july/august 2011
university of michigan museum of art
insight
4 exhibitions 6 features 8 program highlights 12 umma briefs 13 staff spotlight 15 museum store
cover Fang Limin, Climbing, 2008, multi-block woodcut printed with water-soluble inks, Collection of the artist opposite Liu Qingyuan, Darling of the Times No. 4, 2009, woodcut printed with oil-based ink, Collection of the artist
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Another change in the works—new summer hours! From July 1 through September 5, the Museum will remain open two hours later on weeknights, providing visitors with the opportunity to stop in after work and before dinner or a performance during this wonderful season of increased daylight. Please refer to the back cover of this issue for all the details. The big exhibition news this summer is Multiple Impressions: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints, which opens July 16 and runs through October 23. Organized by UMMA in collaboration with guest curator Xiaobing Tang, the Helmut F. Stern Professor of Modern Chinese Studies and Professor of Comparative Literature at UM, this ambitious exhibition is the most comprehensive exploration of recent Chinese prints in the US since 2000. Don’t miss the excellent scholarly catalogue published by UMMA that accompanies the show. Coming up this fall are two exhibitions I’m particularly looking forward to—Mark di Suvero: Tabletops and Face of Our Time: Jacob Aue Sobol, Jim Goldberg, Zanele Muholi, Daniel Schwartz, Richard Misrach. The former, an UMMA exclusive, is a concentrated look at di Suvero’s small-scale work; the latter, curated by one of my former colleagues at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, examines the documentary style of these five provocative contemporary photographers. Last but not least, UMMA launches its New Media Gallery this fall with a new acquisition by noted Los Angeles artist (and UM alum) Mike Kelley. More on that in the inaugural UMMA Magazine. Stay tuned and happy summer! Warmest regards,
Joseph Rosa Director
from the director
A
s I mark my one-year anniversary at UMMA, I am pleased to announce that beginning this fall you will notice significant changes to the format, frequency, and design of this publication. Insight as we know it will be replaced by the new UMMA Magazine, which will be published three times a year—fall, winter, and spring/summer—to better align with the academic calendar and to better reflect the changing nature of our visitorship over the course of the calendar year. The popular calendar insert, which was unveiled in Insight last fall, will continue to be published every other month as the UMMA Calendar and will be mailed separately. In this way, we will be able to balance our information architecture in a macro and micro fashion, bringing you a comprehensive account of all the exciting exhibitions, programs, and events taking place at the Museum, in addition to offering more opportunities to feature the artists and scholars who help us to create such a dynamic convergence for arts and culture. It goes without saying that I hope you will be pleased with the new design and publication schedule, and of course I look forward to your comments and feedback as we move forward.
Family Art Workshops Create photographic sun prints and Alexander Calder-inspired mobiles in these fun family art workshops offered by the Ann Arbor Art Center.
July 20
Los Gatos
If you haven’t experienced the rigorous and crowd-pleasing Afro-Cuban rhythms of this local band, this special outdoor Art Fair concert is your chance!
July 30 and August 13
In Conversation with Tiffany Immerse yourself in all things Tiffany during this tour of UMMA’s exquisite Tiffany collection followed by a discussion of the new book Clara and Mr. Tiffany.
July 31
Multiple Impressions Curator’s Talk Guest curator Xiaobing Tang will present an in-depth and behind-the-scenes take on the astonishing contemporary Chinese woodblock prints assembled in this historic exhibition.
what not to miss
July 16 and 30
Multiple Impressions: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints july 16–october 23, 2011 A. Alfred Taubman Galleries
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The first large-scale retrospective in the United States of the incredibly diverse and complex map of Chinese prints in the twenty-first century, this exhibition features 114 woodblock prints created by forty-one prominent Chinese artists who are in different stages of their careers. From works with strong affinities to East Asian pictorial traditions and those with a realist tradition once dominant in modern Chinese art to those with a strong tie to Western modernist idioms, these compelling images represent how the method of woodblock printmaking has been expanded over the past ten years.
Cultural Revolution in 1966, when many traditional art forms were suppressed, printmaking remained a major art form.
In China, woodblock printing is a native art form associated with religious scripture, book illustration, instructional art manuals, and folk rituals and festivities. The medium underwent a great transformation in the first half of the twentieth century, when, using modernist visual languages, it stood at the forefront of conveying social and political messages. The subsequent turmoil of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Communist Party’s rise made the portability and expediency of printmaking even more advantageous. Even after the Communists took power in 1949 and after the
circulated since the late seventeenth century. In this work, titled Mustard Seed Garden Landscape Scroll (2009–10), Xu Bing painstakingly recreated continuous landscapes cut from pages of this revered manual historically embedded in the Chinese literati painting tradition.
Multiple Impressions refers to both the complex process of making a print and the vibrant and diverse visions and vocabularies reflected in contemporary Chinese prints. The exhibition is divided into three sections. The monumental scroll by internationally acclaimed artist Xu Bing (born 1955) in the “Landscapes Old and New” section is based on The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, a painting manual
The section “Fellow Beings” presents the multitude of ways that artists respond, both collectively and personally, to the rapidly changing social environment. The serial portraits of contemporary Chinese by Liu Qingyuan (born 1972), a young and energetic printmaker who lives and works in the bustling
umma projects through september 18, 2011
Irving Stenn, Jr, Family Project Gallery city of Guangzhou, are sympathetic representations of his city-dwelling neighbors. The artist draws not only from the subject matter of the earlier modern woodcut movement, but also follows his predecessors’ bold, simple visual idiom. The third section, “Layered Abstractions,” highlights works that explicitly rely on the processes and effects of printmaking as a means to explore private reflections, historical musings, or philosophical ideas. Monumental works by Chen Qi (born 1963), for example, demonstrate the great experimental potential of printmaking, as well as the artist’s expansive vision towards a transcendent view of human existence in time and space. Curated by Dr. Xiaobing Tang, the Helmut F. Stern Professor of Modern Chinese Studies and Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan, Multiple Impressions is a reflection of the ongoing, multi-dimensional, exciting experiment happening in Chinese society, where artists self-consciously draw on a great variety of resources to create new artistic forms and cultural identities. Multiple Impressions was organized by the University of Michigan Museum of Art with the cooperation and support of the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China. It is made possible in part by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, and the University of Michigan Center for Chinese Studies, Confucius Institute, Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and the CEW Frances and Sydney Lewis Visiting Leaders Fund. Additionally, UMMA gratefully acknowledges the University of Michigan Office of the President and Office of the Provost for their ongoing support.
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Li Yanpeng, Bright Autumn, 2009, reduction woodcut printed with oil-based inks, Collection of the artist
Huang Qiming, Fish in Autumn Moonlight No. 2, 2000, multi-block woodcut printed with water-soluble inks, Collection of the artist
This exhibition is made possible in part by the University of Michigan Office of the Provost and CEW Frances and Sydney Lewis Visiting Leaders Fund.
Amalia Pica, Escapees, 2008, 35mm slide sequence (80 slides), dimensions variable, Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Diana Stigter, Amsterdam
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opposite, left
Investigations into perception, time, and memory, as well as a desire to explore how particular gestures read in different cultural contexts are pursued by London-based Argentinian artist Amalia Pica across a diverse body of work in sculpture, photography, film, and installation, as well as temporary interventions on buildings, monuments, and objects. With wit and a sense of play, Pica (born 1978) highlights moments of connection and disjunction, quietly undermining cultural myths and clichés and poetically exploiting the resulting gap between reality and its representation. The promise— as well as the uncertainty—of communication is a persistent concern in Pica’s oeuvre. Megaphones, antennae, podiums, and signal flags are recurring motifs, though rarely are these devices shown in a moment of use. Depicted at rest or disconnected from their functionality, they become figures for potential communication, carriers of a message that remains hypothetical. Other works subtly question the ongoing political and intellectual repercussions of European imperialism in South America, and in particular the willful distortion of history and the active suppression of civic participation, a powerful legacy of colonialism and military control, even in the post-colonial present. Pica’s work has appeared in numerous solo and group exhibitions. She is the winner of the 2011 Illy Prize at Art Rotterdam, and her work will be included in the upcoming 54th Venice Biennale, ILLUMInations. This is Pica’s first exhibition in a North American museum.
exhibitions
Amalia Pica
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The Ark at UMMA Student Songwriter Series During fall and winter semesters, The Ark at UMMA Student Songwriters Series offers students the opportunity to perform original songs at the Museum and compete for a final prize—the chance to open for a show at The Ark, one of the country’s premier acoustic music venues. The series, which is open to students from UM, Eastern Michigan University, Concordia University, and Washtenaw Community College, attracts both experienced songwriters and those who are stepping out for the very first time. Beyond simply offering a stage, the series is an invaluable introduction to the music industry. In the spring of 2009, The Ark’s Club Manager, Emily Ross, collaborated with UMMA Education staff to develop the series. “We wanted to find a way to connect with another organization that was supporting the arts and where we could connect with students on their turf,” said Ross. “For some students, Main Street seems like miles away.” Each semester, the series is divided into three showcases and a finale. Students submit their demos to Ross who then selects four performers for each showcase. All of the performers return to present a brief set at the finale where Ross announces the winner. “Submitting a demo is a big step,” said Ross. “It’s about putting your best foot forward, knowing which songs to pick to best represent you, and how to record them.” “The series challenges students to develop their performer identities and to test their stage presence,” Ross added. “They learn about how to keep an audience entertained.” Students also learn how to reach out to fans by developing a web presence on Facebook and other social media sites and how to expand their identities beyond simple recognition as a student.
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The impressive talent among student performers has urged Ross on more than one occasion to invite songwriters who did not win the series to fill in for opening acts at The Ark. Her growing roster of local performers is one of the unanticipated and exciting benefits of the series. Exciting as well is that students are reaching out to one another. Performers post on each other’s Facebook pages and collaborate to make new music. The series is acting as an opportunity for students to network with other local musicians.
“It inspires and invigorates me to know that students are excited about the series and about pursuing something that is not a run-of-the-mill course in life,” said Ross. This fall, Ross hopes to expand the series to include a workshop that would bring in local agents, recording artists, and venue managers to meet with student songwriters. The workshops would act as an introduction to the lively music community in Ann Arbor and to the many local resources that are available to performers. Hannah Winkler (UM, 2011) took the top prize this March. You can look for her performance at The Ark this fall. To follow the series, which will begin again this September, check the UMMA Calendar or umma.umich.edu. Mary DeYoe Education Program Coordinator, Public Programs and Student Engagement
Jeff Koelzer and Haley Goldberg perform at the The Ark at UMMA finale in March.
Carole McNamara Senior Curator of Western Art
James McNeill Whistler, The Sisters, 1894–95, transfer lithograph, with scraping on antique laid paper, Museum purchase in honor of Nesta R. Spink, made possible by the Oakriver Foundation, 2011/1.75
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Occasionally an exhibition or project at the Museum of Art inspires a member of UMMA’s extended community to respond with an important addition to the Museum’s collections. This is the case with the exhibition last fall devoted to UMMA’s important collection of prints by the American artist James McNeill Whistler. Numerous visitors commented on the richness of UMMA’s holdings on view in On Beauty and the Everyday: The Prints of James McNeill Whistler. One such response came from an anonymous UM alumnus who approached the Museum with the idea of acquiring a Whistler print in honor of former UMMA curator and noted international Whistler authority, Nesta Spink. Working with the donor, we located one of Whistler’s late lithographs, The Sisters, depicting his wife Beatrix and her sister Ethel, a very private image that was printed by Thomas R. Way in an edition of 50. This delicate work is an impression signed by the artist in pencil and printed shortly thereafter on the antique laid paper that Whistler so prized. In February 2011 the donor traveled to Ann Arbor to be on hand when The Sisters was unveiled to Ms. Spink. The Museum had long wished to acknowledge her contributions to UMMA and we are pleased that the donor shared our desire to honor Ms. Spink with the addition of a fine Whistler print.
features
In Focus: New Whistler Acquisition
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Find yourself inside UMMA and the new Maxine and Stuart Frankel and the Frankel Family Wing. exhibitions related programs
Multiple Impressions Curator’s Talk
Sunday, July 31, 3 pm A. ALFRED TAUBMAN GALLERIES
Join guest curator Xiaobing Tang in the informal setting of the gallery as he offers a first look at UMMA’s new exhibition, Multiple Impressions: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints. Trained as a literary scholar in China and the US, Tang developed this project directly from his experiences as Mellon fellow in 2008, when he immersed himself in the art history and practical skills of making woodblock prints at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. During the next few years, he traveled extensively to artist studios to assemble the works for this exhibition—the largest and most diverse exhibition of contemporary prints to be seen in the US since 2000. Learn about the diversity of the contemporary art world in China and the fascinating techniques used to make these works.
Ann Arbor Art Center Artmaking Workshop
Japanese and Chinese Aesthetics and Woodblock Printing Friday, August 26, 11 am–1 pm MULTIPURPOSE ROOM $27 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND UM STUDENTS/$35 NON-MEMBERS; LAB FEE $13; MATERIALS INCLUDED; ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED AT ANNARBORARTCENTER.ORG
Explore the Multiple Impressions exhibition and gain an appreciation for the highly refined sense of beauty in Japanese and Chinese art. We will consider some central themes of Buddhist and Shinto culture as students learn basic woodblock printmaking and create a set of handprinted notecards. Multiple Impressions was organized by the University of Michigan Museum of Art with the cooperation and support of the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China. It is made possible in part by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, and the University of Michigan Center for Chinese Studies, Confucius Institute, and Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.
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Jazz Series Los Gatos
Wednesday, July 20, 8 pm SPECIAL ART FAIR CONCERT OUTDOORS IN THE FORUM COURT
Los Gatos (Pete Siers—timbales, coro, percussion; Cary Kocher—vibraphone, coro; Brian Di
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Blassio—piano, coro; and Al Di Blassio—congas, vocals, percussion) assembled in 1997, and the concept of a small group focused on traditional AfroCuban rhythms has positioned the band as a consistent crowd pleaser. Los Gatos performs monthly at venues around the Ann Arbor/Detroit area and has released two CDs—Cats Got Your Tongue? and Insight. Come at 7:30 for a 30-minute salsa dance lesson before the concert!
Calder’s Circus and Mobiles
FORUM
$44 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND UM
Quartex (Matt Endahl—piano; Matt Setzler— saxophone; Rob Avsharian—drums; and Andrew Kratzat—bass) is the house band at Canterbury House, the Episcopal student center for the University of Michigan. During the school year, the band plays for Canterbury House’s weekly Jazz Mass. The liturgical music, selected weekly by Endahl and Rev. Reid Hamilton, is drawn from a wide variety of traditions, ranging from African American gospel music, traditional Episcopal hymns, and African praise music to songs by Bob Marley, Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra, Johnny Cash, the Dead Kennedys, and more.
STUDENTS/$48 NON-MEMBERS; MATERIALS
Wednesday, August 17, 8 pm
This monthly series, curated by UM Associate Professor Adam Unsworth, presents outstanding local jazz artists in an intimate setting. This series is made possible by the Doris Sloan Memorial Fund.
Saturdays Family Style
Enjoy a chance for the whole family to learn, create, and enjoy art together at UMMA.
Ann Arbor Art Center Family Workshops
Saturday, July 30, 11 am–1 pm MULTIPURPOSE ROOM
INCLUDED; ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED AT ANNARBORARTCENTER.ORG
Learn about Alexander Calder, one of the twentieth century’s most ingenious and influential artists, in this fun, hands-on family workshop. You and your child work to create your own whimsical movable sculptures inspired by everyday materials that Calder used. All materials included. Price includes two family members and supplies for one sculpture. No children under 5; all children must be accompanied by an adult.
program highlights
Quartex: The Canterbury House Jazz Ensemble
Storytime at the Museum
Saturdays, July 16 and August 13, 11 am MEET AT INFORMATION DESK
Children ages 4–7 are invited to hear a story in the galleries. Art comes to life as we read stories related to the art on display and invite responses from our youngest patrons. Parents must accompany children. Siblings are welcome to join the group.
Cyanotype Prints: Sunny Compositions
Saturday, July 16, 11 am–1 pm MULTIPURPOSE ROOM $44 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND UM STUDENTS/$48 NON-MEMBERS; MATERIALS INCLUDED; ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED AT ANNARBORARTCENTER.ORG
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Explore the primitive photographic method of sun prints in this creative family workshop. Bring in pressed flowers, favorite figurines, and botanical specimens or choose from our selection of found objects that cast interesting shadows and discover how to capture their forms through the cyanotype printing process. Each sun-soaked composition is unique and surprising. All other materials included. Price includes two family members. No children under 5; all children must be accompanied by an adult.
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In Conversation with Tiffany: Drawing Buddha Friday, August 5, 12–2pm Gallery Discussion Saturday, July 30, 10:30 am (repeats Saturday, August 13, 10:30 am)
MULTIPURPOSE ROOM
$27 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND UM
MEET AT INFORMATION DESK
STUDENTS/$35 NON-MEMBERS; LAB FEE $13;
Are you interested in a summer experience that combines art-based, historical fiction with gaining a greater appreciation and understanding of the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany? If so, join us as Shelley Brocci, former UMMA docent and avid Tiffany researcher, shares her knowledge during a discussion-based tour for adults of UMMA’s notable collection of Tiffany objects, many from a single New York mansion of the Gilded Age. For those who have read or
MATERIALS INCLUDED
plan to read the new book Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland, an optional discussion of the book will take place after the gallery discussion, between 11:30 am and 12 noon. This program is free, but each discussion is limited to 15 people, so please pre-register by emailing umma-tours@umich.edu or calling 734.647.0522. This program is offered again on Saturday, August 13.
Learn the mindful techniques of drawing the Buddha’s sublime form with Rob Davis, Buddhist artist and director of Copper Colored Mountain Arts. Drawing the Buddha will focus on this central discipline of Tibetan thangka painting as taught to Mr. Davis by his teacher, Pema Rinzin. Discover the silence and beauty of all forms through training in the simple practice of drawing and inking the Buddha. This class is excellent for developing focus, training the eye and hand in awareness, and deepening preexisting art technique.
Exploring the Modern Collection: Communicating with Color Friday, August 12, 11 am–1 pm MULTIPURPOSE ROOM
Ann Arbor Art Center Workshops
Advance registration is required for all Art Center workshops: annarborartcenter.org.
Drawing with Colored Pencil
Fridays, July 15–August 26, 2–4:30 pm (no class held Friday, July 22 during Art Fair) MULTIPURPOSE ROOM $128 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND UM STUDENTS/$142 NON-MEMBERS
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Learn how to mix colored pencil through layering and blending with teaching artist Heather Accurso. Create abstract compositions, draw sumptuous fruit and vegetable still-life arrangements, and use photographs or works from the UMMA collections as a source for inspiration and content. Develop a visual and verbal grasp of color theory while simultaneously pursuing an expressive personal style. Students bring their own materials. Supply list provided upon registration.
$27 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND UM STUDENTS/$35 NON-MEMBERS; LAB FEE $13; MATERIALS INCLUDED
Learn color theory with an emphasis on optical mixtures. Join artist Christina Burch and learn about the postmodern movements of Color Field painting, lyrical abstraction, and Minimalism. Students will start with a blank canvas that—inspired by the Museum’s collections— transforms into something else!
program highlights
Batik Silk Dyeing with Renewable Soy Wax
Saturday, August 13, 10 am–2 pm MULTIPURPOSE ROOM $44 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND UM
Tours
Art as Experience
Sundays, July 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2 pm Sundays, August 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2 pm
Ann Arbor fiber artist Michele Montour will direct students on how to use a variety of tools to apply soy wax to an 8” x 72” silk scarf. Scarves will then be dyed using a low immersion method. Sign up early, space is limited.
During the summer months, UMMA’s awardwinning docents will guide visitors to experience art through active looking at selected highlights of the collections. Expect a lively and engaging conversation. Selections from Multiple Impressions: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints will be included during the run of that exhibition.
Japanese Brush Painting
Lunchtime Tours
STUDENTS/$48 NON-MEMBERS; LAB FEE $13; MATERIALS INCLUDED
Friday, August 19, 12–2pm
Fridays, July 15 and August 12, 12:15 pm MEET AT INFORMATION DESK
$27 UMMA AND AAAC MEMBERS AND
Designed specifically for the lunch hour, UMMA students and staff will offer 30 minutes of conversation about art in the UMMA galleries around entertaining, warm-weather themes.
UM STUDENTS/$35 NON-MEMBERS; LAB FEE $13; MATERIALS INCLUDED
Discover the techniques and observations necessary to make the dynamic and simple brush strokes of Japanese art. Join Rob Davis, artist and director of Copper Colored Mountain Arts, in the process of learning to create vital images of animals, nature, and saints in brush and ink.
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MULTIPURPOSE ROOM
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UMMA Briefs Artscapade! Ask any UM student about their introduction to Michigan and many will recount the fun and discovery they experienced at Artscapade!— the annual program where UMMA hosts about 4,000 incoming freshmen for an evening of art making, performances, arts activities, prizes, and more. Created in conjunction over a decade ago with Arts at Michigan, whose mission is to engage undergraduate students with the arts, Artscapade! serves as an initial connection for students to the many possibilities to pursue their own arts-related interests during their undergraduate careers. We are so pleased that Whole Foods Market and the University of Michigan Credit Union support this important program, this year set for Thursday, September 1. It is a hallmark of UMMA’s relationship to students, one where we offer a welcoming environment that invites exploration through a variety of experiences and encounters.
New Summer Hours Great news for summer visitors—more daylight means more art! Beginning July 1 and running through September 5, UMMA will offer adjusted hours that allow the galleries to remain open later on weekdays. Please make a note of our new summer hours and make a plan to visit the Museum in the evening this summer. Building: Monday 10 am–5 pm Tuesday–Friday 8 am–7 pm Saturday 10 am–5 pm; Sunday 12–5 pm Galleries: Tuesday–Friday 10 am–7 pm Saturday 10 am–5 pm; Sunday 12–5 pm
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Blue Star Museums Speaking of special summer initiatives, UMMA is proud to participate again this year in the Blue Star Museums program, which provides military families with free access to museums nationwide from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Blue Star Museums is a partnership among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families—an organization which raises awareness about the challenges and strengths of military family life— and more than 1,300 fine art, history, science, nature, and children’s museums.
Turning Point Travels to Kalamazoo Sharing the Museum’s renowned collections with institutions and visitors around the region and the country through touring exhibitions is an important part of UMMA’s mission as a university art museum. The UMMA-organized exhibition Turning Point: Japanese Studio Ceramics in the Mid-20th Century, which explored a crucial period of contemporary ceramic art in Japan and was on view in Ann Arbor last spring and summer, visits the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts from September 10 through December 4 of this year. We hope our friends in Kalamazoo enjoy this stunning collection of Japanese ceramics, which Real Detroit Weekly called “breathtaking and beautiful.” This exhibition is made possible in part by the University of Michigan’s Center for Japanese Studies, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, The Japan Foundation, and other generous donors.
Arakawa Toyozô, Plate, circa 1960, stoneware with iron and white slip painting, UMMA, Gift of the artist, 1963/2.64
Collections and Exhibitions Technician With a methodical spirit and flair for detail, Kate Holoka and the other UMMA collections and exhibitions technicians play an integral role in helping to ensure the Museum’s high standards of presentation and display. “How a viewer approaches a work is very important,” she says. “What kind of wall is it hanging on? What’s going on around it? How is it framed?” Holoka and her colleagues install works of art in the galleries, sketch layouts for the Museum’s exhibitions, design frames for new artworks, and tend to UMMA’s diverse and encyclopedic collections.
staff spotlight
Kate Holoka
Holoka holds degrees from the UM School of Art and Design, where she received a BFA in printmaking, and from the UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, where she received a BA in Japanese. After an internship in a print studio, she moved to Italy and finished post-baccalaureate work in fine arts. In 2007, as the Museum prepared to return to its new building, she was hired to serve as one of the Museum’s technicians.
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Holoka is currently preparing UMMA’s major summer exhibition, Multiple Impressions: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints, which opens July 16. As the lead technician for the show, she is responsible for the initial inspection as well as the matting and framing of these dynamic works on paper, which arrived this spring from China. “I enjoy being able to think about new works and ideas,” she says. “It’s a great responsibility and I feel very fortunate to work with and share these pieces in the amazing space of the Museum.”
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Member News Academic Art Museum Reciprocal Membership Program All UMMA membership levels enjoy the benefit of the Academic Art Museum Reciprocal Membership Program. Currently thirty-five museums across the country participate in the reciprocal program, and all you need to do is show your card at the admissions desk of any participating museum to receive free admission. Participating museums include the UCLA Hammer Museum, the Yale University Art Gallery, the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, and the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University. For a full list of participating museums, please see the “Become a Member” page on our website.
Private Showing
Friday, September 23, 6 pm Friends of UMMA are invited to enjoy this exclusive opportunity to take in the Museum’s major summer/fall exhibition, Multiple Impressions: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints. Make sure your membership is current and encourage your friends to join so they can participate in this wonderful event. Invitations will be mailed to all current members in July. To check your membership status or to join, please call Jenna Morgan at 734.764.1983.
A pedestrian experiences the UMMA exhibition Photoformance: An Empathic Environment—a collaboration by architect Monica Ponce de Leon, photographer Ernestine Ruben, and dancer Peter Sparling—in the Irving Stenn, Jr, Family Project Gallery on the last evening of its run in May. To view the video by Peter Sparling, with more impressions of the exhibition at night, please visit our website: umma.umich.edu.
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museum store
Museum Store Michigan Beach Glass Jewelry
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Bonfires, barbeques, and beach glass! Savor the Michigan summer with beautiful beach glass jewelry sourced from the Great Lakes and crafted by Michigan artist Joan Miller. As an avid collector of Great Lakes beach glass—recycled glass smoothed by years of friction with sand, water, and gravel— Miller creates stunning one-of-a-kind pendants for her Erie Ice Jewelry line, which is sold exclusively in the Museum Store. The colorful beach glass—the more unusual colors come from glass rarely in commercial use today, like cobalt blue, sea foam green, lavender, peach, citron and opaque white, and aqua—is wrapped in silver- or coppercolored wire; occasionally shards of pottery are also used. The perfect gift or souvenir of summer!
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university of michigan museum of art
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage
525 South State Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1354 734.764.0395 umma.umich.edu
paid
Ann Arbor, MI Permit No. 144
connect online facebook.com/ummamuseum twitter.com/ummamuseum youtube.com/ummamuseum
become a member umma.umich.edu or umma-giving@umich.edu
new summer hours! (July 1 through September 5, 2011) Building: Monday 10 am–5 pm; Tuesday–Friday 8 am–7 pm; Saturday 10 am–5 pm; Sunday 12–5 pm Galleries: Tuesday–Friday 10 am–7 pm; Saturday 10 am–5 pm; Sunday 12–5 pm Admission to the Museum is always free. Support the Museum: $5 suggested donation.
location, parking, transportation
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UMMA is at the intersection of South State and South University. For bus transit information, visit theride.org or call 734.996.0400. Parking is available in public garages on Maynard and South Forest, with metered parking on adjacent streets.
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Stephanie Rieke Miller External Relations Manager and Senior Writer Susan E. Thompson Senior Designer PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD BARNES, COURTNEY GRAHAM, STEVE KUZMA, JOHN LILLEY, PETER SMITH, RANDAL STEGMEYER, AND SUSAN E. THOMPSON
PRINTED ON PAPER MADE WITH 100% POST-CONSUMER WASTE
University of Michigan Board of Regents Julia Donovan Darlow, Ann Arbor Laurence B. Deitch, Bingham Farms Denise Ilitch, Bingham Farms Olivia P. Maynard, Goodrich Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park S. Martin Taylor, Grosse Pointe Farms Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor Mary Sue Coleman, ex officio