#student docents

[ummaannex]

Students Choice

Graffiti, cartoons, and child-like sketches; re-interpreting art from the past, juxtaposition of disparate elements, and the use of odd perspectives are some of the devices and strategies used by artists seen in this installation. Although the artists’ styles are radically different, the intent is similar: the unexpected and surprising features force us to reconsider the meaning of art and impact of culture.

The works in this installation were drawn from UMMA’s permanent collection, primarily from the 1980’s and largely from one donor. Many have not been exhibited before. They were selected and interpreted by students in UMMA’s Student Engagement Council, many of whom are also in the Museum Studies Program. We hope you enjoy their choices and insights.

[amamblog]

This week our Sunday Object Talk will be given by education and public programs assistant Hannah Tishkoff (OC ‘18). She will speak about Fred Wilson’s “LIBERATION” from 2012, a recent acquisition to the AMAM collection. This work combines Wilson's ongoing engagement with flag imagery with his signature blown glass forms. This work is currently on view in the exhibition Black to the Powers of Ten. Talk begins at 2pm. Offered most Sundays during the academic year, these talks are orientated specifically towards the casual visitor to the AMAM. Each talk focuses on one work in the collection or on view in a current exhibition, and lasts approximately fifteen minutes plus questions. Conducted by an Oberlin College student docent, these talks are a fantastic opportunity to learn about new objects or revisit old ‘friends’ from the collection. Each student-led talk focuses on a work in one of the galleries, including some of the most famous in the AMAM collection. Fall semester talks begin on September 11 and run through December 4 (except for October 16 and 23, and November 27). Image: Fred Wilson (American, b. 1954) LIBERATION, 2012 Acrylic on canvas, blown glass Gift of the artist and Pace Gallery, Douglas Baxter (OC '72), President, and Ruth C. Roush Contemporary Art Fund

[amamblog]

We hope you can join us tomorrow for the final Tuesday Tea of the academic year. On May 12 at 2:30pm, Mallory Cohen (OC '15), modern and contemporary curatorial assistant, will present a talk on Henri-Edmond Cross' painting "The Return of the Fisherman" from 1896. She will examine the work as an intersection between the aesthetics of the Neo-Impressionist movement, and the politics of the anarcho-communists. The talk will be followed with tea and cookies. 

Now in its seventh year, the annual Senior Tuesday Tea showcases the scholarship of Oberlin College students. One soon-to-be graduate, selected by staff through a competitive process, gives a talk on a work from the AMAM collection. Image: Henri-Edmond Cross (French, 1856–1910) The Return of the Fisherman, 1896 Oil on canvas Gift of Nate B. Spingold, 1953.271

[ummaannex]

George Grosz Streetscene (Strassenszene) 1919-20 lithograph on paper Museum Purchase, 1948/1.60 

It is impossible to discuss the concept of uniformity without mention of Germany in the early 20th century.  In this satirical caricature, George Grosz exposes the ugly and dangerous stereotypes based on race, gender, class and religion that dominated the nation during the interwar years.  Citizens were expected to fit a mold of Aryan perfection that did not reflect the world Grosz saw around him and a once integrated society fractured under the weight of Nazi ideology.

Andrea Cara

[ummaannex]

Kobayashi Bunshichi Beauty Seated on a Bench, after Miyagawa Chôsun, 1901 hand-colored woodblock print on silk Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker, 1948/1.204

 This image is in the tradition of ukiyo-e prints many of which portrayed beautiful women, typically courtesans and geisha who worked in the pleasure districts in Edo. Prints of these women, some of whom were celebrities, helped to create an image of feminine beauty which provides an interesting comparison to the style embraced by Frida Kahlo, seen at the other end of this case.

What feminine qualities does this print attempt to portray? How is feminine beauty imagined? How does it compare to modern American ideals of beauty? 

     Nathaniel Coryell

[ummaannex]

Tyree Guyton Ups and Downs, 1994 acrylic on Masonite Gift of the Daniel and Harriet Fusfeld Folk Art Collection, 2002/1.202

Big smiles stare out at you from Tyree Guyton's painting, the title of which comes from the up and down directions of the purple paint dripping from each figure's eyes.  The joy on the faces of these figures portray Guyton's belief in a positive celebration of our individual identities.  As founder of the Heidelberg Project, Detroit, Guyton's work brings communities together and allows them to celebrate their differences.  

     Tori Cox

[ummaannex]

Manuel Alvarez Bravo Frida with Globe, Coyoacan, Mexico, 1938 gelatin silver print Museum purchase made possible by the Harry Denham Trust, 2003/1.377

This picture of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo shows her dressed in the traditional Tehuana garments that she loved to wear, and which displayed her heritage. The celebrations of her culture as seen in her art, life and clothing were joyful, exuberant, and brought people together.

     Tori Cox