ArtsQuarterly
N EW ORLEA N S MUSEU M OF ART
APRIL
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J U N E 2 012 , V O L . 3 4 N o . 2
A Members’ Publication
DIRECTOR’S LETTER
From the Permanent Collection: Richard Clague, American, 1821-1873 Fisherman's Camp, n.d. (detail) Oil on wood panel Gift of Mrs. Benjamin M. Harrod, 13.6
A
s an encyclopedic museum, the New
acquisitions: a rare Native American beaded panel
Orleans Museum of Art is committed to
and photographs by Malian artist Malick Sidibé.
examining and interpreting art through
NOMA has long been a pioneer in collecting
both traditional and contemporary perspectives. We
photographs, and under the leadership of Russell
also aspire to engage New Orleans in the most
Lord, our new curator of photographs, I am
current issues.
confident that it will continue to be one of NOMA’s
NOMA’s exhibition calendar demonstrates our determination to bring the best to New Orleans.
strongest areas. As we maintain certain strengths, we continue to
Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial is a powerful
build upon newer resources and initiatives. NOMA
installation. The Wall Street Journal named it one of
uses a multitude of print and virtual media to
the best American exhibtions of 2011, and Time
connect with our audiences in a variety ways. I
magazine describes it as a “triumphant
encourage you to explore our media presence via our
retrospective” that presents “some of the most
website, Facebook page or by following us on
assured, delightful, and powerful art around.”
Twitter; perhaps you will discover you have a new
I encourage you to see the show before it
favorite way of getting all of your NOMA updates.
closes in May. Our summer contemporary art series in the
I am also delighted to share some recent news: the addition of Allison Reid to our staff as the
Great Hall continues with a new work by Katie
Director of Interpretation and Audience Engagement.
Holten, who represented Ireland in the 2003 Venice
Under her leadership there will be much to look
Biennale. Holten’s site-specific installation will give
forward to. We will continue to listen to our
visitors the chance to experience our neoclassical
audiences and respond with innovative
space in yet another way. NOMA will continue to be
programming, and current programs, such as our
a reminder of why contemporary artists are drawn to
spring film and theater series, will flourish. The
New Orleans, and how the city acts as both a source
Besthoff Sculpture Garden is so much more than a
of inspiration and a point of departure for their work.
green space—it serves as an outdoor art museum, a
NOMA explores the complicated, rich relationship of
place of wellness and community engagement, and
artists with the city through a new programming
as we’ve discovered, a stage for film and theatre. Our
series, “Inspired by New Orleans.”
spring Movies in the Garden film series and the
As stewards of art it is vital for us to engage with
return of The NOLA Project’s performances of
our collection and continue to enrich our holdings. A
Shakespeare will surely be a delightful opportunity
current selection of works on display in the Great
to relax with loved ones in pleasant weather.
Hall illustrates that NOMA has been a leader in the field of self-taught art for decades, and is committed to giving these artists their earned recognition for their roles in American art history. In this issue you will also read about some important recent
Susan M M. Ta T Taylor ylor The Montine McDaniel Freeman Director
CONTENTS 2
Fe a tu re Call and Response: R a l s t o n C r a w f o r d a n d J a z z N OMA: I nspired by N ew O rl eans
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Exh ib itio n s Katie H olten chosen for N O M A’s 2012 Great H all P roject Celebrating Leah Chase, a N ew O rl eans Leg end E xhibition E xplores Defin ition of P hotog raphy
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Mu s e u m N ews Recent Acqu isitions: Chil dren of the R evol u tion Recent Acqu isitions: N ative A m eric an B l anket Strip N OMA Welcomes Allison R eid, Direc tor of the Depar tment of I nterpretation and A u dienc e E ng ag em ent TAP into H a r d Tr u t h s
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Exp e r ie n c in g N O M A I nteracting with N OMA
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N OMA a n d t h e Community S u mmer Ar t Camps Commu nity P ar tners Teac h A r t on F riday N ig hts Film S creenings and S hakes peare Spic e U p the S cu lptu re Garden
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Su p p o r tin g N OMA E xperience the Benefits of a N O M A M em bers hip N OMA Welcomes N ew Tru s tees of 2012 J oin N OMA’s Contemporaries A Bir thday to Remember
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P ro f ile s in Givin g The J ones Family
FEATUR E Call and Response: Ralston Crawford and Jazz film as they intersect in Crawford’s work in New Orleans. Organized by the Sheldon Art Galleries, in Saint Louis, MO, the exhibition includes 148 photographs, prints, paintings, drawings and films, many never before published. Different aspects of New Orleans have inspired many artists and writers, but for Crawford, New Orleans jazz music had the most profound effect. In his work, Crawford imported the elements of jazz— syncopation, polyphony, and improvisation—and transformed them into visual strategies. For example, in music, syncopation breaks up the straightforward rhythmic progression of a song and in Crawford’s paintings, “syncopated” forms disrupt the overall composition, entertaining the eye with a varied landscape of shapes and colors [Figure 1]. This kind of synesthesia—the interpretation of one field of sensory perception (the visual) in terms of another (the aural)—became increasingly important for Crawford, who even analyzed the work of his forbears in musical terms: in a notebook entry on Leonardo da Vinci’s Virgin of the Rocks, he noted the “contrapuntal activity” and “cross melodic references” in the painting.1 Thinking along these lines, Crawford produced photographs of jazz musicians that are as punchy and rhythmic as the music that his subjects played Fig. 1: St. Ann Street, 1954, oil on canvas
[Figure 2]. He made equally strong, graphic photographs of the cemeteries, weathered buildings, signage, and boats at dock. Always inventive,
T
Crawford also interpreted these same scenes in
hough he is often remembered for his pre-
lithographs, paintings, and films. This exhibition
World-War II precisionist paintings of urban
brings together works in all of these media and in
and industrial subjects, Ralston Crawford
some cases, displays the painting, lithograph, or
produced a significant body of work after 1949
drawing next to the photograph that inspired it.
inspired by the culture of New Orleans. This
These juxtapositions demonstrate Crawford’s skill in
summer, NOMA will present Ralston Crawford and
cultivating the unique properties of each medium.
Jazz, an exhibition that considers the relationships
For example in his black-and-white photograph,
between music, photography, painting, drawing and
Basin Street, 1974 [Figure 3], Crawford creates
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April May June 2012 ●
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FEATURE
Fig. 2: Advertising the Dance, 1953, gelatin silver print
abstraction through contrast and tone, whereas in the
made works of art or documents of life, or
painting Basin Street Cemetery, made the following
something else?
year, form is created out of his bold use of color [Figure 4]. Returning again to a jazz analogy, the final
NC: I think he saw the photographs as finished
result is a kind of “call and response” structure.
works. They were not just documents, or recordings,
Although Crawford never lived in New Orleans
or notes. He took good equipment and lugged
for any long amount of time, he continued to visit
around heavy tripods. He framed things carefully
throughout the rest of his life. When he died in 1978,
and made deliberate visual decisions. There are, of
he was buried in New Orleans in St. Louis Cemetery
course, casual snapshots woven through his work
No. 3, with a full jazz funeral.
but those didn’t get printed, unless it was a gift for somebody.
An Interview with Neelon Crawford RL: This exhibition demonstrates that sometimes Neelon Crawford is an artist and the son of Ralston
Ralston would make a photograph that would be
Crawford. Russell Lord, Freeman Family Curator of
transformed into a drawing, which might itself serve
Photographs, recently had the opportunity to ask
as the source for a painting, and so forth. What do
Neelon some questions about this exhibition, his
you think Ralston thought of the relationship
father’s work, and his own experiences growing up
between these works? Did he consider them as
around jazz music and musicians.
connected or as separate things?
RL: Your father is perhaps best known for his
NC: Both. There were also conversations between
paintings, but he was a wonderful photographer as
Ralston and Stuart Davis [American painter, 1892-
well and photography plays a central role in this
1964], who were peers and knew each other well.
exhibition. Did he consider the photographs that he
Stuart said to Ralston something along the lines of “I
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FEATURE Fig. 3: Basin Street, 1974, gelatin silver print
Fig. 4: Basin Street Cemetery, 1975, oil on linen
really dislike it when they want to put the drawing
camera all the time. 35 mm was a joy for him because
next to the painting. When they put the drawing next
of the quality and portability, but in New Orleans he
to the painting, somebody comes along in the gallery
mostly made pictures with 4 x 5 and 8 x 10 [inch
and they don’t look at either one, they just look at the
negative] cameras. One of the things you can notice
comparison.” When Ralston made a drawing based
in the catalogue is that he would see something that
on the photograph, he would consciously go out of
many people would just walk by and he would
his way to make sure that the drawing aspect ratio
frame it and crop it in such a way that it suddenly
was not the same as the photograph. Then, when he
snapped into place as a “Ralston Crawford”
would put the clean blank canvas on the easel he
composition. It’s uncanny. After you are tuned in to
would make sure that the aspect ratio of the canvas
his work you can spot his kind of images all over the
was again different from the drawing. By changing
place, whether it was a fishing village in France, or
the ratio, he forced himself to change the image. He
holy week in Spain, or the docks in New Orleans, or
wasn’t just making that photograph or drawing into
in Manhattan.
a painting. It made him seek new solutions. RL: What went into his decision to be buried here? RL: This exhibition highlights the fact that he made a large body of photographs in New Orleans, but
NC: The thing about New Orleans is that its
Ralston made photographs in many other locations.
exuberance and life energy—well, it’s pretty much
Are those photographs different from the work he
unlike anywhere else in the world. I remember when
produced in New Orleans in some way?
I was young, Ralston would say definitive statements like “Dixieland jazz is the best music!” and I would
NC: Well, he would wear a [35 millimeter] Leica 4 Arts
think, now wait a minute, there’s a lot of other music April May June 2012 ●
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something happens and its very powerful, but good
Orleans, there’s nothing else like it.” I think his
for you. And you can’t always plan it. For me, now,
decision...it was basically because of his love of the
recounting that—I don’t think I’ve told anyone that
place and the food and the music and energy.
in years—but I’m realizing, that’s probably why Ralston went to New Orleans. This is the real deal.
RL: Do you remember any stories about meeting
It’s the real music in the real place.
musicians with Ralston in New Orleans? Ralston Crawford and Jazz will be on view in the Ella NC: I remember one night it was about 11 o’clock. We
West Freeman Galleries from June 21 to October 14, 2012.
were staying at the Hotel Monteleone and Ralston
A fully illustrated catalogue is available in the Museum
said “come on let’s go meet so and so” and so we
Shop, published by the Sheldon Art Galleries and Virginia
went to one of the clubs on Bourbon Street to meet
Publishing (162 pp., $24.95).
up with this friend. I was a little tired. It was late and I’m not even of drinking age yet. Midnight comes
Notes 1. Crawford drawing notebook, undated, unpaginated, c. 1951, quoted
and goes. But right around 1 o’clock Billie and Dede
and cited in Barbara Haskell, Ralston Crawford (New York: Whitney
[Pierce] [1907-1974 and 1904-1973] show up and start
Museum of American Art, 1985), 79.
playing. I don’t know if that was expected or if it was just coincidence. But I wasn’t tired anymore. I woke right up. There was this mixture of pure gold…the integrity and the love…just the two of them, trumpet and piano. There are life moments like that when
NOMA : I N S P I R E D NEW ORLEANS,
BY
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 7 P.M. Panel discussion on Ralston Crawford in New Orleans with Olivia Lahs-Gonzales, Director of The Sheldon Art Galleries and John H. Lawrence, Director of Museum Programs at The Historic New Orleans Collection. Moderated by Russell Lord.
NEW ORLEANS
KNOWN FOR ITS UNIQUE art, architecture, literature, cuisine and music, has been a muse to artists working in a variety of disciplines. This year, NOMA wishes to pay homage to the city with a thematic approach to programming, examining the breadth, diversity, and beauty of artistic works that have been and continue to be inspired by New Orleans. The museum’s weekly Friday night Where Y’Art!? programs will soon include the “Inspired by New Orleans” programs and lecture series. Those featured will be artists, politicians, writers, directors, authors, architects, and chefs whose works have been influenced by New Orleans. Some Friday nights will be spent in the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, where we will have film screenings, musical performances, and theatrical productions, all related to this inspiring city. Support for Where Y’Art!? programming has been provided in part by grants from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor Department of Culture, Recreation
and Tourism, Ruby K. Worner Charitable Trust, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation. The exhibition calendar for 2012 is rich with New Orleans influence as well. Dario Robleto: The Prelives of the Blues, Leah Chase: Paintings by Gustave Blache III, and Ralston Crawford and Jazz all illustrate New Orleans inspiration, through imagery, music and the culinary arts. NOMA invites visitors to link the creative process with the city, providing them with opportunities to see both art and New Orleans in a fresh light. Be on the lookout for more information onArts upcoming events, programming and exhibitions surrounding this theme. Arts The “Inspired by New Orleans” programming is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
FEATURE
out there! But he really meant it. He would say “New
EXH IBITIONS Katie Holten chosen for NOMA’s 2012 Great Hall Project Miranda Lash, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art
Excavated Tree (Flowering Dogwood), 2007 Newspaper, cardboard, steel, PVC, wire, and duct tape.Solo exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. Photograph by Mike Schuh. Courtesy CAMSTL.
T
his summer, the museum looks forward to a
University in 2004. As an artist Holten is known for
new large-scale work by Katie Holten, an
creating thoughtful sculptures, drawings, and public
internationally renowned artist who
art that respond to specific urban and rural ecologies.
represented Ireland in the Irish Pavilion of the 2003
Her artist statement explains:
Venice Biennale. This will be the museum’s second site-specific installation for the Great Hall; the first
I am interested in creating works that contribute to an
being Thalassa, Swoon’s stunning sea goddess of
awareness of 'place' while reflecting the vulnerabilities
last summer.
implicit in everyday life. At the root my practice is a
Living and working in New York, Holten (born
curiosity with life's systems. My work is an ongoing
1975, Dublin, Ireland) received her bachelor’s degree
investigation of the inextricable relationship between man
from the National College of Art and Design in
and the natural world in the age of the Anthropocene.
Dublin in 1998. She moved to the United States after receiving a Fulbright Scholarship from Cornell
6 Arts
In addition to her fascination with “deep time,”
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ON VIEW Self-taught Artists from the Permanent Collection Great Hall Last day: June 10
On the Nature of Things (Branch Like Atoms), 2011 Ceramic tiles. Public artwork in the streets of Dublin city for Dublin Contemporary. Photograph by Renato Ghiazza.
biodiversity, fractal patterns of natural growth, and the scientific “average colour of the universe,” Holten’s work includes ongoing interest in the shapes and roles of trees. This was the focus of her Tree Museum, a public art project commissioned by the Bronx Museum in 2009. For this project Holten researched 100 trees along the Grand Concourse of the Bronx, compiling maps, information, and oral histories relating to the different trees (www.treemuseum.org). Other past projects by Holten include in 2006, a pop-up market in Mexico City titled Gran Bazaar, where the artist sold original artworks made from recycled materials, in 2007 a tree installation titled Paths of Desire for the Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis, and most recently, a public art project in 2011 in Dublin, where she adorned various streets with hand-painted ceramic tiles containing excerpts from “On The Nature of Things,” a poem by Lucretius. In January and February, Holten completed a sixweek residency at Tulane University’s Studio in the Woods, located in a serene forest on New Orleans’s west bank. During this residency Holten explored different regions of Louisiana, from the marshes of Cocodrie, to the unique trees and wild areas of City Park. Her piece for the Great Hall will be inspired by her time spent in New Orleans and her impressions of the city and its environment. Katie Holten’s installation will be on view in the Great Hall from June 15 through September 9, 2012. The
Without knowledge of the artistic mainstream, these self-taught artists of the American South were sometimes referred to as folk or “outsider” artists. They lived, however, as insiders, deeply rooted in their communities, unaffected by the synergy of the commercial urban art world. Often their own environment and life experiences were the source for their imagery, ideas, and materials. Biographical and local in its initial reference, the imagery in their work is often universal in its message and visual appeal. NOMA has collected the works of self-taught artists since the 1960s, and has been a leader in educating the public on this important chapter of American art history. Works on view include paintings and sculpture from Clementine Hunter, Sister Gertrude Morgan, William Hawkins, and one of Thornton Dial’s earliest large-scale assemblages, among others. Curated by Alice Yelen, Senior Curator of Collections Research. Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial Ella West Freeman Galleries Last day: May 20 Don’t miss this exhibition featuring over forty works by Thornton Dial from the past twenty years. Created using found objects, his assemblages, sculptures, and drawings address some of the most prevalent social ills in the United States, and serve as a historical account of a working-class black man living in the Deep South. Curated by Joanne Cubbs, Adjunct Curator of American Art at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Organized by the IMA. Fridays, April 6 and May 18, 7 p.m.: Film: Mr. Dial Has Something to Say Friday, April 20, 6 p.m.: Exhibition walkthrough and discussion by artist Willie Birch
artist will give a lecture in the Stern Auditorium on Friday, June 15 at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 18, 6 p.m.: Art historians Jane Livingston and John Beardsley will discuss the evolution of the modern folk art movement in America
EXHIBITIONS
Celebrating Leah Chase, a New Orleans Legend
L
eah Chase, co-owner and chef of Dooky
cooking, Blache nonetheless took care to keep the
Chase Restaurant, is one of the city’s most
ingredients generic enough not to reveal any secrets
beloved icons. To celebrate her and her many
to her recipes.
contributions to New Orleans, NOMA will host a
In addition to being an award-winning chef,
gala preview of Leah Chase: Paintings by Gustave
Leah is also known as a life-long advocate of the arts,
Blache III. In the exhibition, Blache investigates the
particularly by African American artists, and is
chef in her environment at her famous restaurant.
currently an honorary life trustee of NOMA. The gala
The restaurant is named after its original owner,
preview will be on Monday, April 23, from 6 to 8
Leah’s father-in-law, Dooky Chase. In 1945 Leah
p.m., and will also serve as the inauguration of the
married Dooky Chase Jr., a jazz musician, and began
Leah Chase Art Purchase Fund, which will support
working in the restaurant during the 1950s. The
the acquisition of works by African American artists.
restaurant became famous as a meeting place for civil
Join us to celebrate art and one of its greatest
rights activists during the 1960s, and today it remains
champions. Gala tickets prices start at $75. For more
a favorite destination for locals and tourists alike.
details or to purchase tickets, contact Marilyn
Blache, New Orleans-raised but now living in
Dittmann at (504) 658-4107 or mdittmann@noma.org.
Brooklyn, chiefly depicts Leah in the less glamorous
Tickets may also be purchased on the web at
but nonetheless essential aspects of the restaurant
www.noma.org.
business. Wearing her often seen pink cap, Leah cuts
Leah Chase: Paintings by Gustave Blache III will
squash and scallions, pours oysters and parsley into
be on view in the Louisiana Galleries from April 24—
her mixing bowl, and even washes the dishes. Leah is
September 9, and is sponsored by Richard Colton Jr. and
in her element, carefully stirring her concoctions.
Liberty Bank and Trust.
While endeavoring to capture the spirit of her
Clockwise from top left: Cutting Squash, 2010 (detail), Oil on wood Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution Transferring Squash, 2010 (detail), Oil on wood Courtesy of Dr. Glenfield and Gradie Night Dining Room (Leah Greeting Guests), 2011 (detail), Oil on wood Collection of Richard Colton
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Anonymous, Portrait of Young Female Child (Mourning Bracelet), circa 1855, Daguerreotype mounted on inside of bracelet locket with the initial "C" woven out of human hair under glass on the opposite side. Gift of an anonymous donor, 83.184. Photography by Judy Cooper. This object was probably made to commemorate the untimely death of a young girl. Her portrait is on one side of the locket, and what is most likely her initial woven out of her hair is on the other side.
Exhibition Explores Definition of Photography Russell Lord, Freeman Family Curator of Photographs
W
hat is a photograph? How do we define
images that have no physical support and may never
its history? This exhibition, compiled
physically exist at all. It has become clear that a
mostly from NOMA’s permanent
history that narrowly defines photography as one
collection, examines many forms of photography
medium is insufficient. Photography, it seems, is not
from the 1840s to the present, in order to explore
one medium, but many.
these questions. Over the past 190 years,
This exhibition describes and includes many of
photography has infiltrated almost every aspect of
the most common photographic processes
modern life, from birth to war and science to religion.
(daguerreotypes, salted paper prints, gelatin silver
During this time, the photograph has taken many
prints, and inkjet prints), but it also includes objects,
forms, such as the daguerreotype, cyanotype, and
artifacts, and practices that have typically been
gelatin silver print. Scholars and historians have
considered marginal to the history of photography
often found it difficult to write a history that gives
(reproductions of photographs in ink, negatives,
equal weight to each of these distinct forms, but
camera-less photographs, cartes-de-visite, color
recent technical developments in photography have
processes, and even a piece of jewelry). These
made it even more complicated. With the advent of
disparate works invite you to consider what—if
the digital era, it appears that we must once again
anything—links them together within the history of
begin rewriting photography’s history to include not
photography.
only images on metal plates, paper, and cloth, but also images on laptop screens and handheld devices,
April May June 2012 ●
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What is a Photograph? will be on view from April 20 to August 19, 2012 in the Templeman Galleries.
Arts
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MUS EUM NEWS RECENT A CQUISITIONS Children of the Revolution Russell Lord, Freeman Family Curator of Photographs
NOMA 187 small vintage prints by Malick
R
about 200 miles from Bamako. He was hired by a
Sidibé (Malian, born 1935). These prints,
French photographer in Bamako, Gérard Guillat
mounted to eleven sheets, enter the permanent
(nicknamed Gégé la pellicule, or Gégé the film) to
collection as only the second major group of
serve as his assistant. Sidibé eventually launched his
twentieth-century African photography, following a
own “Studio Malick” in 1960. Although in-studio
2005 gift of eight photographs by Seydou Keita
portraits were his primary business, as early as 1957
(Malian, 1921-2001). Keita and Sidibé, who were both
he had begun photographing private events in and
active in the capitol of Bamako in the 1950s and 60s,
around Bamako. Ultimately, he became a permanent
are the two most recognizable photographers in
fixture in the social clubs or Grins that formed in
western African from that time period. Sidibé in
post-colonial Bamako. The Grins, named after music
particular became famous for his pictures of parties
idols or cultural phenomena from the western world
and events in Bamako, and played a significant role
(The Beatles, Les Monkees, Las Vegas, etc.), would
in the transformation of African photography.
serve as meeting places to discuss current social
ecently, the artist Philip Taaffe gave
In 1960, the Republic of Mali declared its independence, finally shrugging off the mantle of
Sidibé was born in 1935 in Soloba, a village
topics of Western and African culture. Using a small 6 x 6 cm or 35 mm camera, Sidibé
French colonial rule that extended back to the 19th
photographed the discussions, people drinking and
century. Eager to erase the trappings of western
dancing, and captured impromptu portraits of
European influence, leaders of the new Republic
people in their finest western style attire. After the
sought to establish a particularly African style of
gathering, he would spend most of the night making
political, social and cultural policies. Many young
small proofs for the party attendees to look at the
Malians, however, viewed independence as a chance
next day. These small work prints were then
to celebrate personal freedom, which surprisingly
mounted to supports and numbered, so that
meant importing the music, clothing, and attitudes of
customers could choose which prints to purchase.
1
western European and American culture. In Bamako, young people began to search for a
Ironically, these images that chronicle the vibrancy of the young Bamakois’ cultural revolution,
new form of visual representation. Staid studio
were often affixed to a banal manila (or colored)
portraiture, with its roots in static nineteenth century
administrative folder. Nevertheless, the energy and
images of wealth and power, was rejected as
camaraderie of the Grins unfold through these small
conservative and artificial. Instead, they wanted
and often sequential photographs. In one sheet of
pictures that matched the dynamic, vibrant energy of
prints, Les Copains, four dapper young men pose
the culture they were importing. This desire led them
rather seriously in front of a stark white wall and are
to seek out mobile, engaged photographers who
later seen smiling and dancing in other images on the
could depict them as autonomous, joyful, and
same support. In another, Las Vegas, 3e Anniversaire
independent. They found the perfect accomplice in
Independance, Malians celebrate the third anniversary
Malick Sidibé.
of Malian independence (September 22, 1963). Sidibé
10 Arts
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Malick Sidibé, Les Copains, April 30, 1970, 22 gelatin silver prints mounted to administrative folder, Gift of Philip Taaffe, 2011.52.3
also photographed public events outside of the
This is not necessarily a contradiction. Indeed for
private clubs. For example, in Gala de Boxe, he
Sidibé, whose pictures are certainly beautiful, these
photographs a boxing match in which we see both
new prints represent a level of perfection that was
participants and spectators. From this particular
unavailable to him. The work of Seydou Keita
series, the passage of time is explicitly marked: we
underwent a similar transformation, about which he
see boxers posing for quick portraits, squaring off to
has said, “You can’t imagine what it was like for me
fight, and then finally, the referee raises the victor’s
the first time I saw prints of my negatives printed
hand in the last picture.
large-scale, no spots, clean and perfect. I knew then
For a few decades, these small intimate prints
that my work was really, really good.”2 There is no
were all that existed of Sidibé’s work. In 1995,
doubt that Sidibé’s work is deserving of attention for
however, he was included in an exhibition at the
its form, pattern, and composition, but it is equally
Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, in Paris.
important not to lose the backdrop of political, social,
Since then, professional printers have made huge
and cultural change that made such pictures
prints from his negatives (with his approval) for
possible.
exhibitions in museums and commercial galleries.
Notes
These enlargements draw upon the graphic
1. Manthia Diawara, Malick Sidibé Photographs (Göteborg, Sweden: Hasselblad, 2003): 11. 2. Interview with Seydou Keita in Michelle Lamunière, You Look Beautiful Like That: The Portrait Photographs of Seydou Keïta and Malick Sidibé (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Art Museums, 2001): 47.
sensibilities of the original—the patterned clothing and textured surfaces—but explode them to enormous proportions. As a result, the intimacy, the context of independence, and the cultural shift implicit in the originals are cast aside in favor of the pictures’ formal qualities. In effect, the pictures have been transformed from document to art, removed
This fall, look for these photographs in an exhibition titled, Photography, Sequence & Time.
from the administrative folders and launched onto the walls of fine art institutions. April May June 2012 ●
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R ECENT A CQUIS IT IONS Native American Blanket Strip Paul Tarver, Curator of Native American Art
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n December of 2011, NOMA
accessioned a Native American beaded panel referred to as a blanket strip. This
object, created by a Native American woman in the Upper Missouri Valley, was made from large blue and white glass pony beads and sewn on to buffalo hide. The finished strip was then attached to a highranking individual’s buffalo robe. Native American objects created prior to 1850 are rare, and most of them belong to European museums. NOMA’s blanket strip dates to
Fig. 2
circa 1830, making it an important acquisition. After the signing of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Thomas Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark to explore the northern boundaries of the territory. They were to learn as much as possible about the land and to let the inhabitants know they had a new “father.” Among the many trade items they took with them were large bags of blue and white glass beads made in Venice, Italy. These beads came to be referred to as “pony” beads and became instantly popular among the women of the region. In the early 1830s, painters George Catlin and Karl Bodmer visited the upper Missouri to document the native tribes. Both artists painted portraits of important leaders in full regalia, dressed in robes with blue and white pony-beaded strips. In 1837, a smallpox epidemic swept the region, leaving only a few hundred survivors, which may account for the lack of surviving material culture from that area. Only four known ponybeaded blanket strips exist today, and only NOMA’s is in a public collection. The provenance, or history of ownership of this piece can only be traced back to the late twentieth century, when it came into the collection of the former senator and one time presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. Goldwater, a collector of Native American art, donated it to the Smoki Museum in Prescott, Arizona in the early 1990s. Later it was sold to a private collector, and eventually ended up in a Santa Fe Gallery, where NOMA found it. Figure 1: Northern Plains Culture, United States, Beaded Panel (Blanket Strip), circa 1830, Glass "pony" beads, buffalo hide, sinew, Museum purchase: The Brace Endowment Fund. On view in the Kresge Foundation Gallery, 3rd floor. Photo courtesy of H. Malcom Grimmer.
Fig. 1
Figure 2: Karl Bodmer, Switzerland, 1809-1893, Two Mandan Men, 1833 (detail); Digital print from an engraving of an original watercolor.
P
reviously the Vice President for Collections
understanding of
& Programs at Cheekwood Botanical Garden
and interaction with
& Museum of Art in Nashville, Tennessee,
the arts and creative
Allison Reid comes to NOMA with nearly fifteen
thinking. The
years of museum experience and a strong hands-on,
department offers
visitor-focused philosophy toward exhibitions and
tours, programs and
programming.
art-making activities
Recently, Reid acted as a senior manager in
that engage diverse
planning and preparation for Cheekwood's fiftieth
communities with
anniversary in 2010, which included a year-long
the collections and
celebration and marked the presentation of the
exhibitions on view
institution's largest exhibition. During Reid's tenure,
at NOMA. Programs
Cheekwood saw its annual visitation double and its
for students,
membership rates steadily grow.
educators, and the public are thoughtfully designed
Before Hurricane Katrina, Reid served as the Assistant Director for Education at NOMA (19992006), where she led the department in developing
Photograph by Judy Cooper
to awaken the imaginations of museum visitors and foster inquisitiveness in the creative process. "I am thrilled to be joining the team at NOMA,
educational programming grounded in the
especially as they embark on the creation of a new
museum's expansive encyclopedic collection.
platform of educational initiatives," says Reid. "I
NOMA's Department of Interpretation and
share NOMA's vision of strong community
Audience Engagement (formerly known as the
engagement and continued audience growth and
Department of Education) is dedicated to providing
look forward to building on the visitor experience
educational opportunities to broaden the
with the museum."
TAP into Hard Truths
O
n view through May 20,
multimedia experience. For just $3, visitors can rent
Hard Truths: The Art of
an iPod with the programmed TAP tour. Look for the
Thornton Dial includes
TAP logo throughout the exhibition and tap the
over forty works from the past
corresponding number into the keypad. The TAP
twenty years of Dial’s life.
iPod tour includes exclusive video and audio of the
Participate in an exciting new feature of NOMA’s
artist himself; a guided investigation of Thornton
exhibition experience by taking a TAP tour of Hard
Dial’s works by Joanne Cubbs, the curator of Hard
Truths. The TAP program, developed by the
Truths; and interviews with the conservators and
Indianapolis Museum of Art, provides visitors the
photographers who worked on the exhibition
opportunity to immerse themselves in the exhibition
and catalogue.
through an engaging and thought-provoking
April May June 2012 ●
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Arts
13
MUSEUM NEWS
NOMA Welcomes Allison Reid, Director of the Department of Interpretation and Audience Engagement
EXPERIENCING NOMA Interacting with NOMA Grace Wilson, Director of Communications and Marketing and Elizabeth Soland, Communications Assistant
N
OMA is committed to getting you all the
events, as well as videos and press. Browse the
information you need on museum events
collection and design your own tour, and sign up for
and exhibitions, through a variety of
our weekly e-newsletter at the top of the right hand
media. Our website, Facebook, and Twitter pages
side of the screen.
always have the most up-to-date information, so you’ll never miss out on what’s going on. Here’s a
quick run-down of all the ways you can interact with
On Facebook, the New Orleans Museum of Art has a
NOMA.
page where you can browse photos and read posts about the permanent collection. You can check out
Arts Quarterly
our events, RSVP to them, and invite your friends to
Our award-winning Arts Quarterly has been a
come, too! NOMA’s Facebook page is also a great
longtime favorite resource for museum members.
way to get exclusive access to what’s going on at the
Here, you can read interviews and get behind-the-
museum. Signing up for a Facebook account is easy
scenes information on current and upcoming
and free.
exhibitions. The pull-out events calendar also
www.facebook.com/NOMA1910
provides a three-month schedule of lectures, special events, wellness activities and more (not to mention,
Click “like” on our page, and all of NOMA’s updates
it doubles as an art poster).
will show up on your Facebook news feed (a.k.a. the home page). Click “Join My List” on the left hand
www.noma.org
side of the screen to get our weekly e-newsletter sent
If you haven’t seen NOMA’s new website, be sure to
to your email.
visit for the latest information about exhibitions and 14 Arts
April May June 2012 ●
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O N E N I G H T, 100 P H O T O G R A P H E R S The New Orleans Museum of Art, in Twitter Twitter is a way to instantly see what’s going on at NOMA. Think of it as blogging, but each mini post is called a “tweet.” We live-tweet at events, show you behind-the-scenes images and sometimes give special deals to our followers. (We even made a Super Bowl bet of a priceless painting with another museum over Twitter!) See what others are tweeting about NOMA, and if you have a Twitter account, you can always mention us or “retweet” information we’ve shared. Mention @NOMA1910 next time you visit. Again, signing up is simple and free. www.twitter.com/NOMA1910 Click “follow” to have all of @NOMA1910’s tweets show up on your home page. Instagram
partnership with the New Orleans Photo Alliance, is pleased to present PhotoNOMA, a photographers' portfolio night at the museum. On Friday, May 11 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., 100 photographers, from beginners to the well established, will display their work for a community walk-through. Admission is $10 for the general public, $5 for Photo Alliance members and as always, NOMA members get in free. Photography enthusiasts and the public at large are encouraged to come out to see the wide range of work that will be on display and to take advantage of the wonderful opportunity to meet and engage with the artists. All photographers who are interested in participating should register (at no cost) with the New Orleans Photo Alliance. The first 100 photographers to register will be allowed to display their portfolios. At 5 p.m. on the day of the event, participants should line up at the security entrance of the museum with their portfolios and upon entering, will be allowed to choose their own table. For more information, please contact the New Orleans Photo Alliance at (504) 610-4899 or www.neworleansphotoalliance.com.
If you like photography, be sure to explore Instagram. An application you can download on an iPhone or iPad, Instagram is used to create and share
NEXT UP
AT
BOOK CLUB
photos with others. Download it and follow @NOMA1910. There are funky filters and effects you can use to create your own artsy shots with your device’s camera, or you can just browse NOMA’s. Add us to your feed to keep up with our photographic journey, or take your own photos of NOMA (and tag us in them so we can see them too). YouTube YouTube is a free, video sharing service. Over the
APRIL Joan Mitchell: Lady Painter by Patricia Albers April 12, 10 a.m.: Field Trip to the Joan Mitchell Center April 18, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.: Special Program on Joan Mitchell by Miranda Lash April 26, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.: Discussion Group MAY The Vanished Smile: the Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti May 17, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.: Discussion Group
past year, the museum has produced numerous videos, which can all be seen on our YouTube page and on NOMA’s website. www.noma.org/videos www.youtube.com/user/NewOrleansMuseumArt Click “subscribe” at the top of our YouTube page, next to the title “New Orleans Museum of Art” and you’ll be informed every time we add a new video.
April May June 2012 ●
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JUNE My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk June 8, 11:30–1 p.m.: Special Program by Lisa Rotondo-McCord June 14, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.: Discussion Group
Each month a different work of fiction or non-fiction, all with art or museum-related content, is selected for discussion in the Felix J. Dreyfous Library. The Book Club also engages in curatorial programs and field trips correlating with each book. To join or for more info, contact the librarian at (504) 658-4117 or at scork@noma.org.
Arts
15
NOMA
AND THE
COMMUNITY
Summer Art Camps
N
inspired by the arts of the world.
feature NOMA’s permanent collection or special
June 25 – 29: Art through the Ages, Ages 9 - 12
exhibitions, and are taught by professional artists.
From pre-Columbian Maya to modern New York,
“In the Studio” visual art camps will be offered in
NOMA’s collection includes works that span diverse
the mornings in our first floor art studio. “On the
places and times. After exploring he museum’s
Stage” afternoon camps will take place in the Stern
galleries, students will create works inspired by art
Auditorium and will include theater, creative
from around the world.
OMA is teaming up with KID smART
made and will create their own unique works of art
and Young Audiences to offer Summer Art
Camps for children ages 5 – 12. All camps
writing, photography and puppetry. Camps are arranged for students aged 5 – 8 or
On the Stage: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
aged 9 – 12 on alternating weeks. Students may sign
June 4 – 8: A Group Picture, Ages 5 - 8
up for morning only, afternoon only or full day. If
Students will learn how to use body language and
your child will be attending for a full day, please
tableaux to create short scenes inspired by works of
send a sack lunch. The cost of each summer camp
art in NOMA’s collection.
session is $120 for NOMA members and $150 for non-members, with all materials included. Each
June 11 – 15: Statues Come to Life, Ages 9 - 12
session meets for one week, Monday through Friday.
Drama students will create characters and brief scenes
Contact Elise Solomon at 504-658-4128 or
to tell stories about the works of art they encounter in
education@noma.org to register your child.
museum galleries and the Sculpture Garden.
JUNE In the Studio: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
June 18 – 22: A Thousand Words, Ages 5 - 8
June 4 – 8: Hold the Line, Ages 5 - 8
as a class to reconstruct works of art the on the page,
Line, form, color and texture will be the focus as
focusing on setting and environment.
During this creative writing camp, students will work
students explore the basics of drawing. Students will work with pastels, colored pencils, charcoal and
June 25 – 29: Every Picture Tells a Story, Ages 9 - 12
graphite.
Students will learn play-writing techniques as they work together to write a short play based on works of
June 11 – 15: Drawing Is Fundamental, Ages 9 - 12
art from NOMA’s galleries.
Students will learn how artists make twoform. Two-dimensional design principles, basic
JULY In the Studio: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
composition, and the illusion of space will be taught
July 9 – 13: Monsters, Magic and Myth, Ages 5 - 8
in this “back to basics” art class.
Imaginations will run wild as students conjure up
dimensional drawings appear to have depth and
whimsical beasts out of every material under the sun. June 18 – 22: Art is Multicultural, Ages 5 - 8
2-D and 3-D techniques will be used as students bring
Visit the world without ever leaving NOMA’s third
their fantasies to life.
floor! Children will explore many places where art is 16 Arts
April May June 2012 ●
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July 16 - 2: Mixing with Mixed Media, Ages 9 - 12 Students will travel all over the museum to discover new and unusual materials from around the world, then use found objects to create works of art using mixed media. July 23 – 27: About Face, Ages 5 - 8 Students will learn the history of portraiture and the wide range of ways that artists have used the body as inspiration. They will use pencil, charcoal, printmaking and watercolor. July 30 – August 3: Figure This Out, Ages 9 - 12 The human figure is one of the most widely depicted subjects in art. After looking at examples from NOMA’s collection, students will create their own figurative drawings and paintings using charcoal, pencil, watercolor, and printmaking materials.
On the Stage: 1:00-4:00 p.m. July 9 – 13: Photo Shoot, Ages 5 - 8 This camp will emphasize fun and photography as students explore NOMA and the Sculpture Garden with camera in hand. Students will explore photography through a variety of formats including film, digital, and solar prints. July 16 – 20: Snap a Picture, Ages 9 - 12 Young photographers will learn basics of photography, emphasizing composition, color and form, as they snap photos of the museum and its surroundings. July 23 – 27: Puppetry in Motion, Ages 5 - 8 Students will build their own puppets and use them to tell a story inspired by NOMA’s collection. Shadow puppets, hand held and stick puppets will all be introduced. July 30 – August 3: Up My Sleeve, Ages 9 - 12 Different styles of puppetry and puppet traditions from around the world will be discussed as students build their own puppets and create a set in which a story can unfold.
Photography by Roman Alokhin and Grace Wilson
Congratulations to the winners of the annual Cox Art Contest! To celebrate 200 years of Louisiana statehood, this year’s theme was “Living Louisiana!” Students were asked to create a work of art that reflected some aspect of Louisiana’s rich culture and traditions. Talented students from Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and St. Charles parishes competed to win $6,000 in scholarships. Entries were judged on quality of line or paint application, completeness of composition, expression of artwork, and originality and creativity. NOMA is proud to have partnered with Cox and Cox Media for the last fifteen years to support art created by local students. This year’s finalists all showed incredible artistic talent and merit. Thanks to all who entered—NOMA can’t wait to see what next year’s contest will bring!
Jeffery Nguyen, Dr. John: Such a Night Pencil, NOCCA, 11th Grade 1st Place: 9 - 11 Category. Photograph by Judy Cooper.
The 2012 Louisiana Iris Rainbow Festival Join NOMA as we celebrate the beautiful bloom of our Louisiana irises in the Besthoff Sculpture Garden with the Louisiana Iris Rainbow Festival, on Sunday, April 1, from 12 - 4 p.m. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, just planting your first bulb, or if you just want to spend a relaxing day in the Garden among radiant flowers, this free event is for you. The festival will include live music by Cindy Scott, gourmet sliders and pomme frites from the SliderShak food truck, and family art-making activities provided by NOMA’s Department of Interpretation and Audience Engagement. Eileen Hollander, Vice-President of the Greater New Orleans Iris Society (GNOIS) and Master Gardener of Greater New Orleans, will speak on three topics: “The Legend of the Fleur de Lis,” “How to Distinguish Louisiana Irises from the Imitators/Impersonators,” and “How to Grow Louisiana Irises.” Joe Musacchia will lead a walk through the Garden to demonstrate how to identify good Louisiana irises in a garden setting. Patrick O'Connor, President of the GNOIS and owner of the Zydeco Louisiana Iris Garden will also be available for questions. For more information, contact Pamela Buckman at (504) 658-4153 or pbuckman@noma.org.
Community Partners Teach Art on Friday Nights
F
riday nights at NOMA offer art activities for
on Friday nights, please contact Tracy Kennan at
visitors of all ages at our "Where Y'Art?! Cart"
(504) 658-4113 or at tkennan@noma.org.
located in the first floor elevator lobby. While
NOMA’s art teacher, Kate Ryan leads these activities
Thanks to all of our past and upcoming partners:
twice a month, the museum has been inviting local arts organizations to lead the activities on select
3 Ring Circus Arts Education Center
Friday evenings. Past activities include photo
Ashé Cultural Center
transfer projects, making collage wearable pins and
KID smART
masks, and creating vases with self-drying clay.
New Orleans Craft Mafia
In addition to a stipend for labor, art activity
Preservation Resource Center
hosts receive the chance to work with a cross-section
Press Street
of the community and spread the word about their
A Studio in the Woods
organization's mission, while NOMA gets the
YAYA
opportunity to interact with new audiences. If your
Young Audiences of Louisiana
organization is interested in teaming up with NOMA
T
when NOMA and The NOLA Project will present a
Society to present more screenings of your favorite
Like It. Seven performances are listed below, all
classic films. On the second Fridays of April, May,
beginning at 7 p.m. in the Sculpture Garden. Stay
and June, Where Y’Art?! programming will move to
tuned for announcements of fall collaborations
the Sculpture Garden. Music and art-making
between NOMA and The NOLA Project, and for
activities begin at 5 p.m. in the Pine Grove, near the
future programs in the Garden. NOMA promises to
garden’s front entrance. At 7:30 p.m. (or sundown),
keep providing the public with family-friendly
the films will be shown on a large outdoor screen in
events like these in the months to come.
his spring, bring your blankets and folding
Theater also returns to the Garden this May,
chairs to Movies in the Garden! NOMA is partnering with the New Orleans Film
rendition of another Shakespearean classic: As You
NOMA AND THE COMMUNITY
Film Screenings and Shakespeare Spice Up the Sculpture Garden
the Oak Grove.
The spring 2012 film schedule: April 13: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory May 11: Breakfast at Tiffany’s June 8: The Wizard of Oz
In April and June, La Cocinita will serve gourmet Latin American street food, and in May Crepes a la Cart will be making fresh sweet and savory crepes. No outside food or beverages will be permitted. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for NOMA and NOFS members, and children 17 and under get in for free.
As You Like It performance schedule: Wednesday, May 9; Thursday, May 10; Sunday, May 13;Wednesday, May 16; Thursday, May 17; Friday, May 18; Sunday, May 20 Tickets are $16 for adults, and $8 for students, children, and NOMA members. They may be purchased on NOMA’s website or at the front desk during museum hours.
Did you know The NOLA Project and NOMA were nominated for five Big Easy Awards this year for their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
SUPPORTING NOMA UPGRADE YOUR SUPPORT
OF
NOMA
President’s Circle: $20,000 Director’s Circle: $10,000 The NOMA Board of Trustees cordially invites you to join the Circles, the museum’s most prestigious membership group.
Patron’s Circle: $5,000 For more information, please call (504) 658-4107.
Circles of the New Orleans Museum of Art We appreciate the generous and continuing support of our Circle members.
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. John D. Bertuzzi Mr. and Mrs. Sydney J. Besthoff III Mr. and Mrs. David F. Edwards Dr. and Mrs. Ludovico Feoli Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Hansel Ms. Adrea D. Heebe and Mr. Dominick A. Russo Jr. Mrs. Paula L. Maher Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Mayer Mrs. Robert Nims Mrs. Charles S. Reily, Jr. Jolie and Robert Shelton Kitty and Stephen Sherrill Mrs. Patrick F. Taylor
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Mrs. Jack R. Aron The Booth-Bricker Fund Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Coleman Mr. Leonard A. Davis Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Favrot Jr. Mrs. Lawrence D. Garvey Mrs. JoAnn Flom Greenberg Mr. Jerry Heymann Mr. and Mrs. Erik F. Johnsen Ms. Kay McArdle Mrs. Peter R. Monrose Jr. Dr. Howard and Dr. Joy D. Osofsky Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Patrick
20 Arts
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin R. Rodriguez Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin M. Rosen Ms. Debra B. Shriver Mr. and Mrs. Bruce L. Soltis Margaret B. and Joel J. Soniat Mrs. Harold H. Stream Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Richard L. Strub Mr. and Mrs. Robert Taylor
PATRON’S CIRCLE Mrs. Adele L. Adatto Dr. Ronald G. Amedee and Dr. Elisabeth H. Rareshide Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Boh Mr. E. John Bullard III Mr. and Mrs. Mark Carey Dr. and Mrs. Isidore Cohn Jr. Mrs. John J. Colomb Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Prescott N. Dunbar Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Francis Mr. and Mrs. James J. Frischhertz Mr. and Mrs. Edward N. George Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Heebe Ms. Allison Kendrick Mr. Henry M. Lambert and Mr. R. Carey Bond Mr. and Mrs. H. Merritt Lane III Mr. Paul J. Leaman Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Lemann Dr. Edward D. Levy Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Thomas Lewis Dr. and Mrs. E. Ralph Lupin Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Masinter Mr. and Mrs. R. King Milling Mrs. Ellis Mintz The James R. Moffitt Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Moffitt Robert and Myrtis Nims Foundation Dr. Andrew Orestano Dr. and Mrs. James F. Pierce Mr. and Mrs. James J. Reiss Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Edward F. Renwick Mr. and Mrs. R. Randolph Richmond Jr. Mr. and Mrs. George Rodrigue Mr. and Mrs. Brian A. Schneider Mr. and Mrs. Edward Shearer Mr. and Mrs. Lynes R. Sloss Ms. E. Alexandra Stafford and Mr. Raymond M. Rathle Jr. Mrs. Frederick M. Stafford Mr. Stephen F. Stumpf Jr. Mr. Hollis C. Taggart Mr. and Mrs. James L. Taylor Mrs. Hendrik Willem van Voorthuysen Mrs. John N. Weinstock Mrs. Dorothy R. Weisler Mrs. Henry H. Weldon Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Brent Wood
April May June 2012 ●
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NOMA’s exhibitions and special programs are made possible through the generosity of our sponsors. If you would like additional information on sponsorship, please contact the museum’s Development Department at (504) 658-4107. $525,000 Patrick F. Taylor Foundation —Endowment Fund —Education Programming Zemurray Foundation —Endowment Fund —Spanish Colonial Assessment
$100,000 Collins C. Diboll Foundation —Endowment Fund
$450,000 Helis Foundation —Endowment Fund —Free Wednesdays —Art Purchase
$20,000 - $49,999 American Express Foundation —Urn Restoration The Bertuzzi Family Foundation —Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial
$300,000 Save America’s Treasures —Permanent Collection Conservation
$50,000 The Selley Foundation —Re-design and Re-launch Website
Louisiana Division of the Arts —General Operating Support Luce Foundation —Kuntz Galleries Renovation The Lupin Foundation —Odyssey Ball, 2011 National Endowment of the Arts —Publishing of Permanent Collection (Sculpture Garden book) —Inspired by New Orleans Office of the Lieutenant Governor State of Louisiana —Where Y’Art!? Programming
The RosaMary Foundation —General Operating Support Andy Warhol Foundation —Curatorial Research $10,000 - $19,999 Libby Dufour Foundation —Urn Restoration Goldring Family Foundation —Odyssey Ball, 2011 GPOA Foundation —Language and Art Eductional Programming Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation —Art In Bloom, 2012 Ruby K. Worner Charitable Trust —Where Y’Art!? Programming
Corporate and Individual Support $20,000 - $49,999 Richard C. Colton Jr. —Leah Chase: Paintings by Gustave Blache III IBERIABANK —Odyssey Ball 2011 International Well Testers Inc.
Liberty Bank and Trust —Leah Chase: Paintings by Gustave Blache III Peoples Health —Odyssey Ball 2011 Robert and Jolie Shelton —Odyssey Ball 2011
Whitney National Bank —Art in Bloom 2012 $10,000 - $19,999 Chevron —Odyssey Ball 2011 DocuMart —Odyssey Ball 2011
Garden Study Club —Sculpture Garden Beautification Project June and Bill McArdle —Odyssey Ball 2011 Adrea D. Heebe —Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial
In-Kind Corporate Donations $50,000 - $74,999 Sheraton New Orleans Hotel
April May June 2012 ●
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$20,000 - $49,000 The Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group Landis Construction
$5,000 - $9,999 Soniat House Hotel
$1,000 - $4,999 Kentwood Spring Water Christie’s Fine Art Auctioneers Dooky Chase’s Restaurant Degas House
Arts
21
SUPPORTING NOMA
Foundation and Government Support
SUPPORTING NOMA
Experience the Benefits of a NOMA Membership
Photograph by Judy Cooper
guests when accompanied by the member(s)
Individual Membership: $60 • • •
Free admission at all times open to the
•
Reciprocal membership privileges to
public for one adult
numerous major art museums throughout
Complimentary subscription to Arts
the United States and Canada (check NOMA
Quarterly
website for details)
Invitations to members-only preview receptions and special events
Benefactors: $250
•
10%-20% discount in the Museum Shop
All Sustaining membership benefits, plus:
•
Discounts on art classes and other
•
NOMA lectures and intimate preview events
educational programs •
First notices of special events at NOMA
•
Free admission to select Sculpture Garden
Priority reservations and seating for select
•
Invitations to the annual NOMA holiday party
evening events •
Free admission to all festivals at NOMA
Young Fellows (Individual): $250 Young Fellows (Couple): $400
Dual/Family Membership: $75
This new membership group is dedicated to members
Same privileges as Individual membership, plus:
ages 21 through 45. Young Fellows receive
•
Free admission at all times open to the
Benefactors membership privileges as well as a 15%
public for one additional adult, plus
discount on tickets to NOMA events, including the
children or grandchildren 17 and under
Odyssey Ball and LOVE in the Garden.
Sustaining Membership: $125
Advocates: $500
Same privileges as Dual/Family membership, plus:
In addition to Benefactors privileges, Advocates
• 22 Arts
Free NOMA admission for two additional
receive: April May June 2012 ●
●
Invitations to an annual special event
$20,000, $10,000 or $5,000 each year in unrestricted
•
Free museum admission for two guests
funds. NOMA is pleased to extend these unique
when accompanied by the member(s)
privileges to those who demonstrate their
•
One museum catalogue selected by NOMA
commitment at these levels:
•
The opportunity to give one Dual/Family membership as a gift
SUPPORTING NOMA
•
All Fellows membership category privileges, plus • Discounts on special event rentals
Fellows: $1,500 In addition to Benefactors privileges, Fellows receive •
Discounts on special event rentals
•
Invitations to NOMA’s annual Fellows Dinner, a special event held in their honor
• •
of the Circles • Invitations to our exclusive annual Circles event • Free admission for all additional guests to
Free museum admission for four guests
the museum and Sculpture Garden when
when accompanied by the member(s)
accompanied by the donor
Two free museum catalogues selected by NOMA
•
• Annual listing on Donor Wall as a member
The opportunity to give two Dual/Family memberships as gifts
• Reciprocal membership to numerous major art museums • With prior arrangement, Circle members may bring additional guests to members' previews of special exhibitions
Family Circle: $2,500
• Special recognition in Arts Quarterly
NOMA created this new membership level for our
• Advance announcements for special travel
members who are dedicated to sharing NOMA’s permanent collection, educational activities, and special exhibitions with their families. Grandparents
programs • Use of the Woldenberg Board Room for meetings
are welcome! Family Circle members receive docent-
• An opportunity to have a private tour with
guided tours (with prior reservation) complete with
the director or curator of a collection or
educational materials tailored for your family as well
special exhibition of your choice, with
as VIP reservations and access for public family art-
complimentary beverages in the Woldenberg
making activities. Additionally, enjoy free admission
Board Room, for a party of up to six
for your family to our annual Fabergé Egg Hunt.
individuals, at a mutually agreed upon time
This level includes all Fellows benefits, complimentary copies of educational materials for all
According to IRS guidelines, only contributions over the
special exhibitions, and special recognition in our
value of goods and services are tax deductible. We estimate
Arts Quarterly.
the nondeductible portion of your contribution to be as follows: Advocates, $200; Fellows, $200; Patron’s Circle,
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE: $20,000
$200; Director’s Circle, $200; President’s Circle, $200.
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE: $10,000
For additional membership information, please call
PATRON’S CIRCLE: $5,000
Marilyn Dittmann at (504) 658-4107.
The Circles, our most prestigious levels of annual giving, are comprised of individuals who contribute
April May June 2012 ●
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Join the NOMA family today!
Arts
23
SUPPORTING NOMA
NOMA Welcomes New Trustees of 2012 Justin T. Augustine III is the
A native of South Carolina, Daryl
Chief Executive Officer of the
G. Byrd graduated from Samford
New Orleans Regional Transit
University in Birmingham,
Authority as well as a Vice
Alabama, and earned a MBA at
President of Veolia
the University of Alabama in
Transportation. He received his
Birmingham. He started his career at Vulcan Materials
undergraduate degree from Xavier University where he studied accounting.
Company in Birmingham and then moved into the
Augustine is also a member of many past and
banking industry when he joined the Trust Company
present boards, including the NOLA Business
Bank (now SunTrust) in Atlanta. First Commerce
Alliance Board, Industrial Development Board of
Corporation brought him to Louisiana where he
New Orleans, and the New Orleans Urban League.
served in a number of capacities in Lafayette, Alexandria and New Orleans. He was recruited to
Kia Silverman Brown earned a
join IBERIABANK as President and CEO in 1999.
BA in Art History from St. Lawrence University followed by
Collette Creppell, AIA, LEED AP,
a Masters in Chinese Medicine
is the university architect and
from TAI. She moved to New
director of campus planning for
Orleans from Virginia where she
Tulane University (2003-present).
has been actively involved in the
Ms. Creppell returned to New
arts for many years, serving on numerous non-profit
Orleans in 1994 to establish an
boards, helping to enrich the arts within her
architectural firm and to teach at
community. She is married to Christian Brown, a life
the Tulane School of Architecture. She is Vice Chair of
long New Orleanian.
the Board of the New Orleans Building Corporation and serves on the boards of the Tulane School of
Grammy nominee Robin
Architecture and Benjamin Franklin High School. She
Burgess is the co-owner of Over
is married to Stephen Higginson; they have three
the Garage Productions, a firm
children.
devoted to the careers of recording and performing artists.
Dr. John F. Fraiche is a native of
It represents multiple Grammy
New Orleans who resides in both
nominees and winners, Emmy
Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
nominees, Golden Globe nominees, and has
He is married to Donna D.
collaborated with many of today’s prominent figures
Fraiche, an attorney, and they
in the music, film, and television industries. She has
have two children, Dr. Geoff
served as music coordinator on over 41 films and
Fraiche and CoCo Fraiche. Dr.
documentaries, including Their Eyes Were Watching
Fraiche is a former member of the Board of the
God, When the Levees Broke, and Red Tails.
Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans and the New Orleans City Ballet. He was a partner in Galerie Simone Stern.
24 Arts
April May June 2012 ●
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Buckley School of New York and a member of the
Corporate Realty, Inc., is a Tulane
Administrative Board of The Society of Memorial
graduate and has been involved
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She works with The
in the commercial real estate
Second Stage Theatre in New York and with The
business for over thirty years. He
Addison Gallery at Phillips Academy, Andover.
is an Emeritus board member and a three time President of the
Suzanne Thomas is a native of
Board of Directors of the Contemporary Arts Center,
New Orleans. She earned a BA in
and Vice Chair and incoming Chair of the Metairie
Fine Arts from Dominican
Park Country Day School. Siegel is also a member of
College and a MBA from the
the Business Council of New Orleans and the River
College of William & Mary. She
Region. He is married to the former Aimee Farnet;
began her banking career thirty
they have two children.
years ago and is currently the Executive Vice President & Chief Credit Officer of
Kitty Duncan Sherrill is a New
Whitney Bank. She has served on numerous non-
Orleans native who studied Fine
profit boards and is a past Chair of the Board of
Arts as an undergraduate at
Trustees of the Academy of the Sacred Heart. She is
Harvard and resides in
married to Robert E. Thomas, and has two grown
Manhattan with her husband
children. In the 1970s she was an intern in NOMA’s
Stephen and three children. Kitty
Registrar’s office, around the time of the Treasures of
has served as a trustee of The
Tutankhamen exhibition.
Join NOMA’s Contemporaries
L
ove contemporary art? Then join the
destination for emerging experimental art. Future
Contemporaries, NOMA’s new affinity group
trips to New York City to visit galleries and artists are
for individuals interested in learning about
on the horizon as well.
contemporary art; meeting artists; and supporting
You can take advantage of this unique
exhibitions, programs, and art acquisitions in
opportunity for $1,000 plus NOMA membership
NOMA’s contemporary department.
dues. Your yearly contribution will directly offset the
Events for the Contemporaries will include tours
cost of Contemporaries programming, a portion of
of local artist studios and private collections, private
which goes towards a fund for Contemporaries
artist receptions, and the opportunity to vote on an
acquisitions.
acquisition of a work of contemporary art for
For more information, contact Miranda Lash at (504)
NOMA’s collection. This fall, Contemporaries can
658-4138 or mlash@noma.org, or Marilyn Dittmann at
also look forward to a guided visit through the St.
(504) 658-4107 or mdittmann@noma.org.
Claude Arts District, New Orleans’s most vibrant
UPCOMING CONTEMPORARIES EVENTS Sunday, April 15 Studio visit with Cuban artist, Luis Cruz Azaceta, 11 a.m. Thursday, May 10 - Thursday, May 17 NOMA guided trip to Cuba to tour the Havana Biennial Thursday, May 31 Reception for NOMA exhibiting artist Dario Robleto, 6 p.m.
NOMA C O N T E M P O R A R I E S (AS
OF
FEBRUARY 1, 2012)
Mr. and Mrs. John D. Bertuzzi Mr. and Mrs. Sydney J. Besthoff III Mrs. Susan Brennan Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Coleman Mr. and Mrs. George Denegre Jr. Ms. Sheila R. Fenton Ms. Anna Haudenschild Mr. David Workman
SUPPORTING NOMA
Michael J. Siegel, President of
SUPPORTING NOMA
A Birthday to Remember
W
hat better way to commemorate a
to the winner of our NOMA 100 Green Playhouse
milestone than with a two-day
Raffle, Bill Dalton. NOMA gives special thanks to
extravaganza? On December 16 and 17,
Lakeside Shopping Center, the Feil Family
2011, NOMA celebrated its 100th birthday
Foundation, and the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel for
surrounded by thousands of good friends and family.
sponsoring the monumental occasion.
For thirty-one hours, over 3,000 guests enjoyed live
NOMA worked with dozens of community
music, poetry, art-making activities, film screenings,
partners to produce a variety of events, at no cost to
lectures, and more. Highlights included a
the public. NOMA thanks the community for coming
performance and book signing by Irvin Mayfield,
out to support the museum on such a memorable
comedic improv tours with The New Movement, and
occasion.
a late night DJ set by Quintron. Congratulations also
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1. Director Susan M. Taylor; 2. Youth Ballet Ensemble from Woodmere Elementary; 3. Isidore Newman Choir; 4. Amanda Shaw; 5. Author Mark Yakich; 6. The New Movement giving a comedic improv tour of the NOMA 100 exhibition; 7. New Orleans Ballet Association Youth; 8. Irvin Mayfield. Photography by Judy Cooper and Grace Wilson.
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9. Bruce Davenport Jr. and Russell Lord; 11. The Roots of Music; 11. Quintron; 12. Helen Newell, a visitor who was born in the museum 95 years ago (shown with her family), Photography by Grace Wilson, Allison Abney, Michael Hays, and Elizabeth Soland.
April May June 2012 â—?
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PROFILES IN GIVING The Jones Family
T
he charitable works of the Jones family have offered unique support to the New Orleans Museum of Art for over three
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decades. Their tradition of philanthropy, originally led by Joseph Merrick Jones, is now continued by his descendants via three entities: the Canal Barge Company; the law firm of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre L.L.P.; and the Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation. NOMA is grateful to be a continued recipient of their generous, grouped donations, most recently including $75,000
1. Susan Gundlach, Andrew and Susu Stall; 2. St. Denis J. Villere II, Herschel Abbott, Susan Gundlach, Marjorie Villere, Jimmy Gundlach; 3. Mimsy Lindner, Sally Lapeyre, Sarah Merrick; 4. Poco Sloss, Christy Brown, Bill Hines; 5. Merritt Lane, Peter Stephaich. © Grevy Photography
for our successful exhibition, NOMA 100: Gifts for the Second Century. They have also contributed to two of NOMA’s major fundraisers, Art in Bloom and the Odyssey Ball. Founded in 1933, the Canal Barge Company, Inc. is a family-owned, independent marine
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transportation company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. The name “Canal Barge” dates
In 2012, Jones Walker will celebrate its seventy-fifth
back to their early years when they operated one
anniversary.
barge exclusively along the Gulf Intracoastal
The Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family
Waterway. Today they are one of the most diverse
Foundation, incorporated in 1955 in Louisiana,
marine transportation companies in the country.
primarily gives to organizations in the greater New
Canal Barge recently celebrated its seventy-fifth year
Orleans area with a special emphasis on education,
in operation, and their longevity is a testament to
the arts and other community services. Their support
their insight and commitment to the region.
has proven to be invaluable to NOMA, providing
Since its inception in 1937, the law firm of Jones,
funding in the formative years of the Besthoff
Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre
Sculpture Garden, offering support immediately
L.L.P. has grown over the past several decades in size
following Hurricane Katrina, and bestowing funds to
and scope to become one of the largest law firms in
increase NOMA’s collection.
the Gulf South. It serves local, regional, national, and
Through the Jones family’s foundation support
international business interests in a wide range of
and corporate gifts, NOMA has not only grown its
markets and industries. Jones Walker proudly
collection but has been able to expand its
supports more than 150 civic and charitable
programming and offer exciting exhibitions to the
organizations, NOMA included. Often, their
public. By supporting NOMA for over thirty years,
attorneys are personally involved with a number of
the Jones family is ensuring that the museum will
local organizations, fundraising events and charities.
continue its mission well into the future.
CH A R ITA BL E G IFT S t o NOMA
Arts
Make a lasting contribution to the museum with a gift of cash, stock, real estate, or other assets. Such gifts may allow for significant tax savings. For more information, please call (504) 658-4107.
Boar d of TRUSTEES Mrs. Charles B. Mayer, President Sydney Besthoff III, Vice-President Julie Livaudais George, Vice-President E. Ralph Lupin, MD, Vice-President Timothy Francis, Secretary Ms. Kay McArdle, Treasurer William D. Aaron Jr. Justin T. Augustine III Mrs. John Bertuzzi Dr. Siddharth K. Bhansali Susan Brennan Kia Silverman Brown Robin Burgess Daryl Byrd Mrs. Mark Carey Edgar L. Chase III Tommy Coleman Collette Creppell Leonard Davis David F. Edwards H. M. “Tim” Favrot Jr. Mrs. Ludovico Feoli Dr. John Fraiche
Susan G. Guidry, Councilmember District “A” Lee Hampton Stephen A. Hansel Adrea D. Heebe Ms. Allison Kendrick Mayor Mitch Landrieu Mrs. Merritt Lane Paul J. Masinter Mrs. R. King Milling Michael D. Moffitt Mrs. Michael D. Moffitt Howard J. Osofsky, MD, PhD Mrs. James J. Reiss Jr. Mrs. George Rodrigue Donna Perret Rosen Mrs. John Ryan Brian Schneider Mrs. Jolie L. Shelton Kitty Duncan Sherrill Mike Siegel Mrs. Lynes Sloss E. Alexandra Stafford Mrs. Richard L. Strub Robert Taylor Suzanne Thomas Brent Wood
H onorar y Life TRUSTEES H. Russell Albright, MD Mrs. Jack R. Aron Mrs. Edgar L. Chase Jr. Isidore Cohn Jr., MD Prescott N. Dunbar S. Stewart Farnet Sandra Draughn Freeman Kurt A. Gitter, MD Mrs. Erik Johnsen Richard W. Levy, MD J. Thomas Lewis Mrs. Paula L. Maher
Mrs. J. Frederick Muller Mrs. Robert Nims Mrs. Charles S. Reily Jr. Mrs. Françoise Billion Richardson R. Randolph Richmond Jr. Mrs. Frederick M. Stafford Harry C. Stahel Mrs. Moise S. Steeg Jr. Mrs. Harold H. Stream Mrs. James L. Taylor Mrs. John N. Weinstock
SUPPORT ACKNOWLEDGMENT The programs of the New Orleans Museum of Art are supported by grants from the Louisiana State Arts Council through the Louisiana Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Office of
the Lieutenant Governor Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Ruby K. Worner Charitable Trust, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation.
MUSEUM HOURS The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Monday and all legal holidays. The Besthoff Sculpture Garden is open every day, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., except Fridays, when it is open until 8:45 p.m. For information on upcoming exhibitions and events at NOMA, please call (504) 658-4100 or visit our website at www.noma.org.
Cover Image: Ralston Crawford Advertising the Dance, 1953, gelatin silver print
Taylor Murrow Aisha Champagne P R I N T I N G : DocuMart EDITOR:
Nat ional TRUSTEES Joseph Baillio Mrs. Carmel Cohen Mrs. Mason Granger Jerry Heymann Herbert Kaufman, MD
Mrs. James Pierce Debra B. Shriver Mrs. Henry H. Weldon Mrs. Billie Milam Weisman
ART DIRECTOR:
Arts Quarterly (ISSN 0740-9214) is published by the New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA 70124. © 2012, New Orleans Museum of Art. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of the publisher.
Arts
NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID NEW ORLEANS PERMIT #108
P. O. Box 19123 New Orleans, LA 70179-0123
NOW
AVA I L A B L E I N T H E
MUSEUM SHOP NOMA is pleased to announce the release of the muchanticipated book, The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Designed as an expanded companion to the Garden's Artspaces "mini-guide," this beautifully illustrated hardcover provides detailed entries on every artwork in the Garden, as well the history of the Garden's founding and its exquisite plant life. Edited by Miranda Lash, curator of contemporary art and published by SCALA Publishers of London. 192 color pages, $49.95.
This book has been sponsored in part by a NEA grant.
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