tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3 2010-08-31T16:57:20Z is the place to find out the latest about the Bloch Building, Nelson-Atkins Building and the Kansas City Sculpture Park. Sound off here about your experiences and be inspired for your next visit. Movable Type 3.32 tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.436 2010-08-27T19:10:27Z 2010-08-31T16:57:20Z

Who made that? What is it for? Why did you become a Curator? What the heck was that artist thinking? Museum Curators across the world are ready to tackle your art-related questions via Twitter during Ask A Curator Day on...

Adrianne Russell Who made that? What is it for? Why did you become a Curator? What the heck was that artist thinking? Museum Curators across the world are ready to tackle your art-related questions via Twitter during Ask A Curator Day on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010. We want to hear from you! Although the Nelson-Atkins regularly participates in audience evaluation, this is a great opportunity to tell us about your art-related interests in real-time and learn more about curatorial work. Our Curator Q&A team: Stephanie Knappe Assistant Curator, American Art Colin Mackenzie Senior Curator, Early Chinese Art Jan Schall Sanders Sosland Curator, Modern & Contemporary Art April Watson Associate Curator, Photography How does this work? 1. Join/log-in to Twitter on September 1. 2. Follow us @nelson_atkins. 3. Send us your art-related questions. Be sure to add the #askacurator hashtag so that everyone benefits from your awesome inquiries. Check out www.askacurator.com for more details and a list of participating Museums and Galleries. See you September 1st!]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.435 2010-07-27T15:33:10Z 2010-07-27T20:41:41Z

A group of 5 high school students took on the “real world” challenge for a week this summer. Nelson-Atkins art teacher Kreshaun McKinney explained that the overall purpose of the class is to give students the opportunity to work...

Jodi O-K A group of 5 high school students took on the “real world” challenge for a week this summer. Nelson-Atkins art teacher Kreshaun McKinney explained that the overall purpose of the class is to give students the opportunity to work directly with a local Kansas City artist. The students visited the artist’s studio and then the artist came to the Nelson-Atkins to work with them on a project. McKinney hopes the Museum can continue to work with local artists on a regular basis. The artist this year is Michelle Dreher who runs a printshop called Two Tone Press, as well as teaches art classes at the Museum. A graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute, Dreher loves being an artist in Kansas City. “The Kansas City art scene is great. We have a really strong community and there are a lot of people trying to do what they want with their art,” said Dreher. “It is really affordable so many artists are able to do their work without having to worry about money.” The project for the class is called relief printing. The students began by finding images in magazines or books along with texture rubbings from wallpaper samples to inspire their design. They traced over portions of the images onto acetate before using actual tracing paper and graphite to finalize their drawings. Once the drawings were completed, they placed them face down onto linoleum blocks. By rubbing the back of their drawings, they were easily able to get the graphite to transfer to the surface. The next step is to carve away parts of the design. The remaining raised surface is the part that will get inked while the carved lines are left blank creating the patterns and images on the paper. Once the design is ready, ink is rolled over the carved image. Then the inked plate is run through an etching press with paper placed on top. Each design was unique. One had butterflies, another had skateboarders while yet another was a girl singing. The students each made multiple prints trying different colors. In addition to learning the print making process, the students also discussed what it might mean to each of them to be an artist and what to look for in an art school. Whatever these girls end up doing, it looks like they have a bright future ahead! Classes for high school students are available this fall. Click here for details. ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.434 2010-07-19T18:12:29Z 2010-07-27T15:53:09Z

Recently, conservators, curators and scientists examined Monet’s beloved Water Lilies to understand how the artist painted, what pigments were used and how his composition evolved. Given the large size and popularity of the painting, the examination took place in the...

Mary Schafer conservators, curators and scientists examined Monet’s beloved Water Lilies to understand how the artist painted, what pigments were used and how his composition evolved. Given the large size and popularity of the painting, the examination took place in the gallery. A portion of the space was roped off so visitors could watch Mary Schafer, Associate Conservator, at work and learn more about the examination process. During the examination, Schafer studied each part of the painting to answer questions about its construction. In what order did Monet apply his colors? What brushes did he favor? What was the consistency and texture of the oil paint? Perhaps most intriguing, how did the composition change as he painted? Some of these findings will be shared in a series of posts, beginning with artist changes and x-radiography. Monet painted Water Lilies over a ten year period, between 1916 and 1926, and made significant changes as he developed the composition. Simon Kelly, Associate Curator of European Painting and Sculpture, identified several artist changes by comparing the Nelson-Atkins panel to the artist’s studies as well as early studio photographs. X-radiography was also used to see water lilies that Monet painted out as the composition progressed. With this examination technique, x-rays pass through the painting and expose film placed on the canvas reverse. Dense pigments block x-rays from reaching the film and produce light areas on the processed film. The black and white x-radiograph (above) shows a beautiful lily pad and bloom that Monet eventually covered with green paint (below). Comparisons between the earlier water lilies and the final composition reveal a dramatic change in the way Monet painted; the lily pads shift from distinct oval masses to the loosely painted, abstracted forms that we appreciate today. Monet’s painting process will be featured in an upcoming exhibition, Monet’s Water Lilies, which will reunite all three panels of Monet’s triptych, made up of the Nelson-Atkins panel and those in the St. Louis Museum of Art and Cleveland Museum of Art. The triptych has not been assembled in over thirty years and so the exhibition is a rare opportunity to see Monet’s entire composition. Mark your calendars for April 2011! ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.429 2010-07-14T22:09:20Z 2010-08-03T20:26:25Z

Have you ever wondered what an ancient work of art looked like when it was first created? Or how an artist was able to achieve a certain color or texture? Ever wondered why lighting is different in various galleries? Or...

Melissa Kleindl studio class “Science of Art,” led by Ford Learning Center teacher Penny Selle, tackled those questions and more as students (ages 9-13) set forth on a hands-on exploration of science’s role in art. The class began with a visit from Nelson-Atkins conservator Paul Benson who talked a bit about what a conservator does and how science factors into his job. Mr. Benson shared with the class a beautiful 300-year-old plate as well as a silver spoon, explaining that part of his job is to answer important questions about the objects. Impressive scientific equipment including x-rays, black lights, and the x-ray fluorescence spectrometer (or the XRF gun) is often used to help determine age, quality, authenticity and composition of art objects—and help identify their value and any needed repairs. After traveling to the recently reinstalled Egyptian galleries, Mr. Benson revealed the vast array of scientific investigation involved with the objects displayed—and the steps taken to preserve them. For example, careful analysis was needed to safely position Meret-it-es’s coffin upright. Students also saw some equipment used in the gallery to help protect the art from potentially damaging factors such as light, temperature and humidity. Back in the classroom, students experimented with materials to help illustrate the impact of external factors, including natural and chemical elements, on various objects. Students gathered organic fibers for weaving projects and considered physical changes that happen to substances over time—including when artists are working—such as folding, cutting, burning, stretching, and bonding. They investigated the impact of various solutions (salt water, sugar water, vinegar and bleach water) on paper, wood, and even clay. Students realized that a critical part of both science and art is close observation, and they practiced it during experiments as well as gallery visits. Later in the week, students had the chance to watch a conservator in action: Mary Schafer, who was examining Monet’s Water Lilies. To supplement Ms. Schafer’s talk about chemical properties and ingredients of paint, students experimented with oil and water resisting using Craypas and watercolor paint on different surfaces. They also created compositions using permanent marker and watercolor. Before the watercolor dried, students added salt and watched the chemical reaction force the pigment to separate from binder and solvent and saw the individual ingredients of paint. The whirlwind week of discovery came to a close with students reflecting on what they learned—and some even planning for the future! In “thank you” notes, they expressed fascination with the science of art and the machines used in conservation. And some expressed a desire to be conservators one day! ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.428 2010-06-30T20:16:00Z 2010-06-30T20:35:06Z

Hi! I’m Julia Stroud and I work in the prep department. I thought I’d tell you a little about the creation of the ushebti wall in the new Egyptian galleries. First question, “What is the prep department?” The Preparation Department...

Julia Stroud Egyptian galleries. First question, “What is the prep department?” The Preparation Department handles the artworks in the museum and in storage. We are responsible for installing and transporting artworks throughout the Museum, packing artworks which have been approved for travel, and safely storing artworks which remain in the museum and storage facility. Working with the conservation department, preparators produce mounts for objects and maintain proper packing and installation procedures. Second question, “What is a ushebti?” According to Robert Cohon, Curator of Art of the Ancient World, “Before there were office temps, there were ‘ushebtis.’ Ushebtis – which means ‘responders’ – were meant to come to life and perform any labor that might be requested of the deceased in the hereafter. Not taking any changes, Meretites had 305.” Originally, we called them “shabtis” but that was later changed to the more appropriate ushebti. Now, back to my story. Believe it or not, over six months worth of work went into the mounting of those 300-plus little guys. It was one of the first and biggest projects that I was in charge of here and one of the most rewarding to see completed. A year before we started the installation, I’d already been designated the “shabti lady” because it was one of my jobs to transport them in and out of the viewing room when scholar Michele Valentine came to examine them. Over the months, I developed a kind of affection for my “tiny blue army of the undead” (as the prep crew referred to them), and looked forward to creating a permanent home for them. The first step was designing the mount, which I worked on with mountmaker Chris Holle. Chris’s main priorities were that it be simple, easy to mass-produce, and safe for the object. Even though the pieces look very similar, there is quite a bit of variation in size, so I ended up making two different mount sizes to accommodate these differences. After I ordered all the brass stock, I cut it down into hundreds of brass strips, tubes, and hooks. Each long strip was finished and sanded, then had a small piece of tubing soldered to the back. I hadn’t had much soldering experience before then, but I definitely got in a lot of practice during those months! In the final design, each ushebti is tied with monofilament onto an L-shaped bracket with a small piece of square brass tubing on the back. The tubing fits over a hook that goes into the wall and suspends the ushebtis in space, making it appear to float. The bottom of the “L” supports the ushebti’s’ feet and keeps it in place. In the meantime, exhibition designer Amanda Zeitler was working to finalize the layout for the display case. We spread out huge sheets of paper so she could create a template to transfer to the case backboard. Once the mounts were fabricated, Amanda and I chose the best paint color to match the ushebtis. The colors of the individual statues range from a light powder-blue to bright sky-blue to almost green, so it was difficult to pick one color that would play nicely with all of them. After the mounts were painted, they were padded with very thin felt and finally ready to be matched up with their objects. I’d first begun working on these mounts in October 2009, and here we were in March! Chris and I spent a week tying the ushebtis to their mounts, using a complicated series of knots that we reinforced with adhesive. In the meantime, the case backboards were fabricated and charted out according to Amanda’s design. Before the ushebtis went up in the new gallery, we did a test mockup in a larger area. That way we would have enough room to take a photograph of the entire display (there isn’t enough space in its current gallery). Amanda and I spent three days hanging the ushebtis on their hooks, tweaking them so that all their feet were level and the spacing between them was consistent (the laser level was a life-saver!). Once photography was completed, the ushebtis went back into their storage boxes one final time. Finally, at the end of April, the ushebtis were wheeled into the gallery and installed for opening weekend. When you spend so much time so close to a project, it’s hard to envision the end result. I knew they were interesting little objects, but I was surprised and delighted to see how well they held up both as individual pieces and as a cohesive display. Not every work of art would be able to compete with the large scale and color of Meritites’s coffin across the aisle, but I think the ushebtis command their space well and both encourage and reward close study and attention. Photo 1: Test ushebti installation (front view) Photo 2: Mount component Photo 3: Test ushebti installation (side view) Photo 4: Full installation mockup in Gallery 203 Photo 5: Final installation in Gallery P1]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.427 2010-06-21T20:57:49Z 2010-06-21T21:13:21Z

Down in the bottom level of the Bloch Building, the staff of the Spencer Art Reference Library is busy cataloging, shelving and researching the more than 155,000 volumes that live in the stacks. One area that many public libraries don’t...

Jodi O-K Spencer Art Reference Library is busy cataloging, shelving and researching the more than 155,000 volumes that live in the stacks. One area that many public libraries don’t have is the book repair desk. This is where the books go with torn pages, broken spines or just generally need a little TLC. Dawn Sanders is the Cataloger and Book Conservation Technician. She has worked in the Spencer Library for 14 years. She learned the trade of repairing books as an art student at Cooper Union in New York. Assisting her was volunteer Anne Lacey who is working on her Masters of Library Sciences at Emporia State University. Anne recently traveled to Croatia on a field trip to study libraries and collections damaged during the Homeland War of the early 1990s. Typical projects include repairing torn pages or reattaching spines. Recently, the dynamic duo had “moldy book day” where they took a bunch of books suspected of containing mold out to a corner of the parking garage for examination. Most of the books were deemed to be just dirty or gritty but a few were held back as possible offenders and require further work. Today was pocket envelope day. Dawn and Anne were hand making envelopes to hold supplemental materials that come with books such as posters, CDs or inserts. For instance, Dawn had a chart of all the lunar eclipses of the last five millennia. As an artist, Dawn likes the hands-on aspect of repairing books. “If you like doing arts and crafts, this is a good job for you because you get to cut and glue and create things,” she said. Anne enjoys volunteering in the book repair area and the experience she is gaining. When she finishes her MLS degree, she wants to work with rare books in special collections. On a related note, the Museum has an extensive collection of approximately 4,900 rare books that was featured previously on our blog. “It’s fun to look at the books we’re repairing. One of the first times I worked here, I glued one of William Rockhill Nelson’s books back together. I think it was a book on the birds of North America,” said Anne. The shelves around the desk were filled with books in need of various repairs sure to keep Anne and Dawn happily busy for many months. ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.426 2010-06-07T17:40:22Z 2010-06-08T15:49:03Z

Check out the Nelson-Atkins fashionistas! On Saturday, May 15, 2010, students (ages 13-18) put their creativity and fashion sense to the ultimate test during the Ford Learning Center’s workshop, Bloch the Runway. Taught by Kreshaun McKinney and Ashley Simons, the...

Melissa Kleindl Edward Steichen—In High Fashion, to provide inspiration for designing their own unique, experimental garments. The class loved the exhibition’s portrayal of “Old Hollywood Glamour” and several students referenced that style in their creations. Following the tour, the class spent the remainder of the day constructing their outfits—including various accessories—out of wire, feathers, paint, tons of tulle, paper, recycled items and existing clothing. Once it was “show time,” the adorned divas paraded their fashions in the Bloch lobby in front of their families and Museum visitors who were most impressed! When asked how she enjoyed the class, student Sophia Seigfreid remarked, “This was an amazing experience that was very inspiring.” Would you take the fashion design challenge? By:Kreshaun McKinney ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.425 2010-05-25T18:34:25Z 2010-05-25T18:48:18Z

Whether working with a celebrity or doing a fashion shoot, Edward Steichen was a master storyteller. The exhibition Edward Steichen – In High Fashion is a grand collection of stories from the glamorous days of the early 20th century. Through...

Jodi O-K Edward Steichen – In High Fashion is a grand collection of stories from the glamorous days of the early 20th century. Through simple backdrops and a few well-placed props, Steichen created a narrative for every image whether it was a fashion shoot, a portrait of a famous figure or even a pair of shoes. For the many celebrities and public figures he photographed, he embraced the sitter’s persona in the setting and pose. For instance, silent film star and “America’s Sweetheart” Mary Pickford leans demurely on a chair looking slightly to an angle. She smiles shyly with a finger gently touching her lips. A bouquet of flowers emphasizes her fresh and youthful image. Hanging right next to her is “Mexican actress” Lupe Vélez, who appears to be more passionate and fiery. She looks directly into the camera, her exposed arms and legs covered by only her jewelry and the fringe of her dress. Dramatic lighting highlights her skin, creating mysterious shadows and contours. Setting was so important to Steichen that he designed a piano for use in his studio. Here, Steichen has posed a model in a black dress next to the piano and a black statue. The curve of the model is accentuated by the curve of the piano lid which contrasts with the linearity of the podium and statue in the background. The galleries of In High Fashion are filled with stories. Be sure to come and discover them for yourself. Images: Edward Steichen (American, b. Luxembourg, 1879-1973). Actress Mary Pickford, 1934. Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York. © 1934 Condé Nast Publications. Actress Lupe Vélez, 1932. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York. © 1932 Condé Nast Publications. “Black”: Model Margaret Horan in a black dress by Jay-Thorpe, 1935. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York. © 1935 Condé Nast Publications. ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.424 2010-05-20T20:53:55Z 2010-05-20T21:16:52Z

High fashion and Hollywood glamour have hit the walls of the Nelson-Atkins. Edward Steichen – In High Fashion displays more than 150 black and white photos from the 1920s and 1930s and features celebrities, socialites, politicians, artists and models in...

Jodi O-K High fashion and Hollywood glamour have hit the walls of the Nelson-Atkins. Edward Steichen – In High Fashion displays more than 150 black and white photos from the 1920s and 1930s and features celebrities, socialites, politicians, artists and models in stylish clothes and dramatic settings. Steichen was mid-career when he became chief photographer for Condé Nast’s fashion and society magazines Vogue and Vanity Fair in 1923. His mastery of lighting and staging techniques kept pace with the modernization of art and fashion to create a new style that revolutionized the field. The galleries for In High Fashion are as sleek and stylish as the photos themselves. Even the wall colors evoke haute couture: Silver Mist, Vintage Wine and Black Beauty. There is a swanky lounge area furnished with luxurious chairs in the style of Le Corbusier and other early 20th century modern designers. (This fabulous furniture was loaned to us by Museo, a local furniture store.) After you view the exhibition, you may relax and flip through the exhibition catalogue as well as books about Chanel, Poiret and Vionnet, designers whose creations were featured in many of the photographs. There’s also an 11-minute silent film playing on a loop. Edward Steichen – America’s Foremost Photographer by Irving Browning is from the George Eastman House Motion Picture Collection. The film is fascinating. It shows Steichen and his assistants working with a model in the studio. A typical day begins as Steichen pulls up in a beautiful convertible and gives a jaunty tip of his hat to the camera. Once inside the studio, the action is nonstop. From discussing the shoot with the model to adjusting the lights to examining the proofs, Steichen’s keen eye is involved in every step. One of my favorite scenes shows an assistant loading and reloading the film plates at high speed. The narration explains that “He [Steichen] and his assistant work with the precision of a machine gunner.” The end product is much more elegant than the process. Steichen’s attention to detail is evident in every image. Image: Edward Steichen (American, b. Luxembourg, 1879-1973). Model Marion Morehouse in a dress by Louiseboulanger with jewelry by Mauboussin, 1929. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy Condé Nast Archive, New York. © 1929 Condé Nast Publications. ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.423 2010-04-27T17:09:27Z 2010-05-03T16:42:01Z

A crocodile’s photograph adorns the walls of the Exploring Egypt: 19th Century Expeditionary Photography exhibition, but its appearance may be deceptive! When Francis Frith took his 1857 photograph Crocodile on a Sandbank, he in some ways tapped into both fear...

Melissa Kleindl Exploring Egypt: 19th Century Expeditionary Photography exhibition, but its appearance may be deceptive! When Francis Frith took his 1857 photograph Crocodile on a Sandbank, he in some ways tapped into both fear and fascination with dangerous animals. He described crocodiles by emphasizing their great size, the dread local populations felt toward them, and the presence of at least one “atrocious man-eater.” Clearly this was an animal to be handled with great caution! However, Frith’s bravery in approaching this dangerous subject may be called into question. On the photograph’s gallery label, it is noted that this same crocodile appears many times in Frith’s work—with different background views, and a suspiciously similar pose—suggesting that the crocodile was in fact a stuffed prop. Perhaps Frith was a bit more fearful than he wanted to let on, or maybe he was just an opportunist who thought it would be difficult to catch a crocodile on film in an attractive setting. Sir John Gardner Wilkinson’s 1847 Hand-book for Travellers in Egypt seems to work toward calming the nerves of European travelers who might not be attracted to travels in Egypt if serious threats awaited them! Wilkinson describes crocodiles as “timid” animals that are “heavy and unwieldy” and that “cannot run very fast.” Crocodiles, he writes, are also “more inclined to run from, than at, any man who has to the courage to face” them (pg 332). Even so, Wilkinson does seem to advocate caution. For example, Wilkinson assures his readers that he never heard of a crocodile devouring a human—unless of course that human was, “incautiously standing at the brink of the river, where its approach is concealed by the water, and where, by the immense power of its tail, it is enabled to throw down and overcome the strongest man; who being carried immediately to the bottom of the river, has neither the time nor the means to resist.” And he “never heard of a person being carried away by a crocodile while in the water” in Egypt, but people should probably be careful near water while visiting Ethiopia (pg 332). It seems that depictions of the crocodile as dangerous depended, at least in part, on purpose—asserting artistic bravery or luring travelers—and possibly also how close one was to the water. This exhibition is free and open through July 18. ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.422 2010-04-20T17:05:43Z 2010-05-04T17:36:22Z

Exploring Egypt: 19th Century Expeditionary Photography features photographs taken for a variety of purposes—preservation, Romantic attachment, and even architectural documentation. Yet the unique stories behind the objects, monuments and landscapes photographed are perhaps not evident to modern day viewers. Consider...

Melissa Kleindl Exploring Egypt: 19th Century Expeditionary Photography features photographs taken for a variety of purposes—preservation, Romantic attachment, and even architectural documentation. Yet the unique stories behind the objects, monuments and landscapes photographed are perhaps not evident to modern day viewers. Consider Maxime Du Camp’s Goumah, Colossal Monolith of Amenhotep. The statue photographed is the easternmost one of a pair depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III. The two statues are positioned at the approach to the Valley of the Kings. The photograph’s label describes it as having been taken in a “straightforward manner” which could suggest that Du Camp had a documentary approach to the subject. Look closely: the presence of a man between the statue’s legs indicates its immense size. The statues themselves are 60 feet tall and 18 feet wide across their shoulders. The massive size must be impressive, but so too is the historical mystique surrounding the eastern statue. Sir John Gardner Wilkinson's 1847 Hand-book for Travellers in Egypt, a widely read and popular guidebook for nineteenth-century European travelers, described this statue as a wonder of the ancient world. He references ancient accounts that assert a “sound was uttered when the sun touched its lips” (Wilkinson’s Handbook pg 349). Mystery shrouded the statue and its morning “speech.” Elite Greeks and even Roman emperors traveled to Egypt to hear it. Scholars of various generations attempted to identify the source of the sound. Wilkinson presents accounts describing the sound uttered by the statue as similar to the “breaking of a harp-string” or “a metallic ring” that could be heard “about the first or second hour after sunrise” (pg 350). However, as with most mysterious happenings, the sound’s origins were critiqued and debunked. Wilkinson believed that priests “contrived the sound of the statue” and “were artful enough to allow the supposed deity to fail occasionally,” which motivated visitors to return another morning to hear the statue’s sound (pg 350). He identifies the sound’s source as a stone in the statue’s lap that, when struck, emitted a metallic sound. Visitors could be deceived because a space was cut from a block behind the statue, leaving space for a person to hide and strike the stone. Wilkinson went so far as to test the stone himself, posting peasants below and climbing up the statue to strike the “sonorous block” with a small hammer (pg 350). The peasants heard the ringing sound and compared it to brass. Nonetheless, a powerful aura remains in the eastern statue as photographed by Du Camp. The immense size, its position in front of mountains, and its mysterious purpose invite viewers to pause and feel a sense of wonder. This exhibition is free and open through July 18. ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.421 2010-03-25T17:19:14Z 2010-03-26T15:53:44Z

A few weeks ago, students (ages 6-12) along with a parent/adult took part in Happy Birthday Nelson-Atkins!, a workshop held in the Ford Learning Center. Taught by Kreshaun McKinney, the class visited the Magnificent Gifts for the 75th exhibition. The...

Melissa Kleindl Magnificent Gifts for the 75th exhibition. The children especially liked seeing the fiberglass chair Black Widow by Wendell Castle. Returning to the classroom, it was time to create! Participants built impressive, multi-tiered cake sculptures and painted them however they wished. The class especially liked using corrugated paper and paint in squeeze bottles as a way to “frost” their cake sculptures. The workshop concluded with real cake and punch served out of William Rockhill Nelson’s “Hoosier” punch bowl. By: Lisa Schlagle ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.420 2010-03-17T15:13:37Z 2010-03-17T15:43:55Z

There is no shortage of interesting jobs at an art museum. One job that is very important is one we hope you never notice: lighting. The amount of light needed to illuminate a work of art is a science that...

Clint Paugh After years in the dark, the dragon in the center of the Chinese Temple ceiling is visible again! An old photograph from the Museum’s archives shows that the dragon was once illuminated by a glowing ball hanging down from the dragon’s mouth. It appears to be a simple frosted globe containing a light bulb, with the bottom two thirds of the globe painted black. The electrical wiring and cord that held the light came down through a hole in the dragon’s mouth. The previous installation, like the current one, references a Chinese fable about a dragon chasing a pearl. In hoping to once again put light on the dragon, we decided to take this reference further by making the new light fixture look more like a pearl, while still using it to illuminate the dragon and the intricate carvings surrounding it. The solution we came up with involves six fiber optic fibers fed down through the hole in the dragon’s mouth into an 8” diameter globe, which has been painted to look like a pearl. The top quarter of the “pearl” is a metal plate containing six 5/8” holes. The fibers feed down into the pearl and then loop back up into fixtures fitted into the holes. Thus we are able to light the dragon with fixtures that are concealed on the top of the pearl. The light that reaches the dragon comes from what is called an illuminator, located above the ceiling. The illuminator contains a light bulb which shoots light through the fibers and out the fixtures housed atop the pearl. The Temple Room and other Chinese galleries are currently undergoing minor renovations. They may be closed on certain days from now through early May. ]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.418 2010-03-16T18:28:42Z 2010-03-16T18:43:48Z

Venice. 3 Visions in Glass is the first exhibition of glass at the Nelson-Atkins in our 75+ year history. It features the objects of three of the leading artists working in glass today, Cristiano Bianchin, Yoichi Ohira and Laura de...

Jodi O-K Venice. 3 Visions in Glass is the first exhibition of glass at the Nelson-Atkins in our 75+ year history. It features the objects of three of the leading artists working in glass today, Cristiano Bianchin, Yoichi Ohira and Laura de Santillana. Venice is a city associated with water so it is fitting that the exhibit has numerous aquatic connotations. When I walked into gallery L8, my first thought was of floating islands of glass. Unlike paintings hung on the wall, this is very much a three-dimensional exhibition. As you move from one display to another, you must navigate your path through these islands. My attention was immediately drawn to three of de Santillana’s Flags. The flattened, minimal forms are sophisticated and elegant. Undulating fields of color float on top of one another reminding me of Mark Rothko’s color field paintings. As sculptures, de Santillana’s works add the three-dimensional quality that Rothko’s paintings are unable to capture. The Flags are simply stunning. Another group of works by de Santillana, called Bodhis, were inspired by the prayer stance of Buddhist monks. These objects sit directly in a bed of sand. They are short and squat with rounded bottoms that would seem to rock back and forth as if they are bending low in prayer. For me, they resembled figures bobbing in water. Clearly, (no pun intended) I was quite taken with de Santillana’s works. Her other figures, called Meteors, felt a little more organic than the Flags and Bodhis. The globular shape evokes a dynamic form that seems to be inflating and deflating, perhaps even breathing. The works of Yoichi Ohira are located mainly in the Contemporary Decorative Art cases along the gallery walk. His objects begin with a traditional vase structure but he gives it a modern twist softening the form with bends and curves in the silhouette. Many of them are clear glass with beautiful incised (inciso in Italian) details but the ones that caught my eye were his Calle vases. The Calles are rendered in brilliant colors that imitate semi-precious stones. At first, I thought the pieces were clear glass that had been painted with vivid, impressionistic brushstrokes of yellow, blue, red and green. Then I began to notice the textures and surfaces of the colors and realized they are facets of the glass. I found the works by Cristiano Bianchin to be less ethereal and more functional. His repeated use of the urn shape made me think of furniture or decorative household items. Some are covered with fabric; others are nestled in a bed of peat. For me, his work was interesting but less about the beauty of the glass than how he transforms it. Be sure to see the exhibition and decide for yourself. Vencie. 3 Visions in Glass is on view through August 15. Admission is free.]]> tag:www.nelson-atkins.org,2010:/blog//3.419 2010-03-12T16:17:48Z 2010-03-12T16:30:31Z

Last week, we announced that Julián Zugazagoitia was named the new director and CEO of the Museum. At a special staff meeting, we had the chance to meet Julián for the first time. There was a buzz of excitement...

Jodi O-K Last week, we announced that Julián Zugazagoitia was named the new director and CEO of the Museum. At a special staff meeting, we had the chance to meet Julián for the first time. There was a buzz of excitement in Atkins Auditorium but the room quickly fell silent as Sarah Rowland, the chair of the Board of Trustees, walked in and took her place at the front. Since the guest of honor had not yet arrived, we waited patiently for a few moments in the palpable silence. All of a sudden, Julián bounded in to the room and took his seat in the front row. After Mrs. Rowland’s brief introduction, Julián took the microphone. He made a few remarks about the honor of being chosen as the new director and feeling a little daunted to follow in the footsteps of the current director, Marc Wilson. Then, he asked if we had any questions. Again, the room was silent. Finally, someone good naturedly asked “so, how ya doing?” With a sigh of relief, Julián smiled and thanked the fellow for his question. That set the tone for the rest of the questions. Here are just a few and the (paraphrased) responses. Q: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? A: Dulce de leche and chocolate. Q: What are the six languages you speak? A: His first language is Spanish, followed by French which is the language he feels most comfortable writing in. Next is English and then Italian and Portuguese. The last language that he has attempted to learn but has struggled with is German. He said he looks forward to the possibility of picking up some Mandarin from Marc Wilson. Q: Cat man or dog man? A: He had an Irish setter as a child but living in New York, they don’t have room for a pet except for a small red fish. When they were making the decision to move to Kansas City, one of the bonuses (i.e. “bribes”) for his children was that they may have a pet. Q: PC or MAC? A: “Why must the world be divided? I am bilingual and bi-platform.” Q: How do you feel about Kansas City barbeque? A: After numerous trips to Kansas City, he finds it a challenge. There are so many pieces and he doesn’t know how to order it. However, his son loved it and he is sure to educate his father. Q: What do you think will be your biggest adjustment from NYC to KC? A: He said he didn’t think he would know until after living here for awhile, but most likely having to get a car. He hasn’t had a car since he was a teenager in Mexico and had to drive his sister to ballet lessons. He moved to Paris to attend school and didn’t have to worry about that responsibility anymore. Q: Do you have any hobbies? A: Yes, fencing, and biking but he loves sailing. Fencing and biking are definite possibilities in KC. Sailing may require some creativity here in the heartland. Julián is currently the director of El Museo del Barrio in New York, a leading institution in the field of Latin American and Latino art. He will begin his post at the Nelson-Atkins on Sept. 1. Click here for a more official introduction. ]]>