CONNECT a publication of the OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART | Vol. 2011, Issue 2
1934: A New Deal for Artists | May 26 – August 21, 2011
The Decorative Approach See the Museum’s first major decorative arts acquisition on the second floor. Benjamin Frothingham’s chest-on-chest complements Charles Willson Peale’s portrait of George Washington, who was a contemporary of the artist. An exceptional piece, the chest increases the Museum’s collection of eighteenth-century American art and sets the foundation for future collecting in the decorative arts.
Inside at a Glance
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1934: A New Deal for Artists See 56 paintings from the Smithsonian American Art Museum celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Public Works of Art Project.
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Passages: Experience the Bible Like Never Before Curator Alison Amick learns more about The Green Collection and Passages with Dr. Scott Carroll, director of the collection.
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IN FOCUS @ OKCMOA
14 Important Piece of American Decorative Arts Enhances Collection An eighteenth-century chest-on-chest is one of the newest additions to the collection. 16 FROM THE CURATOR: New Acquisitions Twenty-two works on paper and two paintings enhance the Museum’s collection. 18
Community Outreach: Healing through Art Three new outreach endeavors encourage healing through art.
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Omelette Party IN FOCUS
Mission The Oklahoma City Museum of Art enriches lives through the visual arts.
EXECUTIVE STAFF Glen Gentele, President & CEO Sandy Cotton, Development Director Rodney Lee, Finance Director Jack Madden, Facility Operations Director
EDITORIAL STAFF Alison Amick, Curator for Collections Chandra Boyd, Senior Associate Curator of Education Jim Eastep, Senior Development Officer Nicole Emmons, Editor & Publications Coordinator Brian Hearn, Film Curator Jennifer Klos, Associate Curator Leslie A. Spears, Communications Manager
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS Elby J. Beal, Chairman Frank D. Hill, Immediate Past Chairman Frank W. Merrick, Chairman-elect Suzette Hatfield, Vice-chairman Leslie S. Hudson, Vice-chairman Duke R. Ligon, Vice-chairman Judy M. Love, Vice-chairman Virginia A. Meade, Vice-chairman Peter B. Delaney, Treasurer John R. Bozalis, M.D., Secretary Glen Gentele, Ex-officio Katie McClendon J. Edward Barth Frank W. McPherson Katy Boren *James C. Meade William M. Cameron *Charles E. Nelson Teresa L. Cooper Cynda C. Ottaway Theodore M. Elam Christopher P. Reen *Nancy Payne Ellis Marianne Rooney *Shirley Ford Robert J. Ross Preston G. Gaddis Amalia Miranda Silverstein, M.D. David T. Greenwell Darryl G. Smette Julie Hall Jeanne Hoffman Smith Kirk Hammons Denise Suttles K. Blake Hoenig Jordan Tang, Ph.D. The Honorable Jerome A. Holmes Lyndon C. Taylor Joe M. Howell, D.V.M. Wanda Otey Westheimer Willa D. Johnson Charles E. Wiggin Penny M. McCaleb
DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, The Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center, will be celebrating its Tenth Anniversary in 2012. In preparation for this great occasion, we are assembling a sequence of exhibitions and programs that will begin this spring and involves the temporary deinstallation of sections of the permanent collection—including the Dale Chihuly Collection—for about eight months. The deinstallation has already begun and will provide us with ample time to clean and document the entire Chihuly Collection in a way that has never been possible before. We are prepared for this significant undertaking and have highly qualified staff members working to guide us through the process. Plans for the reinstallation of the collection are underway and will formally begin in mid November 2011, culminating with the reopening of the Chihuly glass in honor of the Museum’s Tenth Anniversary in downtown Oklahoma City! We are in consultation with the Chihuly Studio about the reinstallation project. The concept is to introduce the community to the collection in a way not previously experienced at the Museum. This change will not necessarily be in the configuration of individual installations, but rather in the order and passage through the overall space. Design elements are being developed now, and I think you will find it to be quite exciting to rediscover the installation. You may be thinking…what will happen with the third floor galleries during this time? That is a great question. On May 16, 2011, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will present the world premiere of Passages. This exhibition will be the largest in the Museum’s history and will attract visitors to Oklahoma City from throughout the region and nation. Timed to coincide with the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible, the exhibition will be shown across the summer months. In addition, we will be presenting 1934: A New Deal for Artists, from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which will run concurrently with Passages. Visit the exhibition section of our site for more information about all of the upcoming exhibitions and programs happening at the Museum. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire staff of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, thank you for your support and for your participation in the Museum. I look forward to seeing you often as we prepare to enter into our second decade in downtown Oklahoma City! We deeply appreciate your patronage.
*Lifetime Trustee Glen Gentele, President & CEO Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center 415 Couch Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (405) 236-3100 Fax: (405) 236-3122 okcmoa.com Readers’ comments are welcome. Requests for permission to reprint any material appearing in this publication should be e-mailed or sent to the address above. E-mail nemmons@okcmoa.com.
ON THE COVER: Pily Furedi. Subway, 1934. Oil on canvas, 39 x 48 1/4 in. (99.1 x 122.6 cm.). Smithsonian American Art Museum. Transfer from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1965.18.43
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Ray Strong (American, 1905–2006). Golden Gate Bridge, 1934. Oil on canvas, 44 1/8 x 71 3/4 in. (112.0 x 182.3 cm). Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1965.18.50
A NEW DEAL FOR ARTISTS May 26 – August 21, 2011
IN 1934, Americans grappled with an economic situation that feels all too familiar today. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the U.S. government created the Public Works of Art Project—the first federal government program to support the arts nationally. A selection of paintings made with support from this program will be showcased in 1934: A New Deal for Artists, an exhibition organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. On view at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, May 26 through August 21, 2011, 1934: A New Deal for Artists celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Public Works of Art Project by drawing on the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s unparalleled collection of vibrant paintings created for the program. The 56 paintings in the exhibition are a lasting, visual record of America at a specific moment in time. George Gurney, deputy chief curator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, organized the exhibition with Ann Prentice Wagner, independent curator. Federal officials in the 1930s understood how essential art was to sustaining America’s spirit. During the depths of the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration created the Public Works of Art Project, which lasted only six months from mid-December 1933 to June 1934. The purpose of the program was to alleviate the distress of professional, unemployed American artists by paying them to produce artwork that could be used to embellish public buildings. The program was administered under the Treasury Department by art professionals in 16 different regions of the country.
Artists from across the United States who participated in the program were encouraged to depict “the American Scene,” but they were allowed to interpret this idea freely. They painted regional, recognizable subjects—ranging from portraits to cityscapes and images of city life to landscapes and depictions of rural life—that reminded the public of quintessential American values such as hard work, community, and optimism. These artworks, which were displayed in schools, libraries, post offices, museums, and government buildings, vividly capture the realities and ideals of Depression-era America. The exhibition is arranged into eight sections: “American People,” “City Life,” “Labor,” “Industry,” “Leisure,” “The City,” “The Country,” and “Nature.” Works from 13 of the 16 regions established by the Advisory Committee to the Treasury on Fine Arts are represented. The Public Works of Art Project employed artists from across the country including Ilya Bolotowsky, Lily Furedi, and Max Arthur Cohn in New York City; Harry Gottlieb and Douglass Crockwell in upstate New York; Herman Maril in Maryland; Gale Stockwell in Missouri; E. Dewey Albinson in Minnesota; E. Martin Hennings in New Mexico; and Millard Sheets in California. Ross Dickinson paints the confrontation between man and nature in his painting of southern California, Valley Farms (1934). He contrasts the verdant green, irrigated valley with the dry, reddish-brown hills, recalling the appeal of fertile California for many Midwestern farmers escaping the hopelessness of the Dust Bowl.
Several artists chose to depict American ingenuity. Stadium lighting was still rare when Morris Kantor painted Baseball at Night (1934), which depicts a game at the Clarkstown Country Club’s Sports Centre in West Nyack, New York. Ray Strong’s panoramic Golden Gate Bridge (1934) pays homage to the engineering feats required to build the iconic San Francisco structure. Old Pennsylvania Farm in Winter (1934) by Arthur E. Cederquist features a prominent row of poles providing telephone service and possibly electricity, a rare modern amenity in rural America. The program was open to artists who were denied other opportunities, such as African Americans and Asian Americans. African American artists like Earle Richardson, who painted Employment of Negroes in Agriculture (1934), were welcomed, but only about 10 such artists were employed by the project. Richardson, who was a native New Yorker, chose to set his painting of quietly dignified workers in the South to make a broad statement about race. In the Seattle area, where Kenjiro Nomura lived, many Japanese Americans made a living as farmers, but they were subject to laws that prevented foreigners from owning land and other prejudices. Nomura’s painting The Farm (1934) depicts a darker view of rural life with threatening clouds on the horizon. continued on page 7 Kenjiro Nomura (American, 1896–1956). The Farm, 1934. Oil on canvas, 38 1/4 x 46 1/8 in. (97.2 x 117.1 cm). Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor, 1964.1.36
OKCMOA
in the New Deal Era
ESTABLISHED IN 1935, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) provided
Association of Oklahoma Artists exhibition, Municipal Auditorium, Federal Art Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1939
funding for many projects throughout the nation. The WPA’s Federal Art Project in the state of Oklahoma was run by local artist Nan Sheets. Sheets established an art center in downtown Oklahoma City that offered art classes, lectures, displayed art, and produced a number of silkscreen prints. Originally located at 120 Northwest Second Street, the WPA Experimental Gallery moved to the fifth floor of the Municipal Auditorium (now known as the Civic Center Music Hall) in December of 1937. It transitioned from a federally funded gallery to a private institution, when it was incorporated as the Oklahoma Art Center on May 18, 1945. A group of nearly thirty WPA works were donated to the art center, now the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
THE WPA COLLECTION of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art includes twenty-eight works created by artists throughout the United States. When the Federal Art Project closed, these works were allocated to the City of Oklahoma City until the Oklahoma Art Center incorporated in 1945. The collection includes examples by Morris Kantor and Austin Merrill Mecklem, artists who appear in 1934: A New Deal for Artists; tempera drawings by Oklahoma artist and Federal Art Project muralist Acee Blue Eagle; in addition to highlights by Aaron Bohrod, Dorothy Varian, and Yvonne Twining. Selections from the Museum’s WPA collection are on view in the second floor galleries.
Children of the Welfare League, Bethany, Oklahoma. Class in drawing and crafts taught at Wheeler Park by Modest Fowler, WPA Art Gallery instructor.
Dorothy Varian (American, 1895-1985). Portrait of Eugenie, 1936. Oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in. (76.2 x 6 cm). Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Gift from the WPA, 1942.037
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Earle Richardson (American, 1912–1935). Employment of Negroes in Agriculture, 1934. Oil on canvas, 48 x 32 1/8 in. (121.8 x 81.6 cm). Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor, 1964.1.183
Upcoming Events EXHIBITION PREVIEW LECTURE “Discoveries about 1934: A New Deal for Artists,” featuring Ann Prentice Wagner Wednesday, May 25, 5:30 p.m. 1934 FILM SERIES Dates and times listed on calendar insert. EXHIBITION LECTURE “Let’s Go Slumming, Nose-Thumbing, at Park Avenue: The Songs of the Great Depression,” featuring Michael Lasser Wednesday, June 15, 6:30 p.m. EXHIBITION LECTURE/PERFORMANCE “1934 in Concert: Composers of the Federal Music Project,” featuring Leslie Amper Wednesday, August 10, 6:30 p.m. LAST CALL Thursday, August 18, 5-9 p.m. For a complete listing of programs, visit the Museum’s Web site okcmoa.com
ABOUT THE PUBLIC WORKS OF ART PROJECT The United States was in crisis as 1934 approached. The national economy had fallen into an extended depression after the stock market crash of October 1929. Thousands of banks failed, wiping out the life savings of millions of families. Farmers battled drought, erosion, and declining food prices. Businesses struggled or collapsed. A quarter of the work force was unemployed, while an equal number worked reduced hours. More and more people were homeless and hungry. Nearly 10,000 unemployed artists faced destitution. The nation looked expectantly to President Roosevelt, who was inaugurated in March 1933. The new administration swiftly initiated a wide-ranging series of economic recovery programs called the New Deal. The President realized that Americans needed not only employment but also the inspiration art could provide. The Advisory Committee to the Treasury on Fine Arts organized the Public Works of Art Project on December 8, 1933. Within days, 16 regional committees were recruiting artists who eagerly set to work in all parts of the country. During the project’s brief existence, from December 1933 to June 1934, the Public Works of Art Project hired 3,749 artists who created 15,663 paintings, murals, sculptures, prints, drawings, and craft objects at a cost of $1,312,000. In April 1934, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., exhibited more than 500 works created as part of the Public Works of Art Project. Selected paintings from the Corcoran exhibition later traveled to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and other cities across the country. President Roosevelt, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and government officials who attended the exhibition in Washington acclaimed the art enthusiastically. The Roosevelts selected 32 paintings for display at the White House, including Sheets’ Tenement Flats (1933–34) and Strong’s Golden Gate Bridge (1934). The success of the Public Works of Art Project paved the way for later New Deal art programs, including the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project. Nearly 150 paintings from the Public Works of Art Project were transferred to the Smithsonian American Art Museum during the 1960s, along with a large number of artworks from subsequent programs that extended into the 1940s, especially the well-known Works Progress Administration program. The Smithsonian has one of the largest collections of New Deal art in the world, numbering nearly 3,000 objects.
PUBLICATION The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue copublished by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and D Giles Ltd. in London. It features an essay by Roger Kennedy, historian and director emeritus of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; individual entries for each artwork by Ann Prentice Wagner, independent curator; and an introduction by Elizabeth Broun, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The book will be available in the Museum Store.
Produced by the Oklahoma City Museum of Art Published in CONNECT Vol. 2011, Issue 2 okcmoa.com
HEAR AND SEE THE CAPTIVATING STORY of the translation and transmission of the Bible into English in Passages, an interactive, multimedia exhibition celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Passages features objects from The Green Collection, including ancient papyri, a Dead Sea Scroll, illuminated manuscripts, a large portion of a Gutenburg Bible, and first editions of the King James Bible. The world premiere of Passages opens at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art on May 16, 2011. Portions of the exhibition will travel to St. Peter’s Square this fall. The Green Collection will be housed in a permanent museum, opening in the near future. Join OKCMOA curator Alison Amick as she interviews Dr. Scott Carroll, director of The Green Collection, and learn more about this fascinating collection and its presentation in Passages. ALISON AMICK: If you could start by describing your background and how you became interested in manuscripts and biblical history.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1780 or New Testament Papyrus 39, mid to late 2nd century
DR. SCOTT CARROLL: When I was in college, I began to have a greater interest in the study of the Bible and the more factual evidence that surrounds it. That led me into archaeology and language studies. Through my Ph.D. training, I studied many diverse, ancient languages, which gave me access to people who were trying to sell manuscripts legally on the market to collectors. Predominantly, these people were from Europe, and they wanted items identified. So, for me, I like undefined, unknown terrain, whether it be in archaeology or studying manuscripts that have never been studied before. I am very comfortable working with things like that and excited by it and by the prospects of bringing definition to it, especially as it relates overall to the story of the composition and the transmission of the Bible, which is such an important book and important story. That is what drew my interest, and it took off from there. AA: Through your studies, you must have a working knowledge of a number of languages. Could you give a few examples? SC: My doctoral training required about 13 ancient languages. They’re not only the traditional biblical languages, like Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Aramaic, but they also include Egyptian languages, Syriac, Ethiopic—the Egyptian language is Coptic—and even stretching back before any kind of biblical evidence to Egyptian hieroglyphs. AA: What are some of the fascinating projects that you have worked on up to this point? SC: Well, of course, this entire [Green Collection] project is thrilling. But, in the 1990s, I had an opportunity to build and direct what was, at that time, the largest private collection in the world. I encountered a number of fascinating, one-ofa-kind things, which gave me the experience for what I am working on now. Recently, I would say the most surprising discoveries have come from working with mummy [mask] coverings. We have developed a process of preserving the art while extracting the infrastructure, which surprisingly consists of discarded, used papyri! A professor from Oxford and I have extracted a lost work of Aristotle, other classical works, and very early unrepresented texts of Scripture. It is kind of like an excavation. In fact, two extensive texts
of well-known authors are amongst the earliest Greek literary texts in the world. So they come as close to the Library at Alexandria as anything written, and the discoveries were made in Oklahoma City! Next to that is working with a particularly important biblical manuscript [from The Green Collection]. It is one of the earliest nearcomplete manuscripts of the Bible. But as with the previous example, it is also like an excavation. Because of the cost of producing vellum, they would often recycle it. And this particular manuscript is comprised of six different recycled books that are very early biblical texts, Old Testament and New Testament, written in Greek. Two thirds of them are in Palestinian Aramaic, which was Jesus’s household dialect. And based on the handwriting and so forth, the manuscript very likely dates back to the second century, which means it’s within three generations of the lifetime of Jesus—the Old Testament and major portions of the New Testament in his dialect! And we have developed advanced digital techniques that have taken this type of discovery to a new level of advancement, which will be described in the exhibition at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. AA: How did you become involved with the Green family and developing their collection? SC: I was introduced to the Greens about six years ago. I was in a university and talked with them periodically, over the course of five years, about the idea of creating a nonsectarian museum on the Bible. Then in November of 2009, I approached them about acquiring a couple of items Koberger Bible, 1483 from an important sale at Sotheby’s in London. They said yes but warned me that they wanted to start slow with collecting. However, it began rapidly, which had to do with a variety of factors. The Greens have a genuine appreciation for these things and a growing interest in buying. When they came to the market, all of a sudden items came out of nowhere because there was an interested, potential buyer. Additionally, there has been a shift that’s taken place over the course of the last half century, and it is tied to the economy and a shift in world view. Because of declining endowments, museums have quietly de-assessed items, and the Greens have been the happy recipients of them. I entered into a working relationship with them almost immediately, and they have very generously facilitated my scouring the earth for legitimate book dealers and collectors known from my experience in the ‘90s. So, we have been aggressively but cautiously, if those two can be held in a kind of tension, collecting since that initial purchase in November 2009. There are times in the cycle where we’ve slowed down, but it is quite remarkable to think that everything collected thus far has been over the course of about a year and a half. What is really fascinating though is that you’ve got, with the Greens, a story of somebody that started something in a garage and, over the course of a couple of decades, built a company, Hobby Lobby. In
creating Passages and a future museum, you are dealing with people that not only have a love and passion, as all collectors do for what they collect, but also an entrepreneurial understanding because they started from scratch and have been successful. That’s a very important part of the story. AA: What is your role in the forthcoming museum? SC: My role presently is the Director of The Green Collection, and I will be working with the collection and doing what I am doing now. My job is to build the collection and instigate the scholarship and the relationships and use creative ideas to impact people. AA: Could you discuss the size and scope of The Green Collection and discuss some of the objects that will be on display in Passages? SC: First, though our collecting efforts sound like a meteoric process, or shopping spree, they have been done with great care, respecting the national and international laws and academic guidelines that are in place. Having said that, The Green Collection probably includes in excess of 10,000 cuneiform tablets, and most are unpublished. These include a mix of literary texts as well as lists of sheep and goats and things. It all is important to reconstruct the culture of the Bible and will certainly contribute to our understanding of the world of the patriarchs. To give you an idea of how that relates to other collections, probably the largest collections of cuneiform tablets in the United States are at the University of Pennsylvania and at Yale, where they have about 40,000 tablets each. So 10,000 is a very substantial collection. We began a research program around that, directed by Marcel Sigrist, a Dominican monk from the École Biblique in Jerusalem and former professor at Yale. It will launch into a larger project to publish them. The Green Collection certainly has the largest collection of unpublished papyri in this hemisphere including classical authors, such as Homer, Demosthenes, and Plato, and we are planning research initiatives overseen by world-renowned scholars led by the leading papyrologist in the world from Oxford University. We have the second largest private collection of Dead Sea Scrolls in the world. The collection also includes incantation bowls, from the Roman era in Palestine; amulets; and early to late medieval manuscripts in every imaginable language. The earliest manuscript of Scripture in the collection is called the Codex Climaci Rescriptus—Codex, which means “book,” Climaci, the last name of the author (John Climacus), Rescriptus, which means to write it over again. It’s the recycled manuscript that I described earlier and very likely dates to the late fourth century. There are Greek manuscripts and Hebrew manuscripts of scripture, and a very early, extensive text from Genesis and Exodus. Almost all of these things are unpublished, and so they are all very unique. We also have the earliest Latin Scriptures in private hands in the world, which will
Psalterium Gallicanum Feriatum, ca. 1420
be on display in the exhibition. We have been very selective with our acquisitions of manuscripts, wanting them to either be representative of the earliest examples to be found or textually significant and just plain beautifully illuminated manuscripts. And so we have the good fortune of having a number of areas that are extremely unique. For example, we have the earliest Russian Gospels in private hands, some of the earliest Greek, some early Coptic, and some very early Syriac scripture. The Greens purchased a Royal Ethiopic Library of Scripture, which includes Ethiopic art and writings as well as some extremely early Ethiopic scriptures. Perhaps next to the collection at Princeton, it is as large or the largest; it is certainly one of the largest collections of Ethiopic manuscripts in this country. The collection also includes manuscripts in the vernacular, the everyday language of emerging Europe. We have manuscripts of Scripture in Old French, Dutch, and German. We even have the sole surviving word translated from the Bible into Charlemagne’s language. It’s in a Carolingian commentary. As for early English, typically people think about things starting with the Wycliffe Bible. We have a stunning, undocumented example, probably the nicest Wycliffe New Testament in private hands in the world. We also have the earliest, near-complete translation of the Book of Psalms into Middle English, which predates Wycliffe by 40 years. All of this will be on display in the exhibition. The Green Collection has the largest collection of Jewish scrolls in the world. They span almost 700 years and come from everywhere, Argentina to China. They exemplify different writing styles. Specifically, the texts from China are in small books, not scrolls, representing a part of the writing tradition, and very rare. There are well over 2,000 scrolls in the collection thus far, including a number from Nazi confiscation. We also have included in the Judaica a number of objects that are part of the liturgical worship of Judaism. Those items will be part of a rotating exhibit, which will be presented at the end of the exhibition in a special gallery. We have a number of incunabula and post-incunabula, or books published in the West between Gutenberg’s 1454 Bible and 1520. This includes a major section of the Gutenberg Bible, which will be on display and contrasted by an example of printing in Asia that predates Gutenberg by 800 years. Many important developments in the Western world came from the East through Arab/Muslim hands. All of this represents a fascinating exchange.
The collection includes the only complete block book in private hands in the world. Other early writings include commentaries, which is another area that we collect. We have some very rare examples and are exploring a publication series of the commentaries with Oxford University Press. The books visitors will see in the exhibit contain woodcuts by the finest masters, including Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein, and others. Other books were adorned with engravings by artists such as Gustave Doré. They are fascinating as objects of art. Our printed materials come all the way up into the 19th century and even beyond. The collection also includes wax core recordings—the earliest kind of recordings of singers and famous preachers of the 19th century—and the kind of machines that they would play the recordings on. There are smaller sections in the collection, coins and things of that nature as well as jewelry and inscriptions. AA: Would you speak about the exhibition of manuscripts from The Green Collection planned for St. Peter’s Square? SC: This year, in 2011, is the 400th anniversary of the printing of the King James Bible, which is the most frequently printed bible in history and, of course, in English. It was very formative in developing the English language and our culture. When I visited the Cardinal at the Vatican who oversees the Vatican Library to discuss our collection and our burgeoning museum and desire to work with them, it came to mind that we had things they didn’t have. It is mind-boggling. The Vatican exhibition will center on the Catholic contribution to the production of the King James Bible. So often it is seen as a Protestant bible, but the Catholics had a major role in its development and translation. Many of the items in The Green Collection will help tell that story effectively, and many of those items will be seen in the exhibition in Oklahoma City. There will be a major book published by the Vatican along that topic. AA: Now that you have mentioned some of the objects that will be on view in Oklahoma City, would you summarize the exhibition, giving your thoughts for how and why this exhibition came about? SC: Well, for the Greens, it is a gift back to the City of Oklahoma City, in conjunction with your museum. Obviously we want to participate in the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, but we didn’t want to be locked into that alone. The exhibition will tell a person the story of the composition and transmission of the most popular, most published, most banned, most influential book in all of history. Regardless of what someone thinks of the Bible, it is not only a religious book but also something that should be of intellectual and cultural interest to anybody. As I said, the exhibition will display things that are one of a kind, things many will never have another opportunity to see in person, and visitors will likely never see again. Now, an aspect that will be very different is the hands-on integration of digital effects that will present what’s being seen in a tactile way. I am a great believer in the use of technology and think that there’s a need for a paradigm shift in that direction with museums. I think that it will increase the number of visitors and also enhance the learning experience. In the exhibition, every room is a recreation, as exact as can be possible, of a historical epic or period. The Jewish scrolls are placed into one of the earliest synagogues discovered in Syria, which had wall paintings. And we have recreated those wall paintings exactly. The visitor will walk into that setting for the scrolls, or they will walk into a medieval cloister when they are looking at medieval manuscripts. And then walk into a Gutenberg printing shop, with a workable Gutenberg printing press. Everything is contextualized that way. The exhibition includes nearly 300 permanent items (plus hundreds more rotating monthly), which is very large for a traveling exhibition.
There will be brief descriptions and video docent introductions in each of the rooms with in-depth audio descriptions for the cases. And if someone wants to learn more, there will be additional information about select items. Audio content will be in English and in Spanish and will also be provided for children. AA: For such an extensive collection, it must have been very difficult to choose the specific items on view for this exhibition? SC: Yes. We are not just putting out all of the greatest things in the collection. There are many items we would love to exhibit, but they’re just not appropriate to the story that’s being told. AA: Would you discuss the process of authentication of the manuscripts? SC: Before items are purchased, they typically come with provenance from private collections, and that has to be verified. It is a matter of knowing the language—to know the features of the text, the orthography, and the paleography, the study of the variations in handwriting over time. Many of them come with colophons or descriptors that the scribe has written. Truly, even printed material needs to be authenticated. And there are, with printed materials, resources that help catalogue these things. But, we will have numerous items that will be one of a kind, as in there’s no other copies of a particular edition in the world. Verification has to be very carefully done because there are people who try to deceive collectors. That is why the scholarship is so important. And we rely heavily on the network of internationally renowned scholars who work with us. We also have an academic component to the collection, a program called the Green Scholars Initiative. We have selected professors—most of them are from Oxford, but they’re also from Cambridge, universities in Israel, and a university in Vienna and in Munich. They oversee items that are placed at universities around the country. Those items are for professors, as well as scholars and mentors, to work with honor students in research and publication, under the auspices of the leading scholar, myself, and those working with me. There are presently over 30 universities involved in the initiative and over 100 students at those universities, with just a fraction having been launched. And all these initiatives will lead to multiple publications. The academic center for the program is at Baylor University, where I have an appointment as a professor of manuscript studies. The initiative opens doors for graduate school for the undergraduates who have the rare opportunity to work on unpublished items with world-renown scholars. It changes the paradigm of how scholarship is done. I have learned a major lesson from the Dead Sea Scrolls debacle, where things were hoarded by a university and their doctoral students. I see this as an opportunity to democratize learning and research for undergraduates as well as many marginalized institutions with capable professors and students. We are thrilled to partner with the Museum to showcase the collection to the wonderful people of Oklahoma City, the state, and surrounding region. Thank you!
Dr. Scott Carroll, a noted scholar of ancient and medieval manuscripts, is Director of The Green Collection. He is specialized in archaeology, ancient languages, ancient history, and religion. Carroll acquires items for the collection, directs scholarly research utilizing new and emerging technologies, and works with others to bring the collection to life by creating engaging exhibitions for the general public.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GREEN COLLECTION The capstone of The Green Collection is the Codex Climaci Rescriptus, one of the world’s earliest surviving bibles. Using a new technology developed by The Green Collection, in collaboration with the University of Oxford, scholars have uncovered the earliest surviving New Testament written in Palestinian Aramaic—the language used in Jesus’ household— found on recycled parchment under a layer in this rare manuscript. Other highlights of The Green Collection include (beginning with the oldest): •
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Codex Climaci Rescriptus, late 4th–9th century
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• Johann Gutenberg, Epistle to the Romans, 1455
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Block Book: The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs of Doomsday, ca. 1470
One of the largest collections of cuneiform tablets in the western hemisphere The second-largest private collection of Dead Sea Scrolls, all of which are unpublished and expected to substantially contribute to an understanding of the earliest surviving texts in the Bible The world’s largest private collection of Jewish scrolls, spanning more than 700 years of history, including Torahs that survived the Spanish Inquisition, ones confiscated by the Nazis and recovered in concentration camps, and others from across the globe, including China One of the world’s largest holdings of unpublished biblical and classical papyri, including surviving texts dating back to the time of the now-lost Library of Alexandria Rare, illuminated manuscripts and unknown biblical texts and commentaries The earliest-known, near-complete translation of the Psalms to (Middle) English, including the Canticles and commentary predating Wycliffe’s translation by some 40 years An undocumented copy of Wycliffe’s New Testament in (Middle) English A number of the earliest printed texts, including a large portion of the Gutenberg Bible and the world’s only complete Block Bible in private hands Early tracts and bibles of Martin Luther, including a little-known letter written the night before Luther’s excommunication An undocumented, large fragment of the Tyndale New Testament, apparently published while he awaited execution Numerous items illustrating the contribution of Jews and Catholics to the King James translation of the Bible and other historical effects
IN FOCUS @ OKCMOA James C. Meade Friends’ Lecture Series presents Robert Wittman
Robert Wittman signs a book for Meagan McGuire
James C. Meade, Robert Wittman, and Frank Merrick.
Bob gives a very animated lecture about the FBI art crimes division. Robert Wittman with Margo and Ray von Schlageter
Brian Hearn, OKCMOA film curator; Jessica Buzzard, brand manager Sundance Institute; John Cooper, director Sundance Film Festival.
Students attend Portfolio Day at the Museum.
Museum Store Manager Heather King with David Crosby and Leslie Spears, communications manager.
Dedication
Family Day @ the OKCMOA! OKCMOA families enjoyed a great day at the Museum! In addition to face painting, hands-on art, and story times with the Metropolitan Library, both Spaghetti Eddie & the Sugar Free Allstars performed in the theater!
Alison Amick, Martha Williams, Elby Beal, and Amalia Silverstein at the dedication of the Frothingham chest-onchest.
Outreach
Through the Museum’s new senior outreach program, Alzheimer’s patients living at Epworth Villa enjoyed therapeutic art-making activities.
Photos by Chris McCord
Important Piece of American Decorative Arts Enhances Collection By Jennifer Klos, associate curator THE OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART has acquired an important piece of eighteenth-century American furniture, a Chippendale Blocked and Figured Mahogany Chest-on-Chest (1780– 1800) attributed to Benjamin Frothingham. The chest-on-chest was donated by Martha Vose Williams in loving memory of her husband, Dr. G. Rainey Williams, her parents Mr. and Mrs. Alden Vose, and her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Richard Alden Vose, from whom the chest was inherited.
Photo: Joseph Mills
Benjamin Frothingham (American, 1734–1809) was a cabinetmaker in Charlestown, Massachusetts, whose career spanned fifty years. Frothingham was part of a large family that produced sixteen woodworkers over four generations in Boston and Charlestown, most known as carriage and coachmakers.1 The son of a Boston joiner of the same name, Frothingham presumably learned his skills in his father’s shop on Milk Street and set up a shop in Charlestown in 1756.2 At this time, Charlestown had the largest trade of any port in the Province except Boston. Joiners, chairmakers, and cabinetmakers produced items for export to the West Indies and Europe, in addition to selling items locally. Frothingham was not only a cabinetmaker, but also a respected military officer. The year 1775 proved to be a turning point in the colonies as well as in Frothingham’s career. He had already served in the French and Indian War in the late 1750s, and in 1775, he re-enlisted in Colonel Gridley’s Artillery as first Lieutenant and served in the military for the
following eight years, during the American War of Independence.3 His shop on Walker Street was one of twenty-nine cabinetmakers’ establishments that were destroyed when Charlestown was burned by the British on June 17, 1775.4 Frothingham resumed his career as a cabinetmaker after the war and continued working throughout the remainder of the century. Having impressed George Washington during the war, Frothingham was the only private citizen who received a visit from President Washington during a post-inaugural trip to Boston in October of 1789.5 Frothingham’s service in the War of Independence, along with his other prominent memberships and community activities, helped to create a pool of potential patrons for his case furniture. The peak of Frothingham’s shop was during the post-war period. His will cited “five benches and screws” that were all in use during this time.6 His product line included slant-top desks, desks with bookcases, sideboards, chest of drawers, dining and card tables, and some chairs. The population of Charlestown declined by nearly half as a result of the war and the closing of the port. This caused an increase in competition among Boston cabinetmakers. Frothingham experienced financial challenges towards the end of his life before he died in 1809.7 Stylistic details and motifs, the use of woods, method of construction, and provenance are important in identifying Frothingham’s furniture. He did not label or mark all of his pieces, leaving only twenty-two known labeled objects. The Museum’s chest-on-chest does not contain a label or signature and is therefore attributable to the cabinetmaker due to its resemblance to documented Frothingham objects. The chest-on-chest, consisting of two stacked chest of drawers, was a type of furnishing common in England and America during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Made of imported mahogany, the chest has a distinct Chippendale style, incorporating elements of Rococo and Gothic styles along with Georgian classical forms. This style was introduced to America from England during the Colonial Era and flourished during the 1770s. The upper case contains a bonnet top with fluted cornice molding and a broken-scrolled arch with two floral rosettes and three urn-andflame finials mounted on plinths. Fluted pilasters with Corinthian capitals appear on each side of the upper case drawers, referencing derivatives of Classical motifs. The central upper drawer appears prominently with a carved fan or shell of stylized acanthus leaves, a motif of the Rococo style. The four large drawers are graduated in size from small at the top to larger at the bottom. The lower case of the chest-on-chest features a blocked front, with areas of concave and convex projections, which is a stylistic distinction of Frothingham as well as a common feature of the Chippendale style in Massachusetts. The blocked-front form was the most costly of case design because of the time needed and the amount of wood used. Each drawer is fitted with two original bat-wing brass bail pulls, and a single matching keyhole escutcheon. A central drop pendant decorates the base of the chest and contains straight bracket feet. Mabel Munson Swan, “Major Benjamin Frothingham, cabinetmaker,” Antiques, November 1952, 392. 2 Richard H. Randall, Jr. “Benjamin Frothingham” in Boston Furniture of the Eighteenth Century ed. Walter Muir Whitehill, Brock Jobe, and Jonathan Fairbanks (Boston, 1974), p. 223). 3 Swan, 394. 4 Randall, 223. 5 Swan, 409. 6 Barbara Winter Glauber, “Benjamin Frothingham: Cabinet-Maker” (master’s thesis, Boston University, 1994), 16. 7 Ibid., 10. 1
CATERING | FINE DINING BRUNCH | MUSEUM CAFE TEA EXTENDED HOURS MAY 16–OCTOBER 16, 2011 SUNDAY 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. MONDAY 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. TUESDAY–SATURDAY 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. MUSEUM CAFE TEA 3 – 5 p.m. (Tues. – Fri.) For more information, call (405) 235-6262. Make reservations or view menus at okcmoa.com/eat
Special event approaching? CALL FOR CATERING! (405) 235-6262
Museum Cafe Wins 2011 OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award
The Museum Cafe has won the 2011 OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award for Best Brunch. Culled from more than seven million reviews submitted by OpenTable diners, the Museum Cafe bested more than 12,000 other restaurants in the U.S. to snag this award. Other winners include Norma’s at Le Parker Meridien in New York City and Ted’s Bulletin in Washington, D.C. “Brunch is a really big part of the Oklahoma City dining scene, so we’ve really put a lot of effort into creating a stand-out menu and mixing amazing early-day cocktails. We’re proud of the OpenTable honor,” says Manager Ahmad Farnia. Thanks to all our diners who have helped us make the Museum Cafe one of the best restaurants for brunch in the U.S. and in Oklahoma City! Be sure to book your tables in advance now that the word is out. Call (405) 235-6262 or visit okcmoa.com/eat
! RETURNS MAY 5
MAY 5–Born In November | 12–Bruce Benson 19–Brendan Parker and Todd Parsons 26–Born In November JUNE 2–Maurice Johnson Quartet | 9–Born In November | 16–Bruce Benson 23–Born In November | 30–Phil Brown and Body Language
FROM THE CURATOR: New Acquisitions THE OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART’S growing collection of works on paper includes important pieces by well-known artists. Examples include prints by Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Murray, drawings by Richard Tuttle, and photographs by Brett Weston. The recent additions of 20 prints, a drawing, and a photograph further enhance this portion of the collection. Two paintings by Frederick W. Becker are further additions to the collection. Donated by Joe A. Diaz, Luis Jiménez’s Artist with Model (1982– 2007) captures the artist working in his studio. In the lithograph, Jiménez adjusts the hair of a model standing in front of a Luis Jiménez (American, 1940-2006). Artist with Model, 2007. paper backdrop. The Lithograph, 37 1/2 x 27 in. (95.3 x 68.6 cm). Oklahoma City Museum’s collection Museum of Art. Gift of Joe A. Diaz, 2011.002 includes a number of prints by Jiménez, a renowned sculptor and printmaker whose identity as a Mexican-American played a prominent role in his work. Born in El Paso, Texas, Jiménez portrayed a number of themes in his work, from border crossings and scenes of the American southwest, to subjects influenced by urban street life and culture. He also created a number of expressively rendered portraits, such as this self portrait. William Mortensen’s photograph Human Relations (1932) was donated by Joe C. Aker in honor of members of the Oklahoma Camera Club, 1960–1972. Mortensen (American, 1867–1965) was born in Utah and moved to California in 1921. Though he took a number of photographs of Hollywood stars and worked for the film industry, his soft-focus style and choice of subject matter put him at odds with a developing interest in “straight” photography. Human Relations was Charles Wells (American, b. 1935). Ludwig van published by Mortensen Beethoven, n.d. Etching, 20 x 18 in. ( 50.8 x 45.7 cm). Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Gift of the Carolyn Hill in Monsters & Madonnas: Trust, 2011.007 A Book of Methods (San Francisco: Camera Craft Publishing Company, 1936). The inspiration for the print came from Mortensen’s frustration in dealing with the telephone company in a dispute over long distance charges. The staged photograph of a man having his eyes poked out required two models and considerable make-up.
Twenty-two works—a drawing by Dale Chihuly, 19 etchings by Charles Wells, and two paintings by Frederick W. Becker—were donated by the Carolyn Hill Trust. Carolyn Hill (1938–2010), former executive director of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, worked with renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1941) for the installation of the Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower in the Museum’s lobby and the opening exhibition in the Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center, Dale Chihuly: The Inaugural Exhibition. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Chihuly studied interior design and sculpture and has received numerous accolades for his work in glass. He cofounded the Pilchuck School in Stanwood, Washington, in 1971 and maintains a studio, called the Boathouse, in Seattle. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art has one of the most comprehensive collections of Chihuly’s work, including examples from some of his most popular series. Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1941). Untitled drawing depicting the The drawing Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower, ca. 2001. Watercolor and (ca. 2001) was acrylic on paper, 44 x 33 in. (111.8 x 83.8 cm). Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Gift of the Carolyn Hill Trust, 2011.003 inscribed by Dale Chihuly “For Carolyn, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Love, Chihuly” and depicts the Museum’s Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower. The series of nineteen etchings by Charles Wells (American, b. 1935) predominantly features composers, such as Richard Wagner, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Ludwig van Beethoven, in addition to notable political, artistic, and literary figures. Born in New York City, he was greatly influenced by Leonard Baskin, a noted printmaker and sculptor, whom he apprenticed with in the early 1960s. Wells’ work is included in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., the Library of Congress, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Carolyn Hill spent more than 30 years in New York City, where she taught music and was a music director and conductor for the Livingston Symphony Orchestra, among other professional pursuits. These etchings from the Carolyn Hill Trust reflect her interest in music and the visual arts. The two paintings from the Carolyn Hill Trust—Big Tujunga Canyon, California (n.d.) and Untitled (n.d.)—add to the Museum’s collection of paintings by Frederick W. Becker (American, 1888–1974). Though born in South Dakota, Becker spent a portion of his career in Oklahoma City. He was affiliated with numerous art societies, including the Society of Texas Artists, the Southern States Art League, and the Oklahoma Art League, and in 1931–32, he was head of the Fine Art Department at Oklahoma City University. These two paintings are typical of the southern California landscapes and seascapes that Becker began to create in the 1920s.
PHOTO
SLAM 2011 OKCMOA AND OVAC PRESENT PHOTO SLAM 2011 THE OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART and
The Secrets of Tomb 10A Egypt 2000 BC
Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 6:30 p.m. Join the Friends of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art for Denise Doxey’s “The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC.” Part of the James C. Meade Friends’ Lecture Series, her presentation will focus on the site of Tomb 10A at Deir el-Bersha and will include the latest news from the ongoing excavations there. Additionally, she will report on the installation of a new gallery at the MFA, Boston, featuring material from Tomb 10A. Doxey is Curator of Ancient Egyptian, Nubian, and Near Eastern art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Before joining the staff of the MFA, she was Keeper of the Egyptian Section at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. She completed her B.A. at the State University of New York at Albany, her M.Phil at Oxford University and her Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author or coauthor of three books and numerous articles on various aspects of Egyptian art, archaeology, and civilization. She has excavated in Greece and Egypt and has taught Egyptology courses at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University. She was the cocurator of The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC and curator of recently opened galleries devoted to funerary arts of the Predynastic Period through Middle Kingdom.
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition have teamed up once again to present Photo Slam, a fun, casual venue for Oklahoma photographers to share what they do. This year’s event will take place on Thursday, May 19, at 7 p.m. in the Noble Theater. The event features twelve selected Oklahoma photographers, who will have five minutes each to speak about their work along with slides, samples, digital images, or other tools. Participating artists are Narciso Argüelles, Holly Baumann, Andrew Bingham, J.T. Burg, Tommy Evans, Jennifer Cocoma Hustis, Matt Jarvis, Mandy Love, Ann C. Sherman, Carl Shortt, Evan Taylor, and Sherwin R. Tibayan. The curator for Photo Slam is Keith Ball. Ball has been a commercial photographer in the Oklahoma City area for more than thirty years, working on local, regional, and national assignments. Ball photographs for a variety of advertising, corporate, and industrial clients, both on location and in his studio in northwest Oklahoma City. Though recently semi-retired from working in the advertising/commercial arena, Ball still loves to produce fine art photography and has shown his work at the State Capitol Building, the Centre for Design Arts, and Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery in downtown Oklahoma City. Photo Slam is presented in conjunction with Amy Blakemore: Photographs 1988-2008, on display at the Museum May 5–July 10, 2011. Tickets to the event are included in the price of Museum admission at the special $5 after 5 p.m. rate. For more information, visit okcmoa.com or call (405) 236-3100.
Holly Baumann, Doors, New Orleans, 2010
J.T. Burg, Grand Entrance
Carl Shortt, Three Friends
Mandy Love, Mr. Vomit
Friends’ lectures are free to Museum members at the Friend, Friends, and Sustainer membership levels. Seating is limited to 250, and reservations are required. Prices are $5 for general membership levels and $10 for nonmembers per ticket. For more information, contact Jim Eastep at 236-3100, ext. 215, or visit tickets.okcmoa.com.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH HEALING THROUGH ART
Residents at Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City use chalk pastel to create artwork.
MUSEUM EXPANDS SENIOR OUTREACH The Museum has started a program designed to affect those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease through art. This endeavor follows a growing effort to use art as a therapeutic tool to help those with memory loss. Studies show that art can help individuals express their feelings when they can no longer do so with words, which can calm them when they are agitated or restless and engages their brain. In February, Sheila Hallett, who works in community outreach as an AmeriCorps Member, began researching Alzheimer’s disease and brainstorming about how to start a new program in Oklahoma City. She visited memory loss centers at Epworth Villa and Cypress Springs, and both residencies were excited about the idea and eager to start as soon as possible. The Museum scheduled dates to bring an experienced teaching artist into Cypress Springs and Epworth Villa to create art with the residents. The first class was March 11, 2011, at Cypress Springs, where teaching artist Carri Dolan and Sheila Hallett guided them in a chalk pastel activity. Sixteen participated and most stayed the entire hour. Hallett was extremely pleased with the outcome for the first visit and commented, “I think everyone was excited by how well it went. I had several residents tell me how much fun they had and asked when we were coming back. They were very proud of their art.” The Museum will visit each center once per month. ”I would love to see this program expand and hope that it will inspire other Alzheimer’s centers to look into using art as a healing tool for their residents,” said Hallett.
OKCMOA in THE ZONE The Oklahoma City Museum of Art has established a new partnership with The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center. The collaboration brings art activities to The Zone, a 6,000-square-foot facility used as a recreation room for children and their families who are staying in the hospital for prolonged treatment. The Zone serves an average of 1,400 people per month. The space includes a theater with a stage and
Teaching artist Carri Dolan assists a child and parent in making art in The Zone at OU Children’s Hospital.
costumes, an arts and crafts area, library, computers, gaming systems, and air hockey. Since January, the Museum has brought a teaching artist into The Zone monthly to guide children and teens in art activities that will educate them and serve as a therapeutic outlet for their stress and anxiety associated with prolonged illness. It allows them the opportunity to meet and relate to the other children staying in the hospital and gives them something to look forward to. The Museum was recently granted funding for this program from Allied Arts, which will allow this partnership to expand.
HEARTS FOR HEARING SUMMER CAMP 2011 A HERO’S JOURNEY This summer, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will partner with Hearts for Hearing, an Oklahoma City-based 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization that provides comprehensive hearing health care for all ages, to present a camp for children who are deaf or hard-ofhearing learning to listen and talk. The camp, A Hero’s Journey, will serve children ages five years to early teens from all over the state as well as neighboring states to discover heroes in their everyday and extraordinary, imaginative lives, as they also search to find the hero within. They will explore the great heroes of art and music, complemented by performances, hands-on art-making projects, and interaction with real-life heroes within their own community. “This day camp provides children with hearing loss the opportunity to interact with peers and to participate in various activities within the community. It also provides an opportunity for citizens and community heroes to experience first-hand that children who are deaf can learn to listen and use spoken language,” comments Lindsay M. Hanna, a Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist and Speech-Language Pathologist at Hearts for Hearing.
YOUTH ARTS ADVOCATES–NEW MUSEUM PROGRAM THE OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART introduced its first teen program this spring. Youth Arts Advocates, a name chosen by participants, is a diverse group of eleven high school juniors and seniors selected by an application and interview process in February. The program is led by Sheila Hallett, the Museum’s AmeriCorps Member in community outreach. Hallett began promoting this opportunity in December 2010 by visiting high schools, distributing posters, and e-mailing art teachers at public, private, charter, and home schools. Current participants had the unique opportunity to plan and promote their own film screening of American Teen, a documentary that follows the lives of five teenagers, on Saturday, May 14, 2 p.m. Through
monthly meetings, they also have been educated about careers within the arts and are working to organize an event for teens. One student was selected to be the Museum’s first teen docent and will train with Bryon Chambers, assistant curator of education, to fulfill that role. “This program has been very successful for the Museum,” said Hallett. “I am very proud of our group. They are insightful, motivated, and their passion for art is obvious. ” For the 2011-12 school year, applications are currently being accepted through July 22, 2011. To apply, visit okcmoa.com/learn/ programs/youth-arts-advocates.
Jessica B. (Putnam City North–12th grade) loves
Lauren J. (Jones–12th grade) is passionate about
photography and spends most of her time reading
art therapy and is assisting in the Museum’s new
about it, working as photo editor at school, and
outreach program with OU Children’s Hospital.
blogging on photo sites. Lauren J.
Jessica B.
Hayley O. (Edmond Memorial–12th grade) has a love Kate F. (Edmond North–11th grade) says that
for art history and wants to learn about Museum
photography is her favorite form of art because
careers. She plans to study at OU.
of how it saves a feeling. She will attend Quartz Mountain this summer. Hayley O.
Kate F.
media and wants to attend OU for a Bachelor in
Alison G. (Tuttle–11th grade) fell in love with art after
Museum Studies.
her first drawing class and is interested in becoming a child life specialist.
(NOT PICTURED) Lauren S.
Alison G.
Lauren S. (Edmond North–11th grade) loves mixed
Jacquelynn S. (Jones–12th grade) loves to paint and wants to eventually teach art.
Mary Ann G. (McGuinness–11th grade) loves
David W. (Norman North–11th grade) wants to
photography and annually attends Quartz
change lives and open minds through art. His art is
Mountain. She also volunteers at the Museum and
Influenced by Keith Haring, Roy Lichenstein, graffiti,
took classes here as a child.
and cartoon. David W.
Mary Ann G.
Julia W. (Putnam City North–12th grade) loves Bo H. (Harding Charter Prep–11th grade) is the
film history and has been accepted into the Film
Museum’s first teen docent. He wants to attend
Department at OCU. She believes the Museum
Kansas City Art Institute for a Bachelor in Fine Arts.
should present exhibits geared towards teens and have more contests or events for teens.
Bo H.
Campers will travel to various downtown Oklahoma City venues where they will learn about visual arts, performing arts, music appreciation, literacy, fitness, and community awareness. Drawing from the world-class collections of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, as well as the 1934: A New Deal for Artists exhibition from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this unique camp offers the chance for youth to engage with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Oklahoma City National Memorial, and the OKC Thunder and to experience the rich cityscape of downtown Oklahoma City. One of the primary goals of Hearts for Hearing summer camp is to increase community awareness of children who are deaf learning to listen and talk. According to Chandra Boyd, senior associate curator of education at the OKCMOA, “this is a wonderful opportunity to change many people’s perceptions about hearing-impaired children. These kids are listening and talking just like any other child their age. Being a part of this camp has been a very rewarding experience, and I think it will be a unique educational experience for visitors to the Museum as well as the children who participate.”
Julia W.
Children participate in the 2010 Hearts for Hearing summer camp.
art raffle
The Omelette Party Art Raffle is fun and serves as a center of activity during the party. More than 55 artists donated their works, which helped raise the most money ever in the history of the benefit. Thank you artists!
Margot von Schlageter with next year’s co-chairs Mike & Lea Morgan
Thanks to Oklahoma Photobooth for these fun photos!
chefs
The Omelette Party couldn’t be the Omelette Party without our more than 15 area chefs and restaurants. Thousands of eggs have been cracked for omelettes in the party’s 27 year history! Thank you!
fun people Jessica Ockershauser, party chair Adrienne Nobles, and Rachel Shortt
Ron Page with party co-chair Allen Brown
EGGS a la MOD The attire was “Mad Men chic.” As a result, the attendees to Eggs a la Mod looked elegant, fun, and very MOD!
27TH ANNUAL OMELETTE PARTY FEBRUARY 5, 2011 COCA-COLA BRICKTOWN EVENTS CENTER
dancing
A fun band and great dancing is essential to the Omelette Party. The Stars helped us achieve this goal. People danced until the benefit ended at midnight. That’s always a good sign!
SAVE THE DATE! The 36th Annual Renaissance Ball will be held on Friday, September 9, 2011, at the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. The Museum is excited to announce Bette Jo & Frank Hill as this year’s Renaissance Ball chairs. H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt and the late Jeannine Rainbolt will be honored at the ball. The Rainbolts have been active friends and supporters of the Museum’s film program and the Renaissance Ball for many years. If you are interested in sponsoring this year’s ball, please contact Whitney Cross, (405) 278-8207 or wcross@okcmoa.com, for more information.
Benefits for OKCMOA Members ONLY Museum members will enjoy special benefits during Passages, the 14,000-square-foot, interactive, multimedia exhibition featuring some of the most exquisite and rare biblical manuscripts, printed bibles, and historical items in the world. These benefits include: •
•
• • •
A “members only” preview on Sunday, May 15, 6-8 p.m. (Cost for the preview is $15 per member and requires advanced reservations.) Special “members only” pricing to Passages (General admission to the Museum, excluding Passages, will continue to be free for members.) 10% discount in the Museum Store, which includes Passages merchandise. Expedited ticket line and priority admission to Passages. Untimed member tickets good for use all day (subject to capacity).
To schedule a group tour, contact Matt Thomas, (405) 2788286 or tours@okcmoa.com. For additional information, please visit okcmoa.com or call the membership office at (405) 236-3100, ext. 215. For more information on the exhibition, visit ExplorePassages.org.
Admissions for Passages Members $15 Adults $25 Seniors (62+) $20 College Students (w/ID) $20 Military (w/ID) $10 Children (6-18) $15 Children (5 and under) FREE Adult Tours (15 or more) $18 Senior Tours (15 or more) $16.50 School Tours ( 15 or more) $10 Multi-Day Adult $35 Multi-Day Child $22 Multi-Day Senior $30
The ART of GIVING ENDOWMENT GIFTS The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is blessed with a large base of donors and members—a merit badge earned by a disciplined and tenacious adherence to fiduciary responsibility. The main indication of donor trust and respect is the Museum’s growing endowments. With 15 permanently restricted endowments, the Museum is better positioned to ensure essential support for strategic priorities, including collections, education, exhibitions, film, public programs, building maintenance, and general operations. One new funding opportunity is that of named endowments for key professional staff positions, including Curator of Collections, Curator of Film, and Curator of Education. The benefits of endowments to OKCMOA are indeed many. They ensure continuity in programming during periods of financial uncertainty and can provide shelter from shifting priorities of corporate and foundation funders. In addition, they also provide the necessary resources to allow the Museum to confidently plan for the future. For you, the donor, the benefits of endowment giving are equally compelling—an opportunity to provide a permanent legacy benefiting the Museum far into the future. Additionally, endowment gifts provide the donor with a certain brand of “immortality,” knowing that their gift will touch the lives of future generations.
PLANNED GIFTS Making a commitment to the Museum through a planned gift can be an alternative way to establish an endowment. A properly planned gift to the Museum may result in significant savings of income and estate taxes and have considerable benefits for you. This type of giving provides financial resources for the future. Your planned gift may take one or more forms: a bequest in your will, life insurance policy, charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, charitable lead trust, or retirement plan beneficiary designations to mention a few. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the art of planned giving and the importance of securing funds that will have a significant impact on our future and our mission of enriching lives through the visual arts. Please contact the Museum’s development office if you have questions or would like additional information regarding endowment and planned giving opportunities. Sandy Cotton, Development Director, (405) 278-8227 Jim Eastep, Senior Development Officer, (405) 278-8215
New FACES @ OKCMOA ERIKA KATAYAMA A southern California native, Erika Katayama comes to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While there, Ms. Katayama worked at the Louisiana State Museum as the founding Education Curator, then the LSU Museum of Art in the Curatorial and Collections Management departments. She received her undergraduate degree in art history and education from the University of California at Santa Cruz and her graduate degree in art history from Louisiana State University. Ms. Katayama has also worked for the Museum of Art & History at the McPherson Center in Santa Cruz, CA, and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian’s Museums of Asian Art.
SANDY COTTON Sandy Cotton has over 18 years of management and development experience. She has planned, developed, and comanaged comprehensive campaigns for Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, and the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences at Oklahoma State University and was instrumental in raising over $200M for these entities. In 2004, she received the “Mike McDonald” Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Cotton is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and has delivered more than 50 presentations to various professional, civic, and community organizations regarding fundraising, event planning, and development services. She and her husband, Art, have four children: Jennifer, Joshua, Harrison, and Caroline.
OKCMOA FACILITY RENTALS
Host your next business meeting, educational program, wedding reception, seated dinner, and more surrounded by the beauty and sophistication found in the galleries and spaces at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The success of your next event is just a call or click away.
GREAT SPACES | GREAT ART
Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center 415 Couch Drive | Oklahoma City, OK 73102
PHONE NUMBERS Main: (405) 236-3100 Cafe: (405) 235-6262 Store: (405) 236-3100, ext. 233 Membership: (405) 236-3100, ext. 215 or 200 Adult Tours: (405) 236-3100, ext. 286 School Tours: (405) 236-3100, ext. 213 Facility Rentals: (405) 236-3100, ext. 286 Fax: (405) 236-3122 Toll free: (800) 579-9ART
MUSEUM HOURS EXTENDED HOURS MAY 16–OCTOBER 16, 2011 Monday−Sunday: 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
GENERAL ADMISSION* Members: Free | Adults: $12 Seniors (62+): $10 | College Students (with ID): $10 Military (with ID): $5 | Children (ages 6−18): $10 Children (ages five and under): Free Tours (15 or more): $7 per person Senior Tours (15 or more): $6.50 per person School Tours (15 or more): $3 per person *Special admission pricing for Passages exhibition listed on page 22.
FILM ADMISSION Members: $5 Adults: $8 Seniors (62+): $6 College Students (with ID): $6
MUSEUM CAFE EXTENDED HOURS MAY 16–OCTOBER 16, 2011 Sunday: 10:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday: 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Museum Cafe Tea: 3–5 p.m. (Tues. – Fri.) (405) 235-6262 (Reservations & Catering)
WEB SITE okcmoa.com
NETWORK Twitter.com/okcmoa | Find us on Facebook
SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR
For availability, contact Matt Thomas at (405) 236-3100, ext. 286, or e-mail events@okcmoa.com Visit online okcmoa.com
OKCMOA offers docent-guided and self-guided tours to pre-scheduled adult and school groups of 15 or more. Call (405) 236-3100, ext. 286 (adults tours) or ext. 213 (school tours) for details.
nonprofit org. U.S. Postage PAID Okla. City, OK Permit No. 647
415 Couch Drive |Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (405) 236-3100 | okcmoa.com Address Service Requested
JOIN OUR MEMBERS & ENJOY THE BENEFITS! Museum members receive discounts to Museum School, free general admission year-round, discounts on film tickets and Museum Store merchandise & more! Call today! (405) 236-3100, ext. 2155
Franco Mondini-Ruiz
Faded Elegance PHOTOGRAPHS OF HAVANA
Poodles and Pastries and Other Important Matters
2010-2011 SEASON SPONSORS PRESENTING SEASON SPONSOR
Inasmuch Foundation LEADING SEASON SPONSORS
Allied Arts Foundation Chesapeake Energy Corporation Devon Energy Corporation OGE Corporation Oklahoma Arts Council
BY MICHAEL EASTMAN
September 8–December 31, 2011
SUPPORTING SEASON SPONSORS
Crawley Petroleum E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation Kirkpatrick Foundation MidFirst Bank SandRidge Energy, Inc. CONTRIBUTING SEASON SPONSORS
NEW FRONTIERS Series for Contemporary Art September 8 — December 31, 2011
AMY BLAKEMORE: PHOTOGRAPHS 1988–2008 May 5 through June 19, 2011
Cox Oklahoma | GlobalHealth The Oklahoman Thatcher Hoffman Smith Film Endowment EDUCATION SPONSORS
Sarkeys Foundation and Sonic, America’s Drive-In Arts Education Endowments Oklahoma Community Service Commission 1934: A New Deal for Artists EXHIBITION SPONSOR
James C. and Virginia W. Meade