantry, Oxford Seniors, and others, not to mention numerous faith-based organizations. The tension between rural and urban realities continues to grow. The works created by artists Mary Phelan and Eldridge Bagley in the exhibition Comfort Zones encourages self-reflection on the urban/rural divide while Hans Gindlesberger’s photographs, composites of real places, dramatize internal decay together with the encroachment of urban renewal. Taken together with Rockwell Kent’s images of solitude, identity remains at the heart of our human quest.
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The Miami University Art Museum, completed in 1978, was designed by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, Chicago, and is situated on three acres of scenic sculpture park grounds. It houses five galleries of changing exhibitions and a growing permanent collection of more than 17,000 artworks. MUAM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and is a proud member of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM).
Where is the Art Museum on Campus? For starters, you can’t miss the large, industrial red sculpture on the front lawn. MUAM is also just a 7-minute walk from the Armstrong Student Center, diagonally across from Tappan Hall, at the intersection of S. Patterson Ave. and Chestnut St., right when you enter Oxford off of State Route 27.
What can the Art Museum do for Students? Lots of things! MUAM is a great place to see diverse exhibitions and explore outstanding works of art. You also can work, intern, volunteer, join the Art Museum Student Organization (AMSO) and attend lectures and social events.
What can the Art Museum do for the Public? The Art Museum and Sculpture Park is FREE & OPEN to ALL and is an excellent venue for exploring arts and culture from around the world. Membership in support of programs and exhibitions is available at varying levels. Each offers a higher level of engagement with the museum via special-invitation-only events and special programs. More information on the member program is available on our website via the Members link.
Hours
Museum Staff
Tuesday–Friday: 10 A.M.–5 P.M. Saturday: 12–5 P.M. Closed: Sunday, Monday, national holidays, university closures, and during installation (more info on website.) Closures: Sept. 1, 3, Oct. 13, and Nov. 21-24
Dr. Robert S. Wicks, Director
FREE & OPEN TO ALL!
Website MiamiOH.edu/ArtMuseum Location & Contact 801 S. Patterson Ave. Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-2232 ArtMuseum@MiamiOH.edu
Debbie Caudill, Senior Program Assistant/Security Cynthia Collins, Curator of Education Mark DeGennaro, Preparator/ Operations Manager Sue Gambrell, Program Associate Sherri Krazl, Marketing/Communications Jason E. Shaiman, Curator of Exhibitions Laura Stewart, Collections Manager/ Registrar
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@MIAMIU-ARTMUSEUM ART MUSEUM
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Visual Arts at Miami
Telling a People’s Story, the Next Chapter JASON E. SHAIMAN, CURATOR OF EXHIBITIONS
Telling A People’s Story: African-American Children’s Illustrated Literature closed on June 30 after a wonderful five-month display. We were all sad to see this exhibition close. But, don’t worry, it’s far from over. This important exhibition will live on for many years to come through an online presence and a Traveling Panel Exhibit. Content from the full exhibition in the galleries was adapted to a blog site dedicated to Telling A People’s Story: www.blogs.miamioh.edu/ tellingapeoplesstory. The Art Museum first developed this site to promote the two-day conference held in April. We began adding more content, including lists of featured illustrators and books in the exhibition, and teacher resources such as lesson plans developed in collaboration with faculty and students in Art Education. More content was added over the summer to offer a virtual tour of the full exhibition as it appeared in our galleries, as well as videos of illustrators talking about their work, and a bibliography of scholarly resources.
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While the web content is critical in this ever-growing online world, the Traveling Panel Exhibit component of this project will reach people in the physical spaces like elementary schools, libraries, universities and colleges across the country. The original 130 works of art are now back in the hands of the illustrators and collectors. Keeping the original works on display at numerous venues for several years could be detrimental to the works on paper. In the name of preservation, we developed an alternative method for getting the content of the exhibition out to viewers. Thanks to a generous grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, we produced five sets of the Traveling Panel Exhibit using retractable trade show banners. These identical sets include 12 portable display panels featuring digitally printed text panels and images of the works shown in the original exhibition. This will enable the exhibition to reach audiences where most art exhibitions are unable to be presented. For more information, about this Traveling Panel Exhibit and to learn about where the sets will be on display, visit www.blogs.miamioh.edu/tellingapeoplesstory.
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Collections Update: New to the Fold LAURA STEWART, COLLECTIONS MANAGER/REGISTRAR
Annually, the Art Museum receives donations of artwork to augment the many wonderful objects already under its stewardship. The Collections Development Committee reviews and makes recommendations concerning these gifts based on certain criteria, such as the object’s applicability to the Art Museum’s mission. 2017 was no exception. Below is a breakdown of the many wonderful gifts in-kind accepted into the permanent collection last year. SCULPTURE
• Buddhist objects from Thailand and East Asia, which complement a 2016 donation group of primarily wood and bronze Buddha figures and heads • Cantonese 19th century “Famille Rose” porcelain garden seat featuring numerous Chinese symbolic motifs WORKS ON PAPER
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Don Quixote etching by Salvador Dali color etching with carborundum by Spanish artist Joan Miro woodcut by Cincinnati illustrator and artist Thom Shaw silverpoint and preparatory drawings by exhibition artist Dennis Angel lithographs by Elias Friedensohn, Robert W. Mallary, and Karl Schrag pencil drawing by Charles Burchfield and pen-and-ink drawing by Harvey Breverman (showing friend of the museum Mortimer Spiller looking at Burchfield drawings) • charcoal drawing by former Miami art professor Lon Beck • screen print by former Miami art professor Robert Wolfe, Jr. • Waterfall lithograph by M.C. Escher PAINTINGS
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Girl Polishing Jug, 19th century oil painting by Henry Mosler circa 19th century oil on canvas of a violin player by William Verplanck Birney At Study, oil painting by 19th century Belgian artist Pierre Oliver Joseph Coomans Woman at Window oil painting attributed to 17th century Dutch master Ferdinand Bol watercolor by Pennsylvania artist Alan Clarke
In addition to expressing sincere gratitude to the donors of these wonderful additions, the Art Museum welcomes these items to the fold. Look for a few of them in the galleries Spring 2019 in the 40 @ 40 exhibition. Can’t wait to see new acquisitions on display or want more information about any of these objects? Contact the Art Museum Collections Manager/Registrar at (513) 529-2232 or stewarle@miamioh.edu.
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Congratulations, Ellen!
Ellen Price
LAURA STEWART, COLLECTIONS MANAGER/REGISTRAR
At the Art Museum’s 2018 Annual Members Meeting, museum staff honored a faculty member whose numerous contributions to the institution over the past several years have had a significant impact on the Miami community. From exhibitions to collections, education to public relations, Art Professor Ellen J. Price has dedicated her career to championing visual art. Each semester, Professor Price brings her ART 241, 341/342 and 441/442 classes to the Art Museum to view a broad selection of prints by artists ranging from Rembrandt van Rijn to Elizabeth Catlett. During these visits, Ellen speaks about each and every work, including intaglio, woodcut and lithograph examples, among others. Her commentary is not only well informed—she has extensive experience with the represented techniques—but also engaging. She has “insider” information about a few of the artists’ personalities, even having met or worked with some of them. In addition, each November, Professor Price serves on the Art Museum’s Collections Development Committee, assisting colleagues and Museum staff with selecting and reviewing new acquisitions. Here again, her expertise in the field of printmaking remains invaluable. She has given many hours of her own time reviewing artwork and digital Volume 7, Issue 1 | Fall 2018
photographs and making visits to studios, galleries and collectors’ residences so that everyone on staff receives informed evaluative information about future print collection objects. When the Art Museum begins gearing up for the next installment of its “Student Response Exhibition (SRE),” she is always supportive, encouraging students to submit their best work to the jury process as well as assisting selected participants with preparing their pieces for display. Indeed, Professor Price’s contributions to each SRE show are many, including but not limited to recommending that students with outstanding submissions be recognized with monetary awards. This suggestion came to fruition when the Art Museum’s Membership Steering Committee agreed to sponsor such an endeavor. Professor Price’s tireless efforts in making the Art Museum an important Oxford location for learning were acknowledged the evening of May 3, 2018. It was an emotional moment for presenter Director Robert S. Wicks, as well as for the recipient. In fact, everyone in attendance was touched by Professor Price’s grace and gratitude in accepting the Art Museum’s first annual “Faculty Leadership Award.” The recognition was certainly well deserved.
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Students Explore Ancient Egypt with Docents CYNTHIA COLLINS, CURATOR OF EDUCATION
At the end of each school year, the Miami Valley School located in Dayton, Ohio, brings an energetic group of middle school students to visit Miami University. The students spend an entire week on campus immersed in informal experiences that reinforce their curricular objectives. This year the students explored Egyptian history and culture. Volunteer docents welcomed the students to the Art Museum and gave tours of the Telling A People’s Story and Scratching the Surface exhibitions. Students also had the opportunity to view objects in the museum’s permanent collection that reference Egyptian antiquity. Students were eager to share their knowledge with docents when discussing the function and purpose of canopic jars in Egyptian funerary rituals. Following the tour, students were challenged to create a replica of a hand drum, more commonly known as a tambourine. Students discovered the hand drum originated in Egypt and that the instrument was used in religious contexts.
Ptolemaic Era Egyptian Funerary Mask, 332-21 BCE; Fabric and unknown material; Gift of Walter I. Farmer; 1978.S.2.36
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Do you have an interest in art of all kinds? Do you enjoy working with people of all ages. Maybe you should consider becoming a volunteer at the Art Museum. We teach you how to lead tours in the gallery, learn about the museum’s permanent collection, study visual/material culture and contemporary art. No experience or previous training required. For additional information, please contact Cynthia Collins, Curator of Education, at (513) 529-2243 or collinc5@mamioh.edu.
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DOCENT FEATURE
Lee Hamill: Teacher at heART
Lee Hamill is the recent past president of the Miami University Art Museum (MUAM) docents. She became a docent after retiring in 2008 from a life-long career in Special Education both in public education K-12 and in higher education, most recently at Xavier University. During her career Lee designed a special education program at Talawanda where the students learned by doing. They ran a breakfast restaurant and laundry service, played specially created academic board games and even traveled to the bank to set up their own bank accounts. Students were taught practical life skills intertwined with the curriculum in creative ways. She made the jump from K-12 to “teaching the teacher” after earning her Ph.D. from Indiana University hoping to have a bigger impact by passing on ideas to new teachers. Born in Boston but raised in Cincinnati, Lee’s family has roots in Cincy dating back to 1818. Her family stories are included in a history book she is currently writing. Her husband of 36 years, Jim, retired from Miami’s Anthropology department where he was a professor. Between them they have four children and seven grandchildren.
museum fare. She especially treasures time spent engaging with exhibitions such as the recent Telling a People’s Story and the 2008 Miami tribal exhibition because of the ability to teach and learn so much about other cultures through the artwork and stories. “Art isn’t just in a museum or juried, it is everywhere, even in the books that we read to our children and grandchildren. You don’t normally think of children’s books as art but they are and this well done exhibition expanded horizons for those who visited, myself included.” Lee went on to say that, “I like the uniqueness of this museum, I like that there are three big galleries that are different twice a year. With a large collection there are endless possibilities. It’s a treasure. We have really good staff and though it is small, we get a lot of mileage out of being able to see new things all of the time.”
Lee always has had an interest in the arts, primarily drawing, painting, and using art to teach and inspire. She initially majored in art during her undergraduate years before switching to special education. In addition to being a docent at the Art Museum Lee also volunteers for the local Meals on Wheels, delivering food to community members.
Lee has given many tours and presentations on exhibitions and given talks on works from the collection for ILR during her ten years as a docent. Her favorite part of being a docent is the constant learning and the friendships she has gained. She enjoys meeting weekly, giving tours and the field trips taken once a semester to other museums or art themed places. There is always something new to see. The docents are a welcoming group of volunteers and encourage anyone with interest to consider joining the docent program even if they don’t have a background in the arts.
One of her favorite things about the Art Museum is its uniqueness—unique in the way that as an educationally-focused museum, the exhibitions are varied and diverse - not your typical
Her favorite art museum is the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa which houses mostly American Indian Art and has a great buffalo burger at their café.
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Miami University Art Museum Exhibitions
COMING SPRING 2019
CALL FOR STUDENT ART
Student Response Exhibition (SRE): Outside the Box (Douglass Gallery) What is a box? Is it a physical form or an abstract concept? Does a box have to follow a strict definition? Miami University students are asked to creatively respond to these questions in a juried exhibition.
Submission Deadline October 15, 2018 for Spring 2019 Student Response Exhibition
Art History Capstone Exhibition: African Art (McKie Gallery) Dr. Jordan Fenton, Assistant Professor of Art History at Miami University, will guide his students in the creation of an exhibition about the arts and material culture of African peoples within the Art Museum’s collections. This exhibition is part of an annual exhibition series in collaboration with the Art and Architecture History program at Miami University. At right: Guere People, Côte d’Ivoire, Mask (detail), 20th century; Wood, hair, monkey fur, hide, cloth, hemp, teeth, pigment, spikes; Gift of Ralph and Barbara Bressler; 1982.170
40@40: Collections Highlights (Farmer Gallery) The Miami University Art Museum opened during the 1978-79 academic year. We celebrate our 40th anniversary year with an installation featuring some of the museum’s less frequently exhibited works. This exhibition includes highlights of recent acquisitions, acknowledging the important role played by our generous donors in the formation of our permanent collection. At left: Ferdinand Bol (Dutch, 1616-1680); Portrait of a Woman (detail), 17th century; Oil on canvas; Gift of Ernst Bever; 2017.10.4
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MeMbership has never b e e n M o r e r e wa r d i n g . . .
Juniors Art in 3D Call to schedule
sep 27 | oct 25 | nov 29
Become part of the Art Museum today!
Âť Reciprocal members gain free/discounted access to over 600 museums in North America Âť MUAM memberships support programs, exhibitions and member activities
To join or learn more, visit www.Miamioh.edu/artMuseum, call (513) 529-1887, or stop in the MUaM at 801 s. patterson ave
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EXHIBITION | FARMER GALLERY OPEN AUG 28-DEC 15
JASON E. SHAIMAN, CURATOR OF EXHIBITIONS
Urban and rural locales are typically viewed as distinct worlds, mutually exclusive of one another. Taking a deeper look into the fabric of these locations there is much to be found that connects these disparate places. The poetics of everyday life, beauty of the surroundings, conventional and idiosyncratic dynamics, and historical roots, are but a few of the aspects that unite these comfort zones. These are also the fundamental elements explored in paintings by Chicagobased artist Mary Phelan and south-central Virginia artist Eldridge Bagley. Seeing their work together is ultimately a glimpse into personal definitions of a sense of place.
Her precisionist style conveys a photographic snapshot of an instant. In contrast, Bagley presents open vistas that allow the viewer to enter the farms and the natural topography of the rural countryside. He presents the tranquil rural life known all his life, focusing on family and community that inhabit the depicted spaces. His loose application of pigment conjures distant memories and personal experiences.
Phelan depicts the density of urban environments, with taller buildings, crowded streets, and bustling city life. She finds peace within the stillness of the paintings, capturing the energy of the city and urban environment in which she lives.
Pairing these artists may hit home for Oxford and Cincinnati residents who are accustomed to seeing differences between the rural countryside and the bustling city. An overarching question developed out of a study of painting by Phelan and Bagley: Are rural and urban really mutually exclusive once you look beyond the surface? Investigating works by these two different artists provides a unique look into commonalities that we often overlook in two seemingly different places. In addition, when expansion encroaches on one another these two locations become more than geographically connected.
ARTIST PANEL
EXHIBITION LECTURE
A Dialogue with The Artists: Comfort Zones: The Crossroads of Urban & Rural THU, NOV 1, 5:50-7:05 P.M. ARTISTS, ELDRIDGE BAGLEY AND MARY PHELAN MODERATOR, DANA SAULNIER, PROFESSOR OF ART This conversational presentation will explore works by Chicago-based artist Mary Phelan and self-taught artist Eldridge Bagley, presenting two seemingly disparate environments. On the surface, the geographic locations of the urban fabric and the rural landscape appear to have little in common. But on a deeper level, we begin to see connections that show how a sense of place can exist in parallel. Dana Saulnier, Professor of Painting at Miami, will moderate the dialogue with artists.
Understanding the Urban-Rural Divide WED, NOV 14, 5:30 P.M. STEPHEN CONN, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY Since the election of 2016 the urban-rural divide has received a great deal of media attention. In fact, that divide has been a central part of American society for a long time. This talk will explore where it came from, what defines it and what it all means today.
Co-sponsored with Contemporary Art Forum.
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EXHIBITION | MCKIE GALLERY OPEN AUG 28-DEC 15
RIES YUELLIG, CURATORIAL INTERN & JASON E. SHAIMAN, CURATOR OF EXHIBITIONS
Seventeen photographs selected from an ongoing series serve as Hans Gindlesberger’s exploration of Middle America and the loss of identity that has become endemic as a result of economic and population decline. Growing up in small-town Ohio and living in Buffalo, New York, the photographer is keenly aware of the hardships faced by these places and their residents. Gindlesberger seeks to visually represent the feeling of futility and alienation that comes with living in a place that is losing its identity from within and its reputation as seen by the rest of the nation. The artist constructs each work by creating a montage of elements from numerous photographs taken across the nation. He digitally assembles these photos into scenes that are realistic but intentionally leaves slight incongruities for the viewer to observe. One may feel that the locations in his photos are tainted and should not exist. So it can be with the small towns that have withered to shells of their former existence. In this way, Gindlesberger seeks to shine a light on the struggles of people and places that often go unheeded and unassisted.
EXHIBITION TALK
Curatorial Insights: Lonesome Traveler and I’m in the Wrong Film TUE, SEP 11 | 5:30 P.M. Explore the development of two current exhibitions presented by Curatorial Interns, Heather Burich (Art History ‘19) and Ries Yuellig (Art History ’18). Introductions and exhibitions overview by Jason E. Shaiman, Curator of Exhibitions, will set the stage for artists Rockwell Kent and Hans Gindlesberger, and their connections to the Fall exhibitions’ theme of Crossroads. Co-sponsored with the Art Museum Student Organization.
ARTIST GALLERY TALK & RECEPTION
A Journey with Hans Gindlesberger THU, SEP 27, 4:30-5:30 P.M. ARTIST RECEPTION; 5:50-7:05 P.M. GALLERY TALK HANS GINDLESBERGER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF ART, SUNY BINGHAMTON Hans Gindlesberger will shed light on the development of his photographic series I’m in the Wrong Film in a gallery tour of the exhibition. His narrative will lead visitors through some of the precursors to the work, and an introduction to his observations of the social and political position of small town, Middle America. Gindlesberger will also discuss technical aspects of his working method involved in image-making that goes beyond mere photographic processes, and how I’m in the Wrong Film transitioned into other work. Co-sponsored with the Contemporary Art Forum, Department of Art, Miami University. Generously supported by FOTOFOCUS. Proudly part of
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EXHIBITION | DOUGLASS GALLERY OPEN AUG 28-DEC 15
HEATHER BURICH, CURATORIAL INTERN & JASON E. SHAIMAN, CURATOR OF EXHIBITIONS
Twentieth century America embraced modern art and praised its luminaries for their ambitious representations of line, form, and color. Among the revered was Rockwell Kent (1882-1971), an artist who challenged style and subject matter in his own way. As an artist, author, activist, and adventurer, Kent aimed to reconcile the traditionalist ideals he admired with the growing industrial world in which he lived. Lonesome Traveler explores Kent’s observations about man’s conscious power within nature. The featured seventeen prints invigorate Transcendentalist ideals of solitary adventure, exploration, and contemplation with modernist visual styles. We as viewers join Kent’s solitary figures in their sublime contemplation, invoking our own odysseys of selfreflection and engagement with nature.
EXHIBITION TALK
Kent embraces the visual effect of different printmaking styles to create his art using both lithography and wood engraving. Many of the prints on display were originally used as illustrations for magazines, advertisement, and literature, media intended for large audiences and widespread circulation. As an artist, he offered a serene escape from the cacophony of everyday life for viewers, in turn challenging each to think bigger and deeper thoughts about themselves and the world around them.
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Rockwell Kent: The Art of Storytelling TUE, OCT 9, 5:30 P.M. PEPPER STETLER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ART HISTORY AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, THE HUMANITIES CENTER Rockwell Kent’s prints tell stories on their own or as illustrations of American literature. Dr. Stetler’s talk will explore Kent’s particular way of storytelling in the context of early twentieth-century modernity, when comic strips and photographically illustrated magazines were establishing new techniques and strategies of visual narration. EXHIBITION TALK
Retracing Rockwell Kent WED, OCT 24, 5:30 P.M. FREDERICK LEWIS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF MEDIA ARTS & STUDIES, OHIO UNIVERSITY Using selected clips from his definitive documentary on Rockwell Kent, filmmaker Frederick Lewis will discuss the epic life of this artist, illustrator, adventurer and social activist once known as the “stormy petrel of American art.”
A Documentary Film: Rockwell Kent THU, NOV 29 | 7:30 P.M. (172 MINUTES) Painter, illustrator, and author. Socialist, activist, and adventurer. One can easily apply all of those descriptors to the great 20thcentury artist Rockwell Kent and still neglect the full measure of his character and accomplishments. No biographical portrait of the soulful, New York-born iconoclast has ever matched the depth of his spirituality, versatility, and wanderlust—until now. Thirteen years in the making, this film examines the origins, development, and fruition of Kent’s art while tracing his globespanning journey through almost nine decades of vibrant living. Co-sponsored with Art Museum Student Organization (AMSO).
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IN THE CAGE
CAGE GALLERY Alumni Hall, Lower Level 350 E. Spring St. Oxford, OH 45056 MiamiOH.edu/cca/academics/arch-id
SEP 10-28
OCT 22-NOV 16
ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIOS AT MUDEC The work, experiences, designs and art developed by students from a semester abroad at the Miami University Dolibois European Center will be presented.
UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER SCHOLARS Projects completed during the summer of 2018 by students that received a research scholarship will be on display concurrent with a public presentation describing the research.
OCT 1-19 CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN OVER THE RHINE Current exciting projects will be put on display. They will include student design work as well as connection points for engagement within the OTR community.
FALL 2018
GRAHAM CAIRNS, CHAIR Department of Architecture + Interior Design 101 Alumni Hall | (513) 529-7210 ArchID@MiamiOH.edu
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HIESTAND HAPPENINGS NORTH GALLERY | FALL 2018
OCT 12–NOV 5 YVETTE CUMMINGS ~ ENDEAVOURING AUG 30-OCT 3 FOUR THOUGHTS: CURRENT WORK BY GRADUATE STUDENTS This biennial exhibition celebrates the visual research by second and third year M.F.A. graduate students in the Department of Art. Four Thoughts features artworks by Eric Anderson, Hannah Ayers, Ashley Carroll, and Baimei Tang in the areas of painting, printmaking, and metals.
Endeavouring showcases paintings and hand cut paper collages that present moments of transition between experiences of recalled child abuse and the dynamics of motherhood. Culling through scattered memories of the past and current experiences with her daughters, Yvette Cummings’ work explores the complicated path of youth, beauty, femininity and transitions from childhood into self-awareness. [yvette-cummings.com] RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST THU, OCT 25 | 4–5 P.M.;
RECEPTION FOR THE ARTISTS TUE, SEP 4 | 4:30-5:30 P.M.
LECTURE: 5:50–6:45 P.M., ART 100
NOV 14–DEC 5 | B.F.A. CAPSTONE EXHIBITION An exhibition by Department of Art senior B.F.A. studio majors featuring their recent artworks in the areas of ceramics, metals, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. RECEPTION FOR THE ARTISTS TUE, NOV 13 | 4:30–5:30 P.M.
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Visual Arts at Miami
GALLERY HOURS: MON–FRI: 9 A.M.–4:30 P.M. Other hours available by appointment GALLERY CLOSURES: During exhibition installation and Sep 3, Oct 12, Nov 20-23 & Dec 16-31, 2018
.ROBERT E. & MARTHA HULL LEE GALLERY | FALL 2018
SEP 8–OCT 6 DAVID WOLSKE ~ RE:WORDING David Wolske uses experimental letterpress techniques to deconstruct and recombine letters into an expressive nonliteral vocabulary. Wolske’s new series, Paraphrasing, will be making a debut in his exhibition, Re:wording. Currently an Assistant Professor of Communication Design at the University of North Texas, Wolske’s work has been exhibited and collected around the world. Most notably, in 2016, the world renowned Hatch Show Print, in Nashville, Tennessee, chose him as the first visiting artist in their 137 year history to create a new body of work. [david-wolske.com]
OCT 11–NOV 1 DANA SAULNIER ~ ONE PAINTING’S HISTORY
NOV 8-DEC 5 BO BRIDGES ~ PHOTOGRAPHER
One Painting’s History centers around one large fully realized painting and some of the numerous studies and drawings related to the work. The precarious configuration of Trap, 2015, captures a visceral sense of emotional tension. Dana Saulnier has described his process as “beginning with improvisations that then lead to much ‘searching through the dark’ trying to realize his vision. One work folds into another, ideas multiply, separate and divide.” [danasaulnier.com]
Bo Bridges graduated from Miami in 1996 with a BFA in Studio Art, concentrating in Photography. His entrepreneurial spirit emerged while he was a student. When he left Oxford, he worked to become one of the most successful photographers in extreme sports. This led to opportunities in movies, adventure, portraits, and lifestyle photography. He will discuss the process of creating opportunities, highlight a few of his important projects, and tell some inspiring stories. [bobridges.com]
RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST
RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST
TUE, OCT 16 | 4:30–5:30 P.M.
THU, NOV 8 | 4–5 P.M.
RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST
LECTURE 5:50–6:45 P.M.
THU, SEP 20 | 4–5 P.M. LECTURE: 5:50–6:45 P.M., ART 100
All receptions are in the lobby of Hiestand Galleries Hiestand Hall | 401 Maple st, Oxford, OH 45056 Galleries located on 1st level Miamioh.edu/hiestand-galleries |HIESTAND (513) 529-1883 GALLERIES Volume 7, Issue 1 | Fall 2018 ANN TAULBEE, DIRECTOR | taulbeae@miamioh.edu
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CONTEMPORARY ART
T H U R S D AY S 5 : 5 0 – 7 : 0 5 P M | A R T B U I L D I N G , R O O M 1 0 0 (unless otherwise noted)
SEP 20 | DAVID WOLSKE: TYPOGRAPHY: CONCEPTUAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND ARTIFACTUAL Wolske will discuss the importance of creative limitations, and share how he is merging traditional and contemporary technologies within a hybrid studio practice that aims to recontextualize letterpress printing. David Wolske is an Assistant Professor of Communication Design at the University of North Texas. [davidwolske.com]
SEP 27 (ART MUSEUM) HANS GINDLESBERGER: I’M IN THE WRONG FILM
OCT 4 | PAIGE WILLIAMS: IMPEDING LOGIC
OCT 18 | ANDREW NEYER: LIVE YOUR WORK
Gindlesberger will shed light on the development of his photographic series I’m in the Wrong Film in a guided walkthrough of the exhibition at the Art Museum. His narrative leads visitors through some of the precursors to the work, and an introduction to his observations of the social and political position of small town and Middle America.
Williams’ work explores contradictory extremes such as perfect/flawed, vulnerable/resilient, casual/conscientious. The grid, though varied in form, is a recognizable constant throughout the work, attempting to embrace and perhaps even celebrate a deviation from systems and precision. A tendency towards order and perfection thwarted by our shortcomings.
This talk covers the transition from being an Art Student to working as an Artist into making a living from Art. A closer behind-thescenes look into the crooked path to success that is often mistaken as a straight line.
He is an Assistant Professor of Photography at SUNY Binghamton. [hansgindlesberger. com]
She is currently a Professor and the Chair of Studio Arts at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. [paigewilliams.net]
Two of Neyer’s first products were a 5ft tall wrist watch (Watch Clock) and a 6ft cantilevering sconce (Crane Light). [andrewneyer.com]
SEP 6 | 5:50–8 P.M. | ART 100 | ART DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE!
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COLLEGE OF CREATIVE ARTS
Visual Arts at Miami
LECTURE SERIESFall 2018 ART 281: CONTEMPORARY ART FORUM
NOV 1 (ART MUSEUM) MARY PHELAN & ELDRIDGE BAGLEY: DIALOGUE: COMFORT ZONES: THE CROSSROADS OF URBAN & RURAL MODERATOR: DANA SAULNIER OCT 25 YVETTE CUMMINGS: ENDEAVOURING Cummings’ exhibition showcases original paintings and hand cut paper collages that present moments of transition between experiences of recalled child abuse and the dynamics of motherhood. Culling through scattered memories of the past and current experiences with her daughters, Yvette Cummings’ work explores the complicated path of youth, beauty, femininity and transitions from childhood into self-awareness.
A sense of place and a moment in time. These are the connections that unite the artistic creations of Chicagobased urban painter Mary Phelan and southcentral Virginian rural painter Eldridge Bagley. Each paints from life experiences, expressing an admiration for their roots, while offering nostalgic recollections and commentaries on the present. This presentation will explore works by Phelan and Bagley presenting two seemingly disparate environments.
NOV 15 BRITINI BICKNAVER: SOUND GROUND, STUDIO SLIP
NOV 8 BO BRIDGES: RECENT WORK A world renowned advertising and fine art photographer whose passion for adventure drives the dynamic imagery he produces. His portfolio, regarded by ESPN as a “pyramid wall filled with iconic pieces of history,” is a diverse mix of professional athletes, celebrity portraits, and film and television campaigns, in addition to beautiful scenes and landscapes from around the world. [bobridges.com]
See page 12 for more details about the exhibition and artists.
She is currently a Teaching Associate at Coastal Carolina University. [yvettecummings.com]
Volume 7, Issue 1 | Fall 2018
What happens when your tried and true methods of art making are broken? Join Bicknaver for a journey into creative doubt, an uninspired studio, and letting go of the familiar by jumping into the void of an art practice. [britnibicknaver.com]
NOV 29 MATT BOARD: GETTING GAME Board will discuss his evolution of blending art and technology to eventually become a 3D artist/ game developer and educator. Matt is an Assistant Professor of Art/ Interactive Media Studies at Miami.
DEPARTMENT OF ART
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JOIN, VOLUNTEER, SUBSCRIBE - LEARN MORE AT WWW.MIAMIOH.EDU/ARTMUSEUM
GALLERY HOURS: TUESDAY–FRIDAY: 10 A.M.–5 P.M. SATURDAY: 12–5 P.M. 801 S. PATTERSON AVE. OXFORD, OH
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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ONLINE MAGAZINE/BLOG:
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Family Weekend
THE BEST TIME to COME BACK!
“ONE SHOW FITS ALL” WORLD TOUR
ON
SA L
EN OW
!
“masterful, clever and embracing”
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
–Los Angeles Times
Sat., Sept. 29 8:30 p.m., Millett $48* all seats
JUST Shows MORE THAN
MiamiOH.edu/FamilyWeekend Miami Box Office | 34 Campus Ave. Building | 513-529-3200
*Includes box office fees; other fees may apply. Content may not be appropriate for all ages.
20
MCGUFFEY MUSEUM
Visual Arts at Miami
McGuffey Moments History Underground: Uncovering the Past Beneath Us STEVE GORDON, ADMINISTRATOR
Before the era of curbside trash pickup and garbage disposals, Americans looked to the street, the backyard, or the ravine to dump food waste, trash and broken objects. Chickens, hogs and house pets were available to scavenge food scraps. Broken glass, dishes and construction debris were cast about, often covered by subsequent accumulations of leaves, yard humus and animal manures, or even later construction. Archaeology is by definition the study of material culture, the stuff people use and leave behind as part of daily lives. Artifacts tell us much of what James Deetz called “small things forgotten,” the evidence of the everyday parts of our lives overlooked in the written record. Hoping to fill in some of this record, students in Visiting Assistant Professor Jeb Card’s Anthropology 416 course conducted archaeological testing last spring at the McGuffey House. From the results of the
Volume 7, Issue 1 | Fall 2018
excavations, one lesson has been that thinking of the house as just being solely associated with William Holmes McGuffey does not match the material artifacts recovered from the site. Instead, the archaeology of this site bears witness to professors, students and other occupants that lived in the house after the McGuffeys left Oxford in 1836. For Dr. Card, an opportunity to examine the origins of the community and the university was a tremendous boon to Miami’s current archaeology students. The class works in teams to piece together fragments of evidence, undertaking real-world archaeological and historical analysis to uncover the real life that doesn’t always make it on to the printed pages of history. For archaeologists, depositions of trash can yield valuable information on social status, material culture and taste preferences. Artifacts recovered from the property will be displayed in the museum. Future class excavations are expected to yield more information on those who lived in the house. MCGUFFEY MUSEUM
McGuffey House & Museum Open Thur–Sat: 1–5 P.M. 401 E. Spring St. Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-8380 McGuffeyMuseum@MiamiOH.edu MiamiOH.edu/McGuffey-Museum
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VISUAL ARTS AT COLOR KEY: EXHIBITION | RECEPTION | LECTURE | SPECIAL EVENT
AUG 28
Comfort Zones: The Crossroads of Urban & Rural
SEP 4
Art Museum, through Dec 15
28 The Charles M. Messer Leica Camera Collection
Art Museum, through Dec 15
28 Global Perspectives
Art Museum, Art Museum, through Dec 15
History at a Glance 28 Art Art Museum, through Dec 15
28 Lonesome Traveler
Art Museum, through Dec 15
28 I’m in the Wrong Film
Art Museum, through Dec 15
30
Hiestand Galleries, 4:30-5:30 P.M.
6
Art Department Open House
8
David Wolske ~ Re:wording
10 11 11
1
Hiestand Galleries, through Oct 6
4 9 11
Dana Saulnier ~ One Painting’s History Hiestand Galleries, through Nov 1
Open House Miami University Art Museum, 10 A.M.-7 P.M.
12
Yvette Cummings ~ Endeavouring Exhibition Hiestand Galleries, through Nov 5
Curatorial Insights: Lonesome Traveler and I’m in the Wrong Film David Wolske ~ Re:wording Reception David Wolske: Typography: Conceptual, Experimental, & Artifactual ART 100, 5:50-7:05 P.M.
27
Art Explorers (ages 3-5)
27
Hans Gindlesberger, I’m in the Wrong Film Artist Reception
Art Museum, 10 A.M.-12 P.M.
[FOTOFOCUS] Art Museum, 4:30-5:30 P.M.
27
Rockwell Kent: The Art of Storytelling ~ Pepper Stetler Art Museum, 5:30 P.M.
Architecture and Interior Design Studios at MUDEC
Hiestand Galleries, 4–5 P.M.
20
Paige Williams: Impeding Logic ART 100, 5:50-7:05 P.M.
16
Art Museum, 5:30 P.M.
20
Center for Community Engagement in Over the Rhine Cage Gallery, through Oct 19
ART 100, 5:50–8 P.M.
Cage Gallery, through Sep 28
Four Thoughts: Current work by Graduate Students Hiestand Galleries, through Oct 10
Four Thoughts: Current work by Graduate Students Reception
OCT
A Journey with Hans Gindlesberger Artist Gallery Talk [FOTOFOCUS] Art Museum, 5:50-7:05 P.M.
Dana Saulnier ~ One Painting’s History Reception Hiestand Galleries, 4:30–5:30 P.M.
18
Andrew Neyer: Live Your Work
22
Undergraduate Summer Scholars
ART 100, 5:50-7:05 P.M.
Cage Gallery, through Nov 16
24
Retracing Rockwell Kent ~ Fredrick Lewis Art Museum, 5:30 P.M.
A GLANCE
Fall 2018
COLOR KEY: EXHIBITION | RECEPTION | LECTURE | SPECIAL EVENT
OCT
(Continued)
25 25
Art Explorers (ages 3-5) Art Museum, 10 A.M.-12 P.M.
Yvette Cummings ~ Endeavouring Reception Hiestand Galleries, 4–5 P.M.
25
Yvette Cummings ~ Endeavouring Lecture ART 100, 5:50–6:45 P.M.
NOV 1
A Dialogue with The Artists: Comfort Zones: The Crossroads of Urban & Rural Art Museum, 5:50-7:05 P.M.
8 8
Bo Bridges ~ Photographer Hiestand Galleries, through Dec 5
Bo Bridges ~ Photographer Reception Hiestand Galleries, 4–5 P.M.
8
Bo Bridges ~ Photographer Lecture ART 100, 5:50–7:05 P.M.
13
B.F.A. Capstone Exhibition Artist Reception Hiestand Galleries, 4:30-5:30 P.M.
14
Understanding the UrbanRural Divide Art Museum, 5:30 P.M.
15
Britini Bicknaver: Sound Ground, Studio Slip ART 100, 5:50–7:05 P.M.
29
Art Explorers (ages 3-5)
29
Matt Board: Getting Game
29
Art Museum, 10 A.M.-12 P.M.
ART 100, 5:50–7:05 P.M.
A Documentary Film: Rockwell Kent Art Museum, 7:30 P.M.
TUE, SEP 11 10 A.M.–7 P.M.
MUSEUM & GALLERY INFO Miami University Art Museum
McGuffey House & Museum
801 S. Patterson Ave., Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-2232 ArtMuseum@MiamiOH.edu MiamiOH.edu/ArtMuseum
401 E. Spring St., Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-8380 McGuffeyMuseum@MiamiOH.edu MiamiOH.edu/McGuffey-Museum
Gallery hours:
Museum hours:
Tuesday–Friday: 10 A.M.–5 P.M. Saturday: 12–5 P.M.
Thursday–Saturday: 1–5 P.M.
Hiestand Galleries
Cage Gallery
401 Maple St., Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-1883 sfagallery@MiamiOH.edu MiamiOH.edu/HiestandGalleries
101 Alumni Hall, Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-7210 archid@MiamiOH.edu Arts.MiamiOH.edu/architecture-interior-design
Gallery hours:
Gallery hours:
Monday–Friday: 9 A.M.–4:30 P.M.
Monday–Friday: 9 A.M.–5 P.M.