cover photo - Chrysler Museum of Art
Transcription
cover photo - Chrysler Museum of Art
Chrysler The Members’ Magazine | Fall 2015 Envisioning a New Chrysler Museum of Art board of trustees 2015–2016 “Progress is impossible without change,” George Bernard Shaw once said. That quote might seem like a reproach to an institution that lives to preserve and to conserve, an institution like the Chrysler Museum of Art. We exist, in part, to take care of the beautiful objects in our collections. Visitors want to come back year after year and see that the painting they love is still there, exactly the same as it was 10 years ago. However, by being true to one of their key missions, museums become vulnerable to inertia. They can become static, with the objects virtually encased in amber—beautiful to behold, but unchanging. If left alone, a museum loses its vibrancy. It becomes boring and follows the path of withering irrelevance. To counteract this influence and to fulfill our equally important educational mission, we must insist on meaningful growth and change. Earlier this year, the staff, volunteers, Trustees, and I embarked on a “visioning” process to help us chart a dynamic future for the Chrysler. We set out to build on the strengths of this wonderful Museum and to make it even better. We also sought out opportunities for new challenges. Throughout this exercise, we worked to reinforce the culture of our Museum, where individuals are valued and welcomed. From an initial group of goals and objectives for the coming three to five years, we settled on six priorities. They are ambitious, but achievable. • Develop and implement a comprehensive and realistic technology plan across the Museum • Establish new educational programs and a dedicated learning space for families and early learners • Expand and upgrade the Glass Studio to allow for a broader range of classes and increased participation • Create a space for proper storage and study of works on paper and small objects of art • Organize and present a major exhibition with the potential for national impact • Devise and execute a long-term marketing strategy to address both regional and national audiences in order to increase audiences and awareness of the Chrysler. These are big plans, but why trifle with little ones? Fulfilling them will take work and sacrifice. I know we will achieve them, and the result will be a significantly improved Chrysler Museum of Art— true to its mission, but brave enough to change. Lewis W. Webb III, Esq., Chair Thomas L. Stokes, Jr., Vice Chair Lelia Graham Webb, Secretary Yvonne T. Allmond Dudley Anderson, M.D., F.A.C.P. Tony Atwater Shirley C. Baldwin Carolyn K. Barry Kathleen Broderick Deborah H. Butler Susan R. Colpitts Elizabeth Fraim Edith G. Grandy James A. Hixon Marc Jacobson Linda H. Kaufman Pamela C. Kloeppel Harry T. Lester Suzanne Mastracco Oriana M. McKinnon Peter M. Meredith, Jr. J. Douglas Perry C. Arthur Rutter III Lisa B. Smith Bob Sasser Richard Waitzer Joseph T. Waldo Wayne F. Wilbanks chrysler magazine Denis Finley, Director of Communications Cheryl Little, Editor/ Publications Manager Ed Pollard, Museum Photographer Jane Cleary, Graphics Manager Megan Frost, Development Officer Chrysler Magazine is a quarterly publication produced for and mailed to Chrysler Museum Members as a benefit of their generous support. Update or verify your membership information at http://reservations. chrysler.org or contact Database Manager Fleater Allen at: Chrysler Museum of Art One Memorial Place, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 333-6287 | [email protected]. The Chrysler Museum of Art, all rights reserved © 2015 on the cover Erik H. Neil, Director The Miracle of Saint George and the Dragon, also called “The Black George,” early 1400s Novgorod, Russia Egg tempera on wood British Museum, 1986,0603.1 Chrysler The Members’ Magazine | Fall 2015 inside front cover 2 7 9 10 Tony Vaccaro (American, b. 1922) Georgia O'Keeffe, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, April 1960 Photograph (gelatin silver print) Collection of the Chrysler Museum of Art Gift of the artist © Tony Vaccaro, used by permission 14 18 19 20 21 Horizons Hampton Roads 22 24 25 26 27 28 Tom Moore (Australian, b. 1971) Leafy Bird Boy, 2013 Blown glass Photo by Grant Hancock, courtesy of the artist Director’s Note featured exhibition Saints and Dragons in the galleries Exhibitions on View Spotlight Exhibition: Beverly Fishman: In Sickness and In Health Collection Connection: Serial Thrillers: The Lure of Old Master Print Series and Georgia O’Keeffe: A Place of Her Own chrysler news Our Perry Glass Studio Turns 4 New Acquisition Norfolk Society of Arts Lecture Series New Staff Introducing the Corporate Leadership Alliance Spring and Summer Events at the Museum events and guests Masterpiece Society News CMA Keeps Charity Navigator’s Trust Events for Members and Their Friends Member-exclusive Art Travel last look The Opening Party— Tseng Kwong Chi: Performing for the Camera back cover At The Museum Shop 2 | fall 2015 The Power of Art Saints and Dragons at the Chrysler Museum of Art w hen an icon of the Mother of God was carried into Moscow in 1395, marauding Mongols stopped dead in their tracks, leaving the city unharmed. After Duke Vasili III of Russia blessed his soldiers with an icon of Christ in 1514, his army laid waste to enemy troops occupying the city of Smolensk. Hitler’s Nazi forces began to retreat from Moscow in 1942 after Joseph Stalin, an avowed atheist, reportedly flew an icon in a plane over the city. These stories convey the power of the art on view this fall in our exhibition Saints and Dragons: Icons from Byzantium to Russia. The show presents more than 160 extraordinary objects loaned by the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Mass., and The British Museum, London. Many of these icons seldom travel and several from The British Museum have never visited America due to their fragility and rarity. Their power, however, is unquestionable. More than Mere Pictures Visitors to the Chrysler often discover art’s beauty and learn about an artist’s technique, but this exhibition draws attention to another dimension of art: its mystical power. Unlike ordinary images, icons are considered sacred objects by Orthodox Christians, who see them as a way of communing directly with the divine. Icons may represent holy figures and tell stories about their lives, but they also convey the actual presence of those saintly subjects. When the faithful venerate an icon, their gaze is said to pass beyond the depiction, allowing them to peer into the holy, as if looking through a window onto heaven. To modern art audiences, who often prize originality, an icon’s imagery may seem derivative, but that is actually the source of its strength. As part of a tradition that spans millennia, icons are derived from Church-approved prototypes—an originating icon, often identified because it has interceded in human activities or performed a miracle. As such, icon painters are not meant to introduce changes, much in the same way the devout are not meant to alter the words of a sacred text. This is no mere analogy. Indeed, Russians do not describe icon-making as painting, preferring the words písať perom, which means, “to write with a pen.” Although most icons are deliberately unoriginal, every object in this exhibition tells a unique story. The Byzantine Icon of St. John the Forereunner, for example, is notable for its age—made around 1300, it is one of the oldest in the show. It is also noteworthy for its subtly uncommon features. Most images show him as an unkempt ascetic, often emaciated with wild hair. This depiction includes St. John’s traditionally disheveled hair, but uses realistic shading and elegantly elongated features that emphasize his noble character. Similarly, the icon shown on this issue’s cover, St. George from the early 1400s, includes atypical imagery. Usually depicted on a white steed (as in the later icon at right), The British Museum’s rare icon is called “The Black George” since the saint rides a dark horse. The object’s history is also unusual. Discovered in 1959 in a small village in northwest Russia, the panel had been repainted for use as a barn window shutter. Conservators removed many coats of paint, including a folk image from the 1700s and a layer from the 1600s, before discovering the saint. Owned by the wife of a dissident Russian author, the icon travelled with them to Western Europe when they were allowed to leave the country in 1973. Saints and Dragons also includes a number of icons made famous for performing miracles. For example, multiple versions of The Mother of God of the Sign will be on view, one of which has an elaborate gilded silver oklad, or covering. The icon became a powerful symbol of protection after it defended the city of Novgorod in 1170. When four united armies stormed the city, the Archbishop of Novgorod prayed for three days until he heard a voice emanating from an icon of Christ. It told him Saint George and the Dragon, ca. 1500 Russia Egg tempera on wood Museum of Russian Icons, R2003.5 in the galleries | 3 to install the icon of the Mother of God of the Sign on the city wall. The attacking troops unleashed a volley of arrows on the city and one struck the icon, which turned away and wept. When the Archbishop wiped away her tears, darkness fell over the invading soldiers, who panicked and blindly attacked themselves. venerate the divine subjects revealed by the icons rather than the icons themselves. Empowered by the newfound approval, icon-making exceeded its earlier glory, and artists responded to a craze for rare and expensive materials by adorning icons with gold, ivory, and pearls made available through Byzantium’s extensive trade networks. From Byzantium to Russia In addition to exploring the sacred power of icons, Saints and Dragons traces how religious and political power shifted throughout Eastern Europe. The icons on view reflect subtle variations in style and ornament that help map the centers of icon production as they moved from the Byzantine Empire to Russia, illuminating the history of the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church began sending missionaries to the Balkans and as far north as modern-day Russia, and they carried icons with them as they spread the faith. In 988, Prince Vladimir of Kiev (958–1015) converted his kingdom (present-day Ukraine and southwestern Russia) to Christianity. Seeking to unify his kingdom, Vladimir decided to establish a single state religion. He sent emissaries abroad to meet with Muslims, Jews, Western Christians, and Orthodox Byzantines so he could decide which faith to adopt. When his emissaries returned from the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, they recounted their mystical experience viewing icons in the cathedral. “We didn’t know whether we were in heaven or on earth, for such beauty is not found on earth,” they reportedly told the prince. “Certainly God lives among these people.” Vladimir made Christianity the state religion and invited icon painters from the south to teach Russian artists their craft. Icon painting originally flourished in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey). The city became the capital of the Roman Empire in 330, when Rome’s first Christian emperor, Constantine (272–337), moved his government to a small Greek village and named it after himself. After Rome was sacked by the Gauls in 387 and the Visigoths in 410, the Western Empire collapsed, but the Eastern Empire, then known as Byzantium, thrived. Strategically positioned on waterways connecting Europe and Asia, the capital would come to be thought of as the New Rome, attracting artists from throughout the Empire. Melding the ancient arts of Rome and Greece with Orthodox Christianity, Byzantine Christians developed icons whose grace can be traced to classical models. Saint John the Forerunner, ca. 1300 Constantinople, Turkey Egg tempera on wood British Museum, 1986,0708.1 Image Not Made By Hands, ca. 1680 Crete Egg tempera on wood Museum of Russian Icons, R2014.5.6 4 | fall 2015 As Byzantium prospered, icon production blossomed and imperial workshops outfitted palaces and churches. In the 700s, however, icon production came to a halt after ruling emperors decreed that icons were “graven images” and thus biblically forbidden. Icons were publicly destroyed, and bloody fighting broke out between factions until 787, when Church patriarchs devised a theological solution that allowed icons. They declared that worshipers would henceforth The Byzantine influence on Russian kingdoms continued even as the Empire began to crumble. Venetian crusaders en route to the Holy Land attacked Constantinople in 1204, sacking its churches and looting their holy objects. By the time Constantinople was reclaimed in 1261, the Empire’s territories had fragmented. In the north, though, Orthodoxy and icon painting continued to spread, and when the Byzantine Empire collapsed in 1453, Moscow took over the responsibility of maintaining the Church and creating sacred images. After 1472, when Ivan III (1440–1505) married Sophia (née Zoe) Palaiologina (ca. 1440– 1503), the niece of the last Byzantine emperor, Moscow could claim to be the Third Rome and Byzantium’s heir. Mother of God with Saints, also known as The Wernher Triptych, 900s Byzantine Ivory British Museum, 1978,0502.10 Ivories from The British Museum Come to the Chrysler Saints and Dragons at the Chrysler Museum of Art will include a special treat—six additional icons from the collection of The British Museum in London. These rare works were unable to appear in the exhibition when it debuted at the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Mass. Why? These icons are made of ivory—and recent laws restrict caption international travel on the movement of elephant ivory. Though the measures are designed to help reduce illegal wildlife trafficking and trade in the rare commodity, even ancient cultural objects made of ivory require special permission to enter the United States. Even centuries ages ago when these icons were created, ivory was a rare luxury item. The elite, some churches, and the most devout of pilgrims traveled from Egypt or Syria to Constantinople. There artists would purchase the costly tusks and carve them for commissions. And just as the ancient trade routes did not always offer an easy journey, so international travel for ivory artworks poses challenges in our century. Today, not all ivories are granted export licenses to travel abroad. Though The Museum of Russian Icons had requested these ancient works for its exhibition, the detailed documentation and permissions process often takes time. With the help of museum professionals and government officials on both sides of the Atlantic, especially those in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Chrysler was able to gain the approvals to include the ivories in our expanded version of the exhibition. The Chrysler is honored to be the first and only American museum ever to display these six sacred masterworks in ivory from the renowned collection of The British Museum. Their inclusion helps make Saints and Dragons a once-in-a-lifetime, must-see exhibition. Saints and Dragons Programs and Events All programs are free, unless noted. R.S.V.P. for ticketed events at reservations.chrysler.org. At The Museum Shop Find great merchandise featuring both saints and dragons. Museum Members save 10% on all their purchases. Icons Then and Now | Gallery Talk Sunday, November 8 | 1 p.m. Learn the storied history of these sacred artworks from experts at The Museum of Russian Icons—CEO and Curator Kent dur Russell and founder Gordon Lankton. In Concert: The RimskyKorsakov String Quartet Sunday, November 8 2 p.m. | Kaufman Theater Enjoy classical favorites by Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Mozart, and more as we welcome these acclaimed performers from St. Petersburg, Russia. Cost: Free for Museum Members, $10 for all others. Advance tickets are required. Saints and Dragons: Icons from Byzantium to Russia is organized by The Museum of Russian Icons, Clinton, Mass., in cooperation with The British Museum, London. 6 | fall 2015 Iconic Mosaic | Glass Studio Workshop The Art of Gilding Workshop Saturday, December 12 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Make a gold-leaf panel using The Perry Glass Studio, 745 the ancient method of water Duke Street, Norfolk gilding with 24-karat gold, Transform small bits of cut then embellish it with Russian flat glass into a coldworked calligraphy. Alexis Duncan panel inspired by Russian from Albany, N.Y., a Russian iconography (ages 16+). Cost: $90 for Museum Members, Orthodox priest and trained iconographer, is your guide. $115 for all others. All supplies are included in the price (ages 14+). Windows onto Heaven Cost: $75 for Museum Members, Wednesday, November 18 $100 for all others. 1 p.m. Saturday, November 14 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Join us for an insightful walk-and-talk through our fall keynote exhibition. Father George Bessinas, Proistamenos of Norfolk’s Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, discusses the use of icons in the Orthodox faith as he leads this tour of the show. Sounds of the Saints Saturday, December 19 1 p.m. Celebrate St. Nicholas and the holiday season with an enlightening Saints and Dragons presentation and a special choral performance. Father George Bessinas of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral presents an illustrated talk about Orthodox traditions involving icons. Later, the cathedral’s chanters, choir, and youth choir fill the air with traditional and contemporary songs in English and in Greek. Mother of God Kazanskaya, 1600s Moscow, Russia Egg tempera on wood with silver and enamel The British Museum, 1895,1224.1 The Mother of God Kazanskaya from the 1600s demonstrates the merging of these Byzantine and Russian traditions. Although based on a Byzantine prototype, this particular iteration of the icon appeared in Russia in 1579 after liberation of the city of Kazan. A recurrent vision appeared to a young girl, Matrona, which led her to a burnt house. In the ashes she discovered the icon in perfect condition, buried there earlier to protect it from the invading Tatars. Inspired by the discovery, the faithful built a monastery at the site—and the miraculous icon housed there became known throughout Russia as a protector of the countryside. While the gilded silver covering is embellished with jewel-like enamel filigree popular in 17th-century Russia, the icon includes an inscription in Greek that reads, simply, “Mother of God.” A Living Tradition The power of Saints and Dragons continues to thrive in Hampton Roads. In planning this important exhibition, the Museum has enjoyed making connections with the local Orthodox community, including members of St. Joseph of Optina Russian Orthodox Church in Virginia Beach and Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Norfolk. To demonstrate the ongoing power of this tradition, the show will include liturgical vestments adorned with icons, as well as videos of icons being used in contemporary services. The show also will be opened with a blessing by the Rev. Father George Bessinas of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. As sacred images, works of art, and historical artifacts, the icons in Saints and Dragons have many stories to tell—and an enduring power that will appeal to everyone. —Seth Feman, Manager of Interpretation Exhibitions Serial Thrillers: The Lure of Old Master Print Series Saints and Dragons: Icons from Byzantium to Russia On view through January 10, 2016 in the Waitzer Community Gallery (G. 103) Discover the classic appeal of European woodcuts, engravings, and etchings produced as series between the 15th and 18th centuries by some of the world’s greatest detail artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Andrea Andreani, Ludolf Bakhuizen, and more. These sets of prints, acquired for the Chrysler by Chief Curator Emeritus Jeff Harrison, offer wonderful workmanship, rich narratives, and complex visions of time, space, movement, and morality through the wide variety of stories they tell. On view through January 10, 2016 in the Norfolk Southern Special Exhibitions Gallery (Gs. 101–102) Our fall keynote show comprises more than 160 extraordinary icons and artifacts of religious, historical, and artistic importance that rarely leave the collections of The British Museum and the Museum of Russian Icons. These compelling works explore the sacred art of the Orthodox Church from its origins in ancient Byzantium and through the storied history of Christianity in Russia and beyond. The show marks the first time that The British Museum has loaned several of its most spectacular icons to any American museum, making this exhibition a must-see for 2015. For more on this intriguing focus exhibition, see our story on pages 12–13. Andrea Andreani (Italian, 1558/59–1629) The Sacred Fires and Sacrificial Animals from The Triumph of Julius Caesar, 1593–99 Woodcuts Museum purchase with funds provided by Members of the Mowbray Arch Society: Mr. and Mrs. C. Chadwick Ballard, Dr. and Mrs. Ludwig Diehn, Mr. Leslie H. Friedman, Mr. and Mrs. Lee A. Gifford, Ms. Janet Hale-Hamlin, Ms. Betty Wrenn Hoggard, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lester, Mr. and Mrs. John F. Marshall, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Arnold B. McKinnon, and Mr. and Mrs. Rolf Williams, with additional funds provided by Mr. Jack F. Chrysler, Jr. In The Box: Kota Ezawa Opening the evening of Third Thursday, October 15 in The Box Reimagine the familiar as our new-media gallery welcomes the San Francisco artist known for his animated audiovisual mash-ups of popular culture and art history. Enjoy his lightbox take on the iconic Earth From Moon, as well as two recent video works. City of Nature presents unpopulated nature scenes from more than 20 feature films in paint-bynumber-kit style, while Beatles über California remixes footage of the Fab Four’s 1964 Ed Sullivan Show appearance with a 1979 punk soundtrack by Dead Kennedys. Kota Ezawa’s In The Box exhibition works are on loan from Murray Guy, New York. Kota Ezawa (German, b. 1969) Beatles über California, 2011 Still from black and white video with sound © Kota Ezawa in the galleries | 7 AT THE HISTORIC HOUSES Beth Lipman (American, b. 1971) Adeline’s Portal (detail), 2013 Blown, fused, cast, sculpted, flame-worked, cut, and etched glass (with other materials) Museum purchase with funds provided by the Friends of the Historic Houses The NEON Festival: The Chrysler Illuminates for New Energy Of Norfolk The evenings of Third Thursday, October 15 and Friday, October 16 Let there be light! The Museum celebrates its role as the anchor of Norfolk’s new arts district with a grand illumination of our Italianate Brock Building façade. Hampton Roads’ own Blue Steel Lighting Design collaborates with the Chrysler to create a powerful weekend projection of pure color to light up the darkness and to symbolize the enlightenment of hearts and minds through the arts. Arshile Gorky: Between Worlds Gustav Klimt: Baby (Cradle) Georgia O’Keeffe: A Place of Her Own Closing October 18 in the McKinnon Wing of Modern and Contemporary Art (G. 223) Arshile Gorky ranks among the most inventive and eclectic of American modernist painters. Beginning his career in the 1920s as a figurative artist, he ultimately devised a complex biomorphic surrealist style that by the early 1940s placed him in the vanguard of Abstract Expressionism. Our third Collection Conversation brings together paintings from both the Chrysler and National Gallery of Art to trace the creative arc of this singular modernist genius. Ongoing in the Roberts Wing | 20th-Century | Modern Art Gallery (G. 219) Gustav Klimt stood at the creative pinnacle of the Austrian Art Nouveau. His densely worked, jewel-like portraits and complex allegorical canvases captured the mystery and heightened sensuality of late 19th-century Viennese society. Among his most unusual works, Baby depicts an infant lying in a cradle, his tiny head just visible beneath billowing layers of brightly-hued coverlets. Opening October 21 in the Roberts Wing | 20th-Century Art Gallery (G. 222) The enchanting works of Georgia O’Keeffe headline our final Collection Conversation exhibition with the National Gallery of Art. Her seductive, close-up depictions of plants and flowers shocked early viewers, but ultimately earned respect from the established art world. Later landscapes—some personal, others panoramic—revealed her persistent interest in shape, contrast, and mood. Come face to face with 10 masterworks, including loans from local collectors, and trace the brilliant six-decade career of this trailblazing modern artist. There’s more about this exhibition from Curator Alex Mann on pages 10–11. Willoughby-Baylor House 601 E. Freemason St., Norfolk Tidewater Wildflowers: Watercolors by Bessie Tyler Ongoing on the first floor The Norfolk Rooms Ongoing on the second floor in the Norfolk History Museum Moses Myers House 323 E. Freemason St., Norfolk Moses Myers: Maritime Merchant Barton Myers: Norfolk Visionary Adeline’s Portal by Beth Lipman These permanent installations are supported by a generous gift from the late T. Parker Host, Jr. 8 | fall 2015 Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887–1986) East River, New York No. 2, 1927 Pastel on paper On loan from a private collection © The Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation/ Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Arshile Gorky (American / b. Armenia 1904–1948) Still Life, ca. 1930–31 Oil on canvas Bequest of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. © Estate of Arshile Gorky / Artists Rights Society, New York Tseng Kwong Chi: Performing for the Camera Closing December 13 in the Focus Gallery, the McKinnon Wing of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the Frank Photography Galleries (Gs. 228, 229, and 223) Photographer, party-crasher, political gadfly, and poser: Tseng Kwong Chi had a penchant for performance, as well as the camera (and the connections) to chronicle Manhattan’s arts-and-club scene in the 1980s. This first traveling museum retrospective combines the artist’s droll East Meets West and Expeditionary Series and collaborations with Keith Haring with powerful, less-known images with social, identity, and philosophical implications. Though Tseng died of AIDS in 1990 at the age of 39, his conceptual creativity and visual satires influence new generations of artists. Tseng Kwong Chi (Canadian, b. Hong Kong, 1950–1990) Hollywood Hills, 1979 from the series East Meets West Vintage gelatin silver print, printed 1983 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Purchased with funds contributed by the Young Collectors Council, 1997, 97.4521 New on view in October: Tseng’s signature Mao suit joins our exhibition, fresh from its engagement in China: Through the Looking Glass at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This issue’s Last Look chronicles our blowout opening party for the show. Relive the fun on pages 28–29. Tseng Kwong Chi: Performing for the Camera is organized by the Chrysler Museum of Art and the Grey Art Gallery at New York University. The exhibition was conceived and curated by the late Amy Brandt, McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Chrysler Museum of Art, and is presented in her memory. Beverly Fishman: In Sickness and In Health On view through January 3, 2016 in the Glass Project Space (G. 118) Beverly Fishman’s work in painting, resin, and glass, currently on view at the Chrysler Museum of Art, is visually captivating with its supersized forms and outrageously combined colors. Catching a mere glance of it out of the corner of your eye as you enter the Glass Galleries will lure you in for a closer look. This is exactly what Fishman is after—to seduce you visually while proclaiming an important message and protesting the influence of a large industry. In Sickness and In Health poses challenging questions about a culture addicted to the idea of “better living through chemistry.” Her colorful “pills” are a provocative commentary on the world of modern medicine and the complicated relationship between a $500-billion pharmaceutical industry and our inherent yearning for good health. In Sickness and In Health installation images by Ed Pollard, Museum Photographer While trained as a painter, Fishman recently turned to glass, a material she sees as particularly alluring and appropriate to illustrate marketing tactics employed by the pharmaceutical giants. The exhibition asks us pointed questions about how we respond to corporate marketing that suggests pharmaceutical dependency as a solution to our physical and psychological problems. Is this culture of chemistry making us healthy, or is it creating, as one of Fishman’s titles suggests, an Artificial Paradise? —Diane Wright, Barry Curator of Glass in the galleries | 9 | “I Hate Flowers” Listening to Georgia O’Keeffe Georgia O’Keeffe: A Place of Her Own is on view from October 21, 2015 through January 3, 2016. “I hate flowers,” Georgia O’Keeffe allegedly told a reporter in 1954. “I paint them because they're cheaper than models and they don't move!” 10 | fall 2015 When I first read this quote, I laughed. Can this be true? Perhaps more than any other subject, O’Keeffe is known for her large, colorful—almost surrealist—paintings in which writhing flower forms explode across the canvas. Four of these, all Jack-in-the-Pulpit flower studies, are at the heart of the exhibition Georgia O’Keeffe: A Place of Her Own, the fourth and final in our Collection Conversations series presenting Chrysler treasures alongside masterpieces from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The originality and power of these works define O’Keeffe’s reputation as a pioneering modern artist. So did she really hate flowers? Questions of personal taste aside, flower painting has a long and illustrious history. From Dutch Baroque still lifes to Impressionist pictures of gardens (seen gloriously in last summer’s exhibition The Artist’s Garden), generation after generation has looked to the colors and shapes of orchids, irises, and roses for challenging subjects that promised to delight viewers. O’Keeffe described in her 1976 memoir how a high school art lesson in flower drawing first taught her to notice details. Our exhibition illustrates this with a rare student work by O’Keeffe: a pastel study of flowers. Georgia O'Keeffe (American, 1887–1986) Jack-in-the-Pulpit No. IV, 1930 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art Alfred Stieglitz Collection, Bequest of Georgia O'Keeffe 1987.58.3 Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887–1986) Black Door with Red, 1954 Oil on canvas Collection of the Chrysler Museum of Art Bequest of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. © The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum / Artists Rights Society, New York The artist made flowers a specialty in the 1920s while dividing her time between New York City and the summer home of her husband, Alfred Stieglitz, upstate near Lake George. During long walks in the countryside she gathered leaves, mushrooms, and flowers. Her paintings zoom in on these subjects, drawing our attention to the irregularities in nature. Back in the city, she made large paintings of these intimate objects to share particular forms and details. “I’m going to paint it big,” she wrote to a friend in 1923, describing her latest flower paintings, “so they will have to look at it.” Critics loved these new works. My favorite review is by fellow painter Charles Demuth, written in 1927: “Flowers and flames. And colour. Colour as colour, not as volume, or light,—only as colour. The last mad throb of red just as it turns green, the ultimate shriek of orange calling upon all the blues of heaven for relief or for support; these Georgia O’Keeffe is able to use. In her canvases each colour almost regains the fun it must have felt within itself, on forming the first rain-bow.” Others, however, interpreted the flower paintings as expressions of the artist’s femininity. “O’Keeffe gives her perceptions utterly immediate, quivering, warm,” wrote critic Paul Rosenfeld in 1924. “She gives the world as it is known to woman. No man could feel as Georgia O’Keeffe and utter himself in precisely such curves and colors; for in those curves and spots and prismatic color there is the woman referring the universe to her own frame, her own balance, and rendering in her picture of things her body’s subconscious knowledge of itself.” O’Keeffe bristled when reviewers described her flower paintings as a type of self-portraiture. “You hung all your own associations with flowers on my flower,” she complained in 1939, introducing her latest exhibition, “and you write about my flower as if I think and see what you think and see of the flower—and I don’t.” Perhaps it was this critical back-and-forth, this ongoing debate about hidden symbolism in the Jack-in-the-Pulpits, that prompted the artist to declare, “I hate flowers.” Was this an attempt to assert control over the meaning of her work, to take authority back from the (mostly male) art critics? Or was there some truth to her statement? Later in life O’Keeffe moved to a ranch near Taos, New Mexico and studied the desert landscape and adobe architecture of the Southwest. Though she continued to paint flowers, other images, such a single wall of her patio, developed into series, as seen in the Chrysler’s stunning Black Door with Red from 1954. Spanning six decades of O’Keeffe’s illustrious career, our exhibition offers an introduction to the variety of subjects that caught the eye of this revolutionary painter, often paired with quotes from the artist’s memoirs. Despite the elegant simplicity of these pictures and the poetic minimalism of her words, however, I suspect that there are complex layers of meaning between the lines and inside each work, associations and ideas that forever will remain mysterious. And I wager, regardless of whether Georgia O’Keeffe truly liked or hated flowers, this proud artist absolutely loved each one of her paintings. —Alex Mann, Brock Curator of American Art collec tion connec tion | 11 | Serial Thrillers The Lure of Old Master Print Series Serial Thrillers is on view through January 10, 2016. The Chrysler’s European collection is justly famed for its rich arr ay of paintings and sculpture, but it also contains an impressive number of Old Master prints. These woodcuts, engr avings, and etchings were produced bet ween the 15th and 18th centuries, when those gr aphic forms reached extr aordinary heights of technical and artistic perfection. 12 | fall 2015 Among the Chrysler’s print treasures are iconic masterpieces such as Albrecht Dürer’s 1498 engraving of The Virgin and Child with the Monkey. Here, in a single, self-contained image, Dürer brilliantly summed up the age-old Christian promise of salvation through Christ and his mother and his deliverance of the faithful from sin (symbolized by the chained monkey). At the same time he was creating single sheets, Dürer, like many printmakers, was investigating the rich potential of print sets, multi-sheet series that, by virtue of their multiple parts, offered more expansive narrative possibilities and broader, more complex visions of time, space, movement, and idea. Consider his Large Passion, where one of the central stories of the Christian faith—the final sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ—is fully and richly recounted in a succession of 12 incomparable woodcuts. Equally rich is Andrea Andreani’s nine-part woodcut series, which together presents in continuous format a Roman triumphal procession, one that seems to parade before your eyes as you move from left to right. The triumph is that of Julius Caesar (100–44 b.c.e.), who returns with his army after defeating the Gauls. The procession begins with his trumpeters and standard-bearers. It continues with trophy- and treasure-bearers, prisoners of war and musicians, before ending with Caesar riding in his chariot. Behind him a youth dressed as the winged Victory bestows a laurel crown, while another upholds a placard inscribed with Caesar’s famous statement, veni, vidi, vici: “I came, I saw, I conquered.” Reflecting the Renaissance fascination with Roman antiquity, Andreani’s multi-print format allows him room for a wealth of historical detail and a compelling sense of forward movement. Drawn from the Chrysler’s collection, the seven print sets in Serial Thrillers celebrate the wide range of expressive and artistic possibilities unique to this graphic form. You’ll see the seasons unfold, a greedy man learn his fate, and a French royal wedding celebration proceed through the gilded halls of Versailles. Multi-print sets invite active engagement as their subjects unfold from one print to the next. We invite you to begin the dynamic process of discovery. Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528) facing page : The Last Supper above details top, left to right The Flagellation, The Carrying of the Cross, bottom , left to right The Crucifixion, The Resurrection From the series The Large Passion, ca. 1497–1511 Woodcuts Gift of the Mowbray Arch Society, 2004 —Jeff Harrison, Chief Curator Emeritus collec tion connec tion | 13 | The Perry Glass Studio Performing Well E xperts say a child’s personality is largely formed by age 5, so we’re happy to report that the future looks bright for our energetic 4-year-old. The Chrysler Museum Glass Studio opened in November 2011, inaugurated with an appearance by one of the most important figures in the history of the Studio Glass Movement. Maestro Lino Tagliapietra has been followed since by a Who’s Who of glass artists, from acknowledged masters and pioneers to some of the top artists working today, including emerging contemporary talents whose experiments with glass are creating new aesthetics. We’ve not only had world-class talent visit, we’ve had nationally recognized talent on our own staff. Our young assistants have honed their skills and moved up and on to bigger and better things literally around the world. Our Studio’s bedrock husband-and-wife team, Julia and Robin Rogers, are hailed for their glass sculpting, and as their family has grown, so, too, has our family of interactive glass figures outside the Studio door. And our Studio Manager and Programming Director, Charlotte Potter, has exhibited or performed from New York to Norway. The word performed is key here, as it was her vision from 14 | fall 2015 Opening Day to combine glass and performance art, to leverage this beautiful, molten medium into a full-blown spectacle. Potter created a supportive, swing-for-the-fences environment that encourages collective creativity—and the artists have delivered in spectacular fashion. How many ways can you perform with molten glass? Studio artists have cooked with it, made music with it, and used it for calligraphy. They’ve performed magic tricks and optical illusions, revisited history, and enlivened science. They’ve set a lot of things on fire, and that’s another key. There’s chemistry in the glass and its color, but what all glass art has in common is the magic of the flame. In four years the creations have ranged from red stilettos to lighthouses, oil drums to pumpkins, ice cream cones to folklore demons. We’ve seen glass rabbits, bug-eyed flies, jackalopes, honeybees—even anatomically correct body parts. We’ve seen Godzilla, Qbert, and the Lorax all created live before a Studio audience. The hot-shop performance floor has seen roller hockey and open mic nights, fancy upscale affairs, and pizza-and-beer pecha kuchas. Special evenings have ranged from toga parties to honky tonks, and a dress code that started with white As we look to the future, it’s only fitting to judge how we’ve done in meeting the original launch goals. We wanted to give people a better understanding of the glass art in the Museum Collection by demonstrating the techniques required, and that’s a box we emphatically checked. We wanted to form partnerships for educational purposes, and the success there can And we’re just getting warmed up. be found in glass students from Old Dominion, The Glass Art Society recently chose the Chrysler Virginia Wesleyan, Tidewater Community College, to host its prestigious and even the Governor’s conference in 2017. School for the Arts. We Among the reasons had a goal to engage Envisioning the Future for our selection and inspire the next of the Perry Glass Studio were the strength generation of glass artists, In the four years since the Chrysler Museum of Art of our renowned and have done so in afteropened the doors of its Glass Studio, its innovative glass collection, our programming and popular appeal has made it a school programs, summer powerhouse Visiting destination for glass enthusiasts not just locally, but camps, and partnerships nationally and internationally. As a result, we have Artist Series, our with Boys and Girls Clubs recently been awarded the prestigious honor of role as the anchor of and Girl Scouts. We hosting the Glass Arts Society Conference in 2017. Norfolk’s burgeoning volunteered to help create NEON arts district, and, a healing environment With all of these milestones, the staff and trustees perhaps most of all, at a children’s hospital, of the Museum have embarked on a strategic plan our innovative Third and it doesn’t get more for the future of the Perry Glass Studio. A studio as Thursday performance satisfying than that. active as ours needs to plan for routine maintenance evenings. In June 2017, of equipment, such as the furnace and complex The official goal of this more than a thousand ventilation system. It also needs to couple those Museum is to enrich glass professionals and plans with a vision for growth. and transform lives, and aficionados from around The goal is to expand and upgrade the current facility if you want to live that the world will converge to allow for a broader range of classes, increased motto, take a glass class in Norfolk to experience participation, and a variety of new initiatives that or attend a Third Thursday Reflections from the will keep the Studio engaging and relevant for years performance. This is, after Edge: Glass, Art, and to come. New opportunities include: all, a place where we’ve Performance. We couldn’t seen a young woman • Upgrading the AV system to allow for live web be prouder. learn her cancer was in streaming of classes, demonstrations, and visiting All along, as the Studio remission, where we’ve artists’ creation of new work has gained in national seen a performance night • A heat-resistant camera installed within the prestige, the one end with a marriage glory hole to show visitors every aspect of the hot constant has been proposal, and a joyous glassmaking process you—our visitor. You’ve celebration of yes. On any • Dedicated spaces for moldmaking, woodworking, gotten used to seeing given day, we’re a Glass and metalcrafting, making the Studio a destination the asbestos fire suits Studio—but on special for artists talented in a variety of media used to carry blistering days, we’re a smile factory. • A viewable space for cold glass processes such as hot works to cooling And that, as our T-shirts engraving, stained glass, and fusing ovens. You’ve come to say, is what keeps us • Artists’ studios for Visiting Artists and know where the “Get fired up. Artists-in-Residence Fired Up” T-shirts come • A student gallery for critiques and new educational —Gary Marshall, from. Through hundreds partnerships Museum Websmith of classes and workshops and more than a • Equipment for new initiatives such as neon making Photos by Ed Pollard, Museum thousand daily demos at Photographer; Museum Staff; Follow us as we embrace our exciting new future! noon, your support has and Echard Wheeler for the —Anne Corso, been vital. Chrysler Museum Glass Studio. lab jackets has evolved into black T-shirts and colorful tattoos. Our Studio has been a scene played out to a rock ’n’ soundtrack, but musical acts have ranged from opera to reggae, from choral groups to one-man-bands and buskers. It’s been a dazzling exhibition of creativity, variety, and diversity. Director of Education and Public Programs 16 | fall 2015 Visiting Artist Series We conclude our 2015 series with work by the award-winning Australian artist known for his fanciful hybrid forms and mixed-media landscapes with an environmental message. Tom Moore | October 15–18 Live Narrated Demos Daily at noon Special Third Thursday NEON Festival Performance October 15 | 8 p.m. The Chrysler Museum of Art and the Perry Glass Studio extend special thanks to the many glass artists who have contributed so mightily to our success: Visiting Artists Lino Tagliapietra Benjamin Moore Dante Marioni Janusz Poźniak Debora Moore John Miller Einar and Jamex de la Torre April Surgent Laura Donefer Gianni Toso Fritz Dreisbach Richard Marquis Martin Janecky Nancy Callan Katherine Gray Emilio Santini Toots Zynsky Tom Moore Artists in Residence Beth Lipman Sarah Gilbert Guest Instructors Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen Jasen Johnsen Paul Marioni Ali Rogan Michael Rogers Boyd Sugiki Lisa Zerkowitz Carmen Lozar Christina Bothwell Tim Tate Ethan Stern Helen Lee Matthew Day Perez Robert Mickelsen Suzanne Peck Matt Eskuche Leo Tecosky Ross Richmond Randy Walker Chad Clark Guest Lecturers Richard Whiteley Nadège Desgenétez Stine Bidstrup Ed Schmid Guest Demos Hyunsung Cho Simone Crestani Pato Hebert Pete Waldman Special Projects CUD: John Drury and Robbie Miller Kim Harty Pinaree Sanpitak Therman Statom Saya Woolfalk Leading Performers Charlotte Potter Robin Rogers Julia Rogers Hannah Kirkpatrick Liesl Schubel Josh DeWall Laura McFie Studio Assistantship Program Burnt Asphalt Family Sam Geer Benjamin Wright Brett Swenson Deborah Czeresko Skitch Manion Bohyun Yoon Jocelyne Prince Christopher McElroy The Jamestown Blowers Mark Zirpel Andrew Erdos Grant Garmezy Matthew Szösz Etsuko Ichikawa Bryan McGovern Wilson Eddie Bernard Alex Rosenberg Angus Powers Karen Donnellan and students from Alfred University Christopher Duffy Doreen Garner Jes Fan Working live in the Glass Studio Friday–Saturday | 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2:30–5 p.m. Sunday | 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Artist Lecture Sunday, October 18 | 4 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. Delta is the official travel sponsor of the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio. Lodging provided by the Rutter Family Art Foundation. Tom Moore (Australian, b. 1971) Portrait of the artist with Specimens from the Dominion Series, including Pickle-Powered Beacon and Glacial Logic, 2014 Blown glass Photo by Grant Hancock, courtesy of the artist chrysler news | 17 | NEW ON VIEW In Our Glass Galleries S teffen Dam lives and works in the tiny fishing village of Ebeltoft, Denmark, where he and his wife, Micha Karlslund (also an artist who works with glass), maintain their own glass studio. Although Dam has been passionately working in glass for more than 25 years, he originally trained as a toolmaker—an education that provided a thorough understanding of mechanical construction. While working as a tooland die-maker, Dam built a ceramics studio. His artistic pursuits eventually turned to glassmaking, in part due to his discovery of Glas-håndbogen, published in 1975 by Danish studio glass pioneer Finn Lynggaard. Although he initially focused on glassblowing, Dam’s work today includes a wide variety of glass processes—casting, grinding, and sculpting—and he incorporates techniques involving metal and wood. Steffen Dam (Danish, b. 1961) The Owl of Minerva Takes Flight in the Dusk, 2015 Glass (blown, sculpted, cast, fused, engraved), metal, mock taxidermy, and wood Museum purchase Image courtesy of Heller Gallery, New York 18 | fall 2015 The Owl of Minerva Takes Flight in the Dusk, recently acquired by the Chrysler Museum of Art, shows us not only Dam’s master craftsmanship, but also his fantastical and imaginative view of the world. In one of his most ambitious projects to date, Dam created a cabinet of curiosities, or Wunderkammer, and filled it with imaginary glass specimens. Then he perched a faux-owl on top, looking down over his collection. Such assemblages of natural and cultural curios became popular in the mid-1500s and, like minimuseums, were meant to delight viewers while increasing their knowledge about the world. Although Dam says that none of his fanciful forms can be found in nature, perhaps a life surrounded by the sea has summoned jellyfish-like creatures from his imagination. His love of the natural world was nurtured in his formative years as he thumbed through his grandfather’s illustrated volumes on the natural sciences. A modern-day philosopher, Dam channels his expansive imagination into rigorous, thoughtprovoking questions. The title of his work comes from the philosophy of Georg Hegel (1770–1831), who believed that historical knowledge (symbolized by the owl) only takes shape as we look back from the end of time, or at “dusk.” We hope you will spend time with this new work, now on view in the Glass Galleries. Perhaps you will ponder on these questions: What can we learn from Dam’s fictional specimens? Do they help us understand the past, or do they inspire our imagination about the future? —Diane C. Wright, Barry Curator of Glass | Norfolk Society of Arts Lecture Series 2015–2016 Wednesday, October 21, 2015 The Norfolk Society of Arts is pleased to announce its slate of distinguished speakers for the year. Each month’s even begins with a coffee reception in Huber Court at 10:30 a.m., followed by the free lecture in the Museum’s Kaufman Edward Hopper (American, 1882–1967) New York Pavements, 1924–1925 Oil on canvas Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. Theater at 11 a.m. (The Mabel Brown Lecture) Stéphane Aquin Chief Curator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: A View on the Art of our Times from the National Mall Known for its trademark cylindrical building in the heart of the capital, this Smithsonian museum completes a yearlong celebration of its 40th anniversary. See how the Hirshhorn’s unique perspective gives you a 360-degree view of modern and contemporary art. Wednesday, November 18, 2015 Cody Hartley, Ph.D. Director of Curatorial Affairs, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico Behind the Black Door: Understanding O’Keeffe’s Abstractions Though she’s one of the pioneers of modern art, Georgia O’Keeffe’s multilayered work defies easy interpretation. Venture into the artist’s great canvas from the Chrysler Collection to discover the genius behind the obvious. Wednesday, January 27, 2016 Carter E. Foster Steven and Ann Ames Curator of Drawing, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York Edward Hopper: Drawing, Painting, Memory, Imagination Wednesday, February 24, 2016 Stephennie Mulder, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Islamic Art and Archaeology, University of Texas at Austin A Heritage in Peril: Saving the Past in the Cradle of Civilization Wednesday, March 23, 2016 Colin Bailey, Ph.D. Director, The Morgan Library & Museum, New York History of The Morgan Monday, April 18, 2016 Lindsay Pollock Editor-in-Chief, Art in America Contemporary Art in the Post-Internet Age The lecture will be followed by a brief annual meeting and a ticketed luncheon to benefit the Chrysler Museum of Art. The Norfolk Society of Arts promotes and enhances the cultural life of the South Hampton Roads community through lectures, special events, and financial support to the Chrysler Museum of Art. NSA membership is open to all. For more information about membership or the Society, please contact Edith Grandy at (757) 621-0861 or EdithGrandy@ gmail.com. Denis Finley Director of Communications It’s front-page news. Veteran journalist Denis Finley is the Chrysler Museum of Art’s new Director of Communications. The former editorin-chief of the award-winning Virginian-Pilot brings unparalleled media expertise, as well as hometown and national connections, to the leadership team position. “I am thrilled to have an opportunity to do meaningful work for one of the premier cultural institutions in Hampton Roads. My extensive background in media intersects nicely with the demands of the position.” —Denis Finley, Director of Communications 20 | fall 2015 After a national search, it’s perhaps ironic—but fitting—that his new office is just blocks away from the building in which he served for 30 years. “With his impressive experience as an editor, writer, and photographer with The Virginian-Pilot, Denis brings an unsurpassed set of communications skills to the Chrysler,” Director Erik Neil says. advance photo editor, then earned a string of promotions that culminated in his being named editor-in-chief in 2005. Under his leadership, The Pilot was each year named the Commonwealth’s best newspaper by the Virginia Press Association, and in 2007 and 2012 qualified as a Pulitzer Prize finalist. The selection of such a highly regarded professional signals the priority the Museum places on communications in planning for the future. Please join us in welcoming Denis to the Chrysler! Finley is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive, integrated communications program. Within his bailiwick are marketing, branding, publications, graphic design, and electronic vehicles such as the Museum website and social media messaging. He is charged with enhancing the visibility and reputation of the Chrysler, its collection, and its innovations at home and abroad. Other key objectives are to raise awareness of the Museum’s free general admission and to increase participation in its many programs. Michael Berlucchi Community Engagement Manager Everybody knows Michael Berlucchi. He’s served at the Chrysler since 2011, first as a Gallery Host, then as the Museum’s Special Events Coordinator. In our community, he’s an active leader in Hampton Roads Pride, the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission, the Downtown Norfolk Council’s Downtown 100, Hampton Roads Business OutReach, and Equality Virginia. Plus, he’s been named to Inside Business’s Top Forty Under 40 for 2015. All of this made him a perfect choice to fill a newly created position within the Museum’s Department of Education and Public Programs. The Philadelphia native (and die-hard Eagles fan) holds a master’s degree (with high honors) in journalism from the University of MissouriColumbia, where he was named College Photographer of the Year. After graduation in 1987, Finley joined the Pilot as a photojournalist. After seven years in photography, he was promoted to Berlucchi now serves the Chrysler as its first Community Engagement Manager, acting as the Museum’s “primary liaison” to the community. His charge is to forge partnerships that help us engage a diversity of visitors from across Hampton Roads and to develop new strategic initiatives to “He knows the Hampton Roads community and also understands national audiences,” Neil adds. “He is a ‘heavy-hitter’ who will help us raise the profile of the Museum regionally, nationally, and internationally as we strive to make the greatest positive impact in the arts and education.” Photo by Glenn Bashaw, Images in Light | Photo by Steve Earley for The Virginian-Pilot, used by permission New Staff Familiar Faces | Introducing The Corporate Leadership Alliance Business and Professional Support for the Chrysler Museum of Art expand the Museum audience, particularly among those in underserved constituencies. The Chrysler Museum of Art has enjoyed the support not just of individuals, but of businesses and corporations as well. Through corporate membership, we provide a way for businesses to enhance the cultural life of their community, to be good corporate citizens, and to receive recognition and benefits as our way of saying thanks. “With his knowledge of the Museum, its collection and its audiences, and his extensive civic engagement, we couldn’t ask for a better person to connect the Chrysler Museum with the people of Hampton Roads,” says Anne Corso, Director of Education. “Michael brings a wealth of understanding to the position.” The Chrysler is now proud to announce the new premier membership group for business leaders supporting the Museum: the Corporate Leadership Alliance. Formerly the Business Exhibition Council, the Members of this group contribute at least $5,000 annually to the Chrysler, investing their resources in support of the Museum’s programs and exhibitions, and maintaining the Chrysler’s leadership in the museum world. Museum Director Erik Neil agrees. “I am particularly pleased to have someone as talented and experienced as Michael serving the Museum as the new Community Engagement Manager. This new position solidifies the Chrysler as 21st-century museum—and one whose commitment to serving the broadest segments of its community is evidenced by its creation.” In exchange for their partnership, Member companies and organizations will receive benefits specifically tailored to their businesses. These include access to networking events, logo recognition, and invitations to the annual Leadership in Arts Support Luncheon. Please join us in thanking the current Members of the Corporate Leadership Alliance: Congratulations to Michael on his promotion into this important new position. MASTERPIECE SOCIETY Photo by Ed Pollard, Museum photographer Elise Hemler Special Events Coordinator Not much fazes Elise Hemler, the Museum’s crackerjack new right arm to Mary Collins. When it comes to planning perfect events, interfacing with vendors, preventing problems, and managing conflicts, this multitasker gets it all done with grace. Hemler joined the Chrysler last July, having coordinated events for the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts. The fast pace of weddings, black-tie dinners, theater rentals, and receptions suits her well. She’s used to living on the fly: Hemler is a military wife to a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot. Here at the Museum, we’re happy to have Elise on board, crafting and delivering customized excellence for every client. Birdsong Corporation Delta Airlines Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate Kaufman & Canoles KPMG LLP Marathon Development McGuireWoods LLP Monarch Bank Newport News Shipbuilding Norfolk Southern Corporation Regent University Signature TowneBank Norfolk Williams Mullen Yupo Corporation America For more information on how your business can participate in the Corporate Leadership Alliance at the Chrysler Museum of Art, please contact Assistant Director of Development Homer Babbitt at (757) 333-6298 or [email protected]. chrysler news | 21 Summer Events The return of Camp Chrysler delighted kids in July. Works in the Museum collection inspired them to create their own masterpieces, and the Glass Studio offered cold- and hotglass camps for tweens and teens. Photos by Gary Marshall, Museum Websmith Horizons Hampton Roads returned for a June visit with area public school students in a fun six-week summer enrichment camp. A few weeks later, the Museum received some artistic thank you notes from the grateful kids. Photos by Gary Marshall, Museum Websmith 22 | fall 2015 Summer was in full bloom with The Artist’s Garden: American Impressionism and the Garden Movement, 1887–1920. Museum Members enjoyed a June 14 preview party that gave them an exclusive first look at the stunning paintings, glass, photos, and sculpture in the show. Other highlights included local garden clubs’ floral interpretations of key works in the exhibition, a special lecture and book signing by Dr. Anna Marley of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and a Community Gallery display (with living sculptures and a painting by local artist Maizelle) by our partners at Norfolk Botanical Garden. There, visitors snapped selfies for The Great Frame-Up, then saw their photos in a video feed at the Museum. On average, more than 430 people saw The Artist’s Garden each day, making it one of our most popular summer exhibitions ever. Photos by Eleise Theuer for the Chrysler Museum of Art The Academy of Music returned to the Chrysler for its annual promenade performance. On July 17, young violinists strolled through the Museum’s galleries, impressing visitors with the beautiful music they’d practiced so carefully. Photos by Gary Marshall, Museum Websmith summer events | 23 | The Masterpiece Society Unified Generosity and a New Level of Giving Early in their histories, the Chrysler’s Masterpiece This change, we are sure, will reduce confusion, as Society and Mowbray Arch Society were two well as clarify and simplify invitations and benefits distinct groups whose generosity allowed for the Museum’s most generous Members. Best the Museum to pursue different projects: the of all, no one who has maintained their level exhibition of great art and the acquisition of great of giving will lose any benefits. The Mowbray art, respectively. Over time, though, something Arch Society has been a treasured part of our interesting happened: the membership of the philanthropic history for which we are incredibly two groups grew to be identical. This was so grateful. The Masterpiece Society is now more much the case that by 2006 popular than ever before, and Mowbray Arch Society events its growing strength ensures The Mowbray Arch Society held became a benefit of supporting that it will be an integral part its final Spring Program under that the Museum at the Masterpiece of the Chrysler’s future. Society level of membership. name on May 14. The evening 24 | fall 2015 Despite past distinctions, these two groups share an important trust—a deep commitment to educate their membership and to enhance the Chrysler Collection. was dedicated to Jeff Harrison The time has now come to make official a change that has been evolving for years. Going forward, the dinners and events that once were touted as Mowbray Arch Society occasions will now—proudly— be cherished benefits of the Masterpiece Society. retiring Chief Curator regaled and his curatorial legacy at the Chrysler Museum of Art. After cocktails in Mary’s Garden, our Members with memorable stories and art highlights from his 33 years at the Museum. Photos by Echard Wheeler for the Chrysler Museum of Art A New Level of Masterpiece Society Membership As engaged philanthropists, our Masterpiece Society Members give in different ways and in different amounts. To date the Masterpiece Society has offered three levels of recognition for annual giving: Sponsor ($3,000), Patron ($5,000), and Benefactor ($10,000 or above). These gifts represent money that not only supports the Society’s annual purchase of art for the Chrysler Collection, but also provides crucial operating support | Four (Stars) for Three (Years) Chrysler Again Earns Highest Honors from Charity Navigator Trust is an essential part of the Museum’s mission of good stewardship, not just of the works of art in our care, but also of the financial resources given to us by our Members, donors, and supporters. As such, the Chrysler staff and volunteer leadership insist on transparency and sound monetary management of the Museum’s budget. for the Museum. In return, the Museum expresses its thanks through an array of special events and insider benefits. Now, by popular demand, we are adding a new top tier of giving and gratitude: the Avant-Garde level. For those who wish to make a membership gift of $25,000 or more per year, the Museum will offer all the benefits of the preceding levels of Masterpiece Society membership, as well as additional benefits such as a personal dinner with Director Erik Neil and exclusive art travel opportunities. Though benefits are important as our way of saying thanks, we appreciate that those who choose to give at the Avant-Garde level are truly motivated by a spirit of generous and visionary philanthropy. For more information on any level of Masterpiece Society membership or to share the names of friends and colleagues who would enjoy its benefits, please don’t hesitate to contact me at (757) 333-6298 or [email protected]. —Homer Babbitt, Assistant Director of Development left page , clockwise Jeff Harrison tears up at his standing ovation; Deirdre Grainger, Kim Wadsworth, Chrissy Johnson; Lenora Mathews; Ted Galanides, Chris Rowland above top Linda Pinkham, Chief Curator Jeff Harrison, Masterpiece Society Chair Mary Jane Birdsong, Bill Pinkham. above bottom Stephen and Ann Burke, Susan and Michael Uremovich That unflagging commitment has once again been recognized by Charity Navigator, one of the leading charity-rating organizations in the country. In September, the organization awarded the Chrysler its third consecutive four-star rating, with an overall score of 94.76 of 100. The coveted honor indicates use of best practices, good governance, and consistent execution of mission, all the while adhering to standards of fiscal responsibility. The Museum’s first four-star rating coincided with the public phase of our ambitious Capital Campaign and expansion, and has continued through our Grand Reopening and the new Chrysler’s first full year of operations. Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, puts this significance in context in his letter of congratulations. “Only 13% of the charities we rate have received at least three consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that Chrysler Museum of Art outperforms most other charities in America. This ‘exceptional’ designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Chrysler Museum of Art from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.” To view the Chrysler’s four-star listing or to learn more about Charity Navigator and its methodology, visit www. charitynavigator.org. —Brian Wells, Director of Development member exclusives | 25 Don’tMiss Events for Members (and Their Friends) Flowers with Nicky Markslag Sunday, October 11–Friday, October 16 Global Trends Wednesday, October 14 | 9:30 a.m. The internationally acclaimed arranger at Keukenhof and the head of Flower Theater comes from the Netherlands to Norfolk to bring your floral artistry to a new level. Special Occasions Wednesday, October 14 | 1 p.m. Thursday, October 15 | 9:30 a.m. Demonstration and Lecture Flowers for Dutch Royalty Sunday, October 11 | 2 p.m. Sticks and Twigs: Use the Usual in an Unusual Way Thursday, October 15 | 1 p.m. From traditional Dutch classics to cutting-edge trends, Markslag’s designs inspire all who love flowers. Ticketholders may even win door prizes— her stunning arrangements and their containers. $20 for Museum Members, $25 for all others Workshops | $100 per session Each lesson includes hands-on instruction, as well as flowers and a container. Workshop participants also may join in creating arrangements on Friday, October 16 for display in the Museum’s galleries. Dutch Classics: Traditional Hand-Tied Bouquets Monday, October 12 or Tuesday, October 13 | 9:30 a.m. Contemporary Cutting Edge Monday, October 12 or Tuesday, October 13 | 1 p.m. 26 | fall 2015 Working with Exotic Flowers Friday Finale | Friday, October 16 Our week of flowers culminates with beautiful arrangements created today by workshop participants with Nicky Markslag. Peruse the Museum’s galleries to find six floral displays among the Chrysler’s treasures. For more information, visit chrysler.org , or enroll online at reservations.chrysler.org. Masterpiece Society Fall Program The evening of Tuesday, October 27 At this Fall’s exclusive event for the Chrysler’s Masterpiece Society, Andrew Raftery presents his work as an educator and artist. The contemporary printmaker, best known for his classically styled burin engravings, will speak on Print Series and Visual Storytelling. Masterpiece Society Members will receive invitations by mail. 2016 Trips for All Museum Members | Travel the World with the Chrysler New York, Sicily, Europe, and Cuba The Rich Heritage of Southern Italy and the Dalmatian Coast Aerial view of Palermo, iStock photo From trips up the East Coast to across the Atlantic Ocean, the Chrysler Museum of Art is continually enhancing the variety of art travel opportunities for all levels of membership. At the beginning of the year we added a series of curator- and director-led trips to New York available to Members at the Patron level and above. In mid-November 2015, Brock Curator of American Art Alex Mann will venture to New York with a group of Chrysler travelers for The American Art Fair. Now in its seventh year, this annual show is the only major art fair to focus on 19th- and 20th-century American works, including landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and sculpture. The trip also will feature behind-the-scenes art tours and visits to private collections, as well as special guided group tours of several museums. In April 2016, Members at the Director’s Circle and above are invited to join Museum Director Erik Neil and his wife, artist Luisa Adelfio, on an exclusive art travel experience in Sicily. Travelers will cross the island to visit cultural centers such as Palermo, Agrigento, and Siracusa, with breathtaking sights in between. Between Luisa’s fluency in Italian and her deep roots in the region and Erik’s research on the aristocratic residences of Sicily, they are uniquely positioned to lead special tours of homes and collections that are normally closed to the public. Erik and Luisa are excited to share their personal knowledge and passion for the island they know so well. In addition, we have recently added three distinctive travel opportunities for all Museum Members in 2016. We’ve partnered with some of the best travel industry leaders to offer exclusive land, rail, and small-ship cruise excursions around the world. Highlights are noted on this page—and look for more details to arrive by mail. For more information on Chrysler art travel programs at a variety of membership levels, please visit Chrysler.org/membership/art-travelprogram or contact Donor Stewardship Manager Kerry Martinolich at (757) 333-6318 or [email protected]. April 28–May 6, 2016 Enjoy an exclusive seven-night voyage from Rome to Dubrovnik aboard Le Lyrial, a new small-ship launched in Spring 2015. Its 122 exterior staterooms and suites and many amenities will make you feel like you’re sailing aboard your own yacht as you explore these culturerich locales. The Great Journey through Europe July 5–15, 2016 This extraordinary 11-day Grand Tour of Europe lets you explore the picturesque waterways, lakes, mountains, and countryside of Switzerland, France, Germany, and The Netherlands. Cruise aboard the deluxe Amadeus Fleet along the most scenic sections of the Rhine River. Ride aboard three legendary railways—the Matterhorn’s Gornergrat Bahn, the famous Glacier Express, and Lucerne’s Pilatus Railway. Island Life of Cuba October 20–November 7, 2016 Be among the first U.S. travelers to experience Cuba during this unprecedented, nine-day People to People opportunity. See Old Havana, Santa Clara, Matanzas, and Pinar del Río. Enjoy comfortable accommodations, interact with local experts, and immerse yourself in Cuba’s history, culture, art, language, cuisine, and daily life. fall 2015 | 27 | Last Look Tseng Kwong Chi Opening Party 28 | fall 2015 Tseng Kwong Chi: Performing for the Camera opened with a bang of a bash on August 20 as the Chrysler became the scene at which to be seen. Museum Director Erik Neil unveiled our acclaimed summer exhibition, dedicated to the memory of its curator, Amy Brandt. The evening’s festivities included a Distinctive posh club atmosphere, an exhibition-themed photo booth, contortionists from Todd Rosenlieb Dance, DJ Froxstarr, and a very special gallery tour by the artist’s sister, Muna Tseng. The Chrysler welcomed more than 1,000 guests to this Third Thursday, which was free to all thanks to Hampton Roads Pride and Hampton Roads Business OutReach. And a free after-party at Work|Release gave revelers a venue to continue the party into the early morning, in the spirit of TKC himself. Photos by Eleise Theuer for the Chrysler Museum of Art last look | 29 non profit org. u.s. postage One Memorial Place | Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-6200 | chrysler.org paid norfolk, va permit #138 dated material do not delay delivery address service requested. AT TH E M US E U M SHO P museum and glass studio hours Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. information (757) 664-6200 | Chrysler.org follow the chrysler Sunday from noon–5 p.m. Third Thursday til 10 p.m. Wisteria is open during Museum hours. Free Parking Wheelchair Accessible historic houses hours Saturday and Sunday from noon–5 p.m. Limited Accessibility general admission is free and supported by Museum Members! Join the Chrysler on site, on the phone at (757) 333-6298, or online at chrysler.org/ membership. The Annual Museum Members’ Appreciation Sale November 17–22: One Week Only! Save 20% on all your holiday purchases during our special sale to thank Museum Members for their support. Select from our eclectic range of jewelry, stationery, fashion accessories, glass, and unique giftware— and enjoy festive wrapping with our compliments. Shipping and phone orders by credit card are available by calling (757) 333-6297. Annual Gift Memberships A year-long individual or household gift membership to the Chrysler Museum of Art is the perfect present for the art lover in your life. Each packet comes beautifully wrapped and can be mailed to you or to your recipient for the holidays or another special occasion. Order your gift memberships in The Museum Shop or from Development Officer Megan Frost at (757) 333-6294 or [email protected]. and @chryslermuseum Subscribe to the Chrysler Museum Weekly at chrysler.org/email-signup. Rather than recycle, share this issue of Chrysler with a friend. The Chrysler Museum of Art is partially supported by grants from the City of Norfolk, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Business Consortium for Arts Support, and the Edwin S. Webster Foundation.