Spring 2012 Events
Public Programs Spring 2012
February | March | April
| Coming Up Flier - Jan. 31-Feb. 11 | |
| Film Series Flier | |
Wednesday, February 15, 5:30 p.m.
The Focal Point of Women
Jason Shaiman, Curator of Exhibitions, Miami University Art Museum
In this gallery talk, Jason Shaiman will highlight the contributions of women photographers and provide a glimpse into their role as “activist for social justice” embedded in their artistic practice.
Tuesday, February 21, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
As Good as the Guys: Women and Photography
Catherine Evans, Curator of Photography, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio
This is an overview of the history of women photographers with a concentration on mid-20th century American artists, whose visibility rose and ebbed in tandem with the country’s socio-economic and political tides, from the Great Depression and the New Deal to World War II and the Cold War.
Tuesday, February 28, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
For Heaven’s Sake:
the Re-conceptualization of Christian Sacred Space in Late Antiquity
Dr. Karen Britt, Assistant Professor of Byzantine and Medieval Art & Archaeology, Art History Program, Department of Fine Arts, University of Louisville, Kentucky
It is commonly assumed that the imagery in the churches of ancient Palestine and Arabia was arranged hierarchically from the floors to the walls, vaults and ceilings, evoking a perception of “heaven on earth” among worshippers. Contemporary literary descriptions and recent archaeological evidence will be examined to attempt a reconstruction of this visual concept.
Co-sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America
Thursday, March 1, 7:00 p.m.
Women and Art Film Series:
Camille Claudel (1988)
Runtime: 175 minutes
French sculptor Camille Claudel is portrayed in an intriguing narrative that focuses on her relationship with the legendary sculptor Auguste Rodin. An introduction to the film will be given by Dr. Ann Klosowska, Professor, Department of French and Italian and an affliate in the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, Miami University.
Thursday, March 22, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Vickie Singer and the Contentious History of Mormon Polygamy
Dr. John Charles Duffy, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Religion, Miami University
This lecture will provide a historical context for Vickie Singer, a photograph by Judy Dater, which is in the art museum collection and currently on display. In 1979, polygamous wife Vickie Singer lost her husband John in a shootout with law enforcement. A decade later, Singer was sent to prison for her involvement in a church bombing that led to a second shootout with authorities. Her story is part of a longer history of conflict, often violent, around the practice of polygamy in Mormonism and its offshoots.
Wednesday, March 28, 5:30 p.m.
Weaving Women into History
Jason Shaiman, Curator of Exhibitions, Miami University Art Museum
Women were traditionally the primary producers and makers of textiles, garments, quilts, blankets and other fiber arts. This gallery talk will focus on a few of these women and on fiber arts as significant cultural artifacts.
Thursday, March 29, 7:00 p.m.
Women & Art Film Series:
Georgia O’Keeffe (2009)
Runtime: 89 minutes
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was a major figure in American art. This film, starring Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons, captures O’Keeffe’s development as an artist and her stormy relationship with Alfred Stieglitz. Dr. Pepper Stetler, Assistant Professor, Department of Art, School of Fine Arts, Miami University, will introduce the film and moderate a brief discussion prior to the viewing.
Tuesday, April 3, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Gullah Culture and Sweetgrass Basketmaking
Nakia Wigfall, Artist, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
Wigfall is a fifth-generation sweetgrass basketmaker living in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. She is an educator of Gullah culture and history and an artist who presents a rich heritage of basketmaking traditions. As the Director of the Sweetgrass Gullah Connection, Wigfall continues to promote and preserve the importance of sweetgrass basketry in the context of African slaves working on the rice, cotton and indigo plantations in the South.
Wednesday, April 11, 5:30 p.m.
The Material Culture of Women
Jason Shaiman, Curator of Exhibitions, Miami University Art Museum
The role of women in the production of material culture throughout the world is the topic for discussion in this gallery talk.
Tuesday, April 17, 6:00 p.m.
ILLUMInations: Women Artists in the Venice Biennale
Dr. Roy Johnston, artist/art historian, and Laura Henderson, Collections Manager/Registrar, Miami University Art Museum
The Venice Biennale in Italy is considered to be the single most important exhibition of contemporary art in the world. In the 54th Biennale in 2011, artists from 89 countries displayed a range of new and innovative work. Exhibitions embraced traditional media, as well as the video and electronic technology shaping current society. Many examples are presented, with a particular emphasis on the work of contemporary women artists.
Thursday, April 26, 7:00 p.m.
Women and Art Film Series:
Frida (2002)
Runtime: 122 minutes
This film provides an intriguing account of the professional and private life of Frida Kahlo, Mexico’s most famous female artist. Dr. Kerry Hegarty, Assistant Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese and affiliate of the film studies program for Miami University will introduce the film.
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PAST EVENTS FOR THE CURRENT SEMESTER
Tuesday, January 31, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Ancient Cypriot Votive Sculpture and the Folk Art Tradition
Dr. Ann Marie Knoblauch, Associate Professor, Art History, School of Visual Arts, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
Classical limestone sculpture was produced in various sizes to be dedicated at religious sanctuaries on the island of Cyprus. The smaller votive statues are inferior in quality, which raises the question of whether artistic styles and techniques were driven by local community needs rather than broader stylistic movements across the Mediterranean. This issue will be discussed, with reference to the availability of workable raw material and demand for the product that created a “cottage industry” for sculptors.
Co-sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America
Thursday, February 2, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Art Museum Student Organization (AMSO) Information/Pizza Session
Auditorium
Thursday, February 2, 7:00 p.m.
Women and Art Film Series:
Artemisia (1997)
Runtime: 95 minutes
This is a riveting story about one of the first successful female painters, Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653). An engaging narrative is woven about her youth, when she was guided and protected by her father, the painter Orazio Gentileschi. This film will be introduced by
Dr. Andrew Casper, Assistant Professor, Department of Art, School of Fine Arts, Miami University
Wednesday, February 8, 5:00 p.m.
The Art of Dress: Women’s Fashions at the Turn of the 20th Century
Dr. Sara Butler, Professor, Department of Art, School of Fine Arts, Miami University
Fashionable dress was a critical element of a woman’s life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In this talk, dress styles of the time period are described, and the social and technological factors that led to the democratization of fashion are explored.