The brooches in Kiff Slemmons Hands of the Heroes series, part of the exhibition Contemporary Art + Design: New Acquisitions, are each inspired by historical figures. Browse our round-up of interactive materials below to help you become familiar with the heroes represented and their historical significance.
Harry Houdini
- Read: Harry Houdini and the Art of Escape
- Watch: Houdini Bridge Jump with Handcuff Escape (1907)
- Watch: Harry Houdini – Straight Jacket Escape
Jacques Cousteau
- Watch/Rent (Prime): The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, a film by Texas director Wes Anderson inspired by the life and adventures of Jacques Cousteau.
- Read: 5 Surprising Facts About Jacques Cousteau
Marie Curie
- Read: Nobel Prize Lecture
- Read: Ten Historic Female Scientists You Should Know
- Short Watch: Marie Curie receive the ACR Gold Medal in 1931 the only known filmed recording of her voice
Marco Polo III
- Look: Portfolio of photos from Nat Geo Photographer Michael Yamashita, who traveled Marco Polo’s route and took photographs along the way
- Read: 11 Things You May Not Know About Marco Polo
Don Quixote
- Watch/Rent (Prime): Man of La Mancha
- Watch: The Impossible Dream scene of Man of La Mancha
- Read: Three Lessons Leaders Can Learn From Don Quixote About Strategizing
Glenn Gould
- Watch: Short documentary – Dear Glenn (Glenn Gould as A.I.)
- Watch: Glenn Gould performances from official website
Roald Amundsen
- Watch: Archival footage of Amundsen’s South Pole Expedition from National Geographic
- Read: 50 Daring Facts About Roald Amundsen
Louis Leakey II
- Read: Article from Smithsonian Magazine about Louis Leakey
- Read: Leakey and Goodall: Scientists Who Changed How We Define ‘Human’
Fred Astaire
Emily Dickinson
- Read: Atlas Obscura Article about a dessert Dickinson made frequently, including the original recipe
- Read: Major Characteristics of Dickinson’s Poetry from the Emily Dickinson Museum
Stephen Jay Gould
- Quiz: Take this Paleontology Quiz created by the Perot. Answer Sheet.
- Watch: Interview with Stephen Jay Gould from the Academy of Achievement
- Look: A photograph of Gould and Robert Rauschenberg together at an event
Joseph Cornell
