Archive for the ‘Curator’ Category

November 29th, 2012 | Collection, Curator, Exhibitions, Learning

The Art of Observation

WAM Curator of Education, Ann Grimaldi, leading "Art of Observation" gallery discussion in the exhibition "On the Path to Abstraction: Highlights of the Permanent Collection".

Curator of Education Ann Grimaldi and volunteer docent Kate Barrett lead a discussion with UNCG Teacher Education majors in Kinesiology on the “Art of Observation.” Dr. Barrett, retired UNCG professor emerita in Kinesiology (formerly Exercise and Sport Science), and Grimaldi created the program three years ago to aid students in academic areas where observation is crucial such as in gymnasiums and playing fields.

Using works of art on view at the Weatherspoon Art Museum, students practice an awareness of their observation habits through processes like scanning, detail recognition, organization and analysis of visual data. Knowing “how to look” and “what to look for” is an essential step in understanding what we see and for physical education teacher education students, it can be critical in assessing students’ motor skill development. Over 160 UNCG students have participated in the program to date, which has been expanded to psychiatric nursing and dietetic nutrition areas.

(Photo above shot in the permanent collection exhibition On the Path to Abstraction: Highlights of the Permanent Collection)

Tags: American Art, Ann Grimaldi, art education, contemporary art, docents, education, exhibitions, gallery tours, Kate Barrett, learning, modern art, observation, On the Path to Abstraction, Permanent Collection, physical education, UNCG, UNCG Kinesiology Department, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, volunteering, Weatherspoon |

November 21st, 2012 | Behind the Scenes, Collection, Curator, Learning

Dan Graham Gets a Temporary Design Face Lift

Christopher Thomas with Design I students, installing their project on the covered Dan Graham sculpture "Triangular Solid with Circular Inserts". Photo: Myra Scott

If you visited the Weatherspoon this Fall, you probably witnessed the tell-tale signs of roof repairs, scaffolding and noise. As excited as we were for our twenty-three year old building to get a new roof, we knew we would need to be extra vigilant about protecting works of art in the Sculpture Garden, especially Dan Graham’s Triangular Solid with Circular Inserts. Graham’s glass and mirror sculpture was purchased by the museum for its permanent collection in 2006 and is a favorite with school groups.

Dan Graham, "Triangular Solid with Circular Inserts", 1989, two-way mirror, clear glass and aluminum, 72 x 72 x 72 in. Museum purchase with funds from the Jefferson-Pilot Endowment, the Burlington Industries Endowment, the Weatherspoon Art Museum Acquisition Endowment, the Frances Stern Loewenstein Acquisition Endowment, the Louise D. and Herbert S. Falk Acquisition Endowment, the Lynn Richardson Prickett Acquisition Endowment, the Jane and Richard Levy Sculpture Fund, the Judy Proctor Acquisition Endowment, the Melanie H. and Robert C. Ketner Family Acquisition Endowment and the Weatherspoon Guild Acquisition Endowment, 2006.

Protecting the sculpture required the construction of a special on-site crate consisting of particle board and strengthened by 2x4s that were bolted directly into the courtyard surface. With roof repairs taking longer to complete than planned, WAM staff thought it would be a good opportunity to work with UNCG design students to dress up the temporary wooden cube and give visitors something to experience (rather than weathered particle board) when entering the Sculpture Garden. We approached UNCG faculty Christopher Thomas and Lee Walton about a design competition with participants from their Design 1 and Art 140 classes.

Christopher Thomas adds:

“Responding to a call for proposals from the Weatherspoon to ‘make use’ of the plywood box currently in place over the Dan Graham sculpture protecting it from construction debris, Design I students from my class and Lee Walton’s wrote in. (Cambrin Culp, Lydia Flores, Tiffany Hutchens, Shannon Keller, Lily Musai and CJ Toomer are from my class).

Design proposed by students Cambrin Culp, Courtney-Nachè Toomer, Lydia Flores.

WAM Curator of Collections, Elaine Gustafson, provided us with information on the artist and his work so that students could better understand what his sculptures were about…the idea was to make images in response to the themes in Dan Graham’s work while exploring some basic Design I value and shape problems. So, issues of fragmentation, social disconnect, reflection and environment were some of the departure points for the students’ designs.

Final installation was done using ink jet prints and wheat paste on a gorgeous Fall Friday followed by ham and bean soup in the museum courtyard!”

Students participants from Lee Walton’s Art 140 class: Jenny Bennett, Miguel Cervera, Janelle DeRobertis, Chandler Field, Dray Fountain, and Logan Ritchey.

Visit the museum’s Event Photo page for more images.

Roof construction is finally winding down as work completes after Thanksgiving break. The final detail to complete is the re-installation of the speakers for the Bill Fontana sound work “Spiraling Sound Axis“—which is also a part of the museum’s Sculpture Garden experience. Fontana’s work had to be de-installed during construction. As soon as the Fontana speakers are re-installed our preparators will be able to remove the plywood protection from the Graham sculpture. Visitors will once again be able to enjoy both the Graham sculpture and listen to the Fontana sound installation.

Kids playing inside the Dan Graham Sculpture at the Weatherspoon

Thank you to the Design 1 and Art 140 students for all their work on this project.

Tags: American Art, art education, Bill Fontana, contemporary art, Dan Graham, Elaine Gustafson, modern art, Permanent Collection, sculptures, UNCG, UNCG Art Department, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Weatherspoon |

November 1st, 2012 | Collection, Curator, General 'Spoon, Learning

Self & Others: Literacy Through The Visual Image

Diana Greene with Newcomers students.

Working with photographer/writer Diana Greene, students at the Doris Henderson Newcomers School in Greensboro, NC are discovering aspects of themselves and others through photography, writing experiences, and visual art from the Weatherspoon’s collection.

The Arts-in-Education collaboration between the Weatherspoon Art Museum (WAM) and the Newcomers school is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council with additional support from the Toler and Schandler-Lopp Foundations.

Self and Others: Literacy Through the Visual Image began in September with an introduction to photography for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. On October 24th, students worked with Diana Greene and Weatherspoon staff and volunteers to photograph each other in selected settings, with props, in each student’s planned pose. These photographs will become the catalyst for the students’ stories about themselves.

Photography lesson with Diana Greene.

During the second part of the residency students will write from pre-selected reproductions of WAM art works—like Elizabeth Catlett’s Sharecropper and Nina Berman’s Randall Clunen, from the Purple Hearts series. Through their emotional and narrative content, works of art like these can transcend the language barrier, inviting students to investigate the lives of others. In the Spring, the students will also visit the museum to view The Penetrating Gaze exhibition and participate in a writing activity with Diana Greene at the museum.

Tags: American Art, Diana Greene, Doris Henderson Newcomers School, Elizabeth Catlett, literacy, modern art, Nina Berman, Penatrating Gaze, Permanent Collection, Photography, Sharecropper, student stories, Terri Dowell-Dennis, UNCG, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Visiting Artists, volunteering, workshops |

January 17th, 2012 | Behind the Scenes, Collection, Curator

Collection Mystery Drawing…Who is the Artist?

WAM Collection mystery drawing...who is the artist?

Stieg Larsson’s investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist definitely has talents I don’t possess. For the last two weeks I have been trying intermittently to determine who drew this portrait. It came to us as part of the Etta and Claribel Cone collection in 1950 and has been attributed to Mersyes based on the inscription. Unfortunately no such artist exists. Is the inscription a signature or a title? The drawing is in the style of Jacques Villon, whose work the Cones collected and the Weatherspoon owns, but he typically signed his work. Likewise the inscription is not in the style of Jean Metzinger, a fellow cubist. The drawing is adhered to a mat that has the words “Safsa (Trinini)” inscribed on it (by whom?) as well as the date 1926. The face looks Algerian or Moroccan and I’ve learned that there is a place in Algeria called Safsaf, but what does Trinini mean? The only other clue is the word Tefúgahe (?) inscribed in pencil on the drawing’s upper right corner. I’m not giving up yet, but I hope some Lisbeth Salander will read this post and provide some much needed help.

UPDATE:

Mystery Solved!!

This was a good week for art sleuths out there, and thus for WAM. While visiting the Museum for another project, paper conservator Jane Sugarman looked at the mystery drawing and figured out that the inscription did not read “Trinini,” but rather the country Tunisia. From that, I was able to decipher part of the upper right inscription to read “Gafsa.” The town of Gafsa, also spelled Qafsah, has been around since Roman times when it was known as Capsa.

The next day, I got a post from the Ackland Art Museum’s Chief Curator, Peter Nisbet, who identified the signature as “Medgyes.” Better known as a furniture and stage designer than as an artist, Ladislas Medgyes was born in Hungary but worked in New York from the 1920s until his death sometime in the late 1940s.

Many, many thanks to both Jane and Peter for helping identify this wonderful drawing and for confirming that a career in the visual arts is never dull.

Tags: Algeria, art education, Etta and Claribel Cone, Jacques Villon, Jean Metzinger, modern art, Morroco, Safsa, Stieg Larrson, Trinini, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Weatherspoon |

December 16th, 2011 | Behind the Scenes, Curator

Gifts that are Making our Holiday Brighter

The Weatherspoon recently received grants from two of our city’s longstanding philanthropic leaders:

The Cemala Foundation and Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation. Inc. Both of these groups are mainstays in supporting nonprofit organizations in our community. One can only guess the scope—and effect—of their countless contributions over the years.

In the Weatherspoon’s case, their gifts are helping to address the sizable budget reductions we’ve experienced this year. The Cemala Foundation’s gift will help support the crucial staff position of Associate Curator of Education and some of her programs. Terri Dowell-Dennis works with the Guilford County Schools, conducts teacher workshops, organizes our biannual Community Days, offers tours to school and community groups, and dozens of other things to keep our education program vibrant and meaningful.

Tannenbaum-Sternberger has offered a challenge grant to support our lively exhibition and program schedule. For every 2 dollars that we raise, they will provide 1 dollar, up to $20,000.

You can help us meet our match by contributing online or by calling 336-334-5770

We’re truly grateful to both foundations.

Tags: education, Tannenbaurm-Sternberger Foundation, Terri Dowell-Dennis, The Cemala Foundation, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Weatherspoon, workshops |

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Archive for the ‘Curator’ Category

The Art of Observation

Dan Graham Gets a Temporary Design Face Lift

Self & Others: Literacy Through The Visual Image

Collection Mystery Drawing…Who is the Artist?

Gifts that are Making our Holiday Brighter

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