Archive for the 'works of art' Category



Show Me the Love!

It’s Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air here at the Museum! The works of art might not have their own shoebox mailboxes like the one I made in third grade, but I like to imagine the homemade Valentines they might pass between each other. We have our “going steady” couples, our “head over heels” couples, and even a few secret admirers. If you haven’t made your own Valentines yet, don’t fret—there’s still time. Take a note from the art couples below, use the DIY tutorials featured, and you’ll be showing the love to your one and only in no time.

These two are joined at the hip! Painted by John Singleton Copley in 1747, Woodbury and Sarah Langdon were real-life sweethearts who commissioned the artist to paint their portraits shortly after their marriage. Woodbury was a wealthy New Hampshire merchant with dreams of politics, and Sarah was his young bride. The couple eventually had ten children, and Woodbury went on to hold political office and serve on the New Hampshire Superior Court. Since these two are never far apart, I can imagine Woodbury sending this Valentine to his sweetheart:

matchbox-love-note tutorial valentine's day party ideas party printables valentine's day crafts

Download a template and find instructions for this project at the Bird’s Party blog.

Edward Hicks, The Peaceable Kingdom, c. 1846-1847, Dallas Museum of Art, The Art Museum League Fund

Edward Hicks, The Peaceable Kingdom, c. 1846-1847, Dallas Museum of Art, The Art Museum League Fund

These animals have been peacefully sharing their close quarters for years! Painter Edward Hicks returned to this subject again and again, imagining a world where the lambs and lions, leopards and kids could all exist together in peace. Heavily influenced by his Quaker roots, Hicks painted this subject more than one hundred times. After spending all that time together, I imagine these animals consider one another family. Perhaps the bear could send this Valentine to the lamb?

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Free printables and an animal group cheat sheet can be found at the Modern Parents, Messy Kids blog. Who knew that a group of giraffes is called a tower?

This trio is often seen hanging out in the galleries together like best buddies. There’s the boisterous, rowdy friend and the beautiful, calm sidekicks. Vernet’s A Mountain Landscape with an Approaching Storm (top left) highlights the wild beauty and sheer power of nature, while Anne Vallayer-Coster’s floral still life paintings (bottom left and right) capture the calm, quiet loveliness of a well-placed petal. Can’t you imagine the still life paintings slipping this Valentine into Approaching Storm’s pocket (perhaps with some giggles)? With its gusting winds and swelling clouds, how could Storm resist the bubbles?

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Find bubbles at the dollar store and use this free printable from the Lil Luna blog to make your own.

Vishnu as Varaha, 10th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of David T. Owsley via the Alvin and Lucy Owsley Foundation and the Alconda-Owsley Foundation, E.E. Fogelson and Greer Garson Fogelson Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, Wendover Fund, and gift of Alta Brenner in memory of her daughter Andrea Bernice Brenner-McMullen

Vishnu as Varaha, 10th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of David T. Owsley via the Alvin and Lucy Owsley Foundation and the Alconda-Owsley Foundation, E.E. Fogelson and Greer Garson Fogelson Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, Wendover Fund, and gift of Alta Brenner in memory of her daughter Andrea Bernice Brenner-McMullen

This pair is one of those “you’re my hero” kind of relationships. The 10th century statue from India depicts the Hindu god Varaha in his boar-headed avatar Vishnu. When the earth goddess Prithvi is imprisoned under the sea by an evil demon, Vishnu saves the day, rescuing her from the depths. Look closely and you can see Prithvi perched on Vishnu’s shoulder. No doubt, she would send him this Valentine:

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Use the free printable at the Zakka Life blog for the superhero in your life.

I hope you are feeling inspired by our artsy couples. Come pay them a visit and decide for yourself if the Valentine fits. As for your own Valentine’s bliss, if all else fails, bring your true love to the DMA and let them know this:

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(Print available for purchase at Love Sugar’s etsy shop)

Leah Hanson
Manager of Early Learning Programs

Reading the Cards: Part 5

This is the fifth and final post in a larger series finding connections between the ever-mystical tarot cards and the extraordinary collection of the Dallas Museum of Art. Head over to the first, second, third, and fourth posts for an introduction and earlier connections.

Temperance

Temperance is the fourteenth trump card in a traditional Tarot desk.  Representing the cardinal virtue of temperance, the winged figure pours water from one chalice to another diluting the unseen wine.  This, as well as the stance of one foot on land and one in water, symbolizes balance and moderation in one’s life.

Mark Manders, Composition with Three New Piles of Sand, 2010, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund

Mark Manders, Composition with Three New Piles of Sand, 2010, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund

Leaning backwards, the one-limbed figure in this piece remains perfectly balanced with the assistance of taut ropes.  While the figure does not express general comfort, its expression is distinctly calm.  As the figure is in control of its balanced stance, it accurately represents the equilibrium of temperance.

Tower

The Tower is the sixteenth of the Major Arcana cards.  Considered an ill omen, the image shows two people falling or fleeing from a burning building.  Thought to refer to the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, the Tower symbolizes looming failure, ruin and catastrophe.

Claude-Joseph Vernet, A Mountain Landscape with an Approaching Storm, 1775, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O'Hara Fund

Claude-Joseph Vernet, A Mountain Landscape with an Approaching Storm, 1775, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O’Hara Fund

Claude-Joseph Vernet’s monumental landscape captures the terror associated with the destructive power of natural disasters.  Amidst the ominous clouds, craggy coast, and wind-whipped trees, anxious workers struggle to find sanctuary far from the violent storm’s path.

Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune is the tenth trump card.  Depicting a six- or eight-spoked wheel crested by a sphinx, the Wheel of Fortune card is inscribed with the symbols for the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.  Also visible are the letters T-A-R-O with reference to the card deck or R-O-T-A, the Latin word for wheel.  The Wheel of Fortune signifies a turning point in one’s life and often represents destiny and the cycles of life.

Shiva Nataraja, 11th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. Eugene McDermott, the Hamon Charitable Foundation, and an annonymous donor in honor of David T. Owsley, with additional funding from The Cecil and Ida Green Foundation and the Cecil and Ida Green Acquisition Fund

Shiva Nataraja, 11th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. Eugene McDermott, the Hamon Charitable Foundation, and an annonymous donor in honor of David T. Owsley, with additional funding from The Cecil and Ida Green Foundation and the Cecil and Ida Green Acquisition Fund

Deity of creation, destruction, and rebirth, the Hindu god Shiva is shown as Shiva Nataraja, the Divine Dancer.  In this form, Shiva embodies the energy of the entire cosmos and, surrounded by flames, dances the rhythm of the universe.  The precise positioning of his hands promise release from the endless wheel of rebirth.

World

The World is the final card in the major arcana.  Surrounding an untarnished nude woman, figures referenced in the Book of Revelation are depicted in each corner, including a lion, a calf, a beast with the face of a man, and an eagle.  These figures also signify the classic four elements in astrology: Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, and Scorpio.  The World represents completeness, accomplishment, and wholeness.

Miguel Covarrubias, Genesis, the Gift of Life, 1954, City of Dallas, Gift of Peter and Waldo Stewart and Stewart Company, 1992

Miguel Covarrubias, Genesis, the Gift of Life, 1954, City of Dallas, Gift of Peter and Waldo Stewart and Stewart Company, 1992

Inspired by a budding acorn, Miguel Covarrubias created the 12-foot tall and 60-foot long mural Genesis, the Gift of Life.  Saturated with creation stories, the mural explores the beauty of the earth and the life it sustains.

I have greatly enjoyed researching for and writing my Reading the Cards series.  I have learned a great deal and hope you have as well!

Pilar Wong
McDermott Intern for Community Teaching

Reading the Cards: Part 4

This post is the fourth in a larger series finding connections between the ever-mystical tarot cards and the extraordinary collection of the Dallas Museum of Art. Head over to the first, second, and third posts for an introduction and earlier connections.

The Magician is the first trump card in a tarot deck.  Shown as a youthful figure, the Magician is often thought to represent Apollo, the Greek sun god.  This association speaks to bringing light to the darkness and addressing avoided issues.

Benjamin West, Apollo's Enchantment, 1807, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. Robert A. Beyers

Benjamin West, Apollo’s Enchantment, 1807, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. Robert A. Beyers

Surrounded by the pantheon of Greek gods and muses, Benjamin West’s Apollo is bathed in the light of the sun.  Apollo enchants his audience with his skill at the lyre, as he is the god of music as well as the sun.

The Moon is the eighteenth major arcana card.  With the face of the subconscious mind gazing calmly upon the scene, the Moon depicts a dog, wolf, and water creature of sorts (in this case a lobster).  The card often represents sleep patterns, dreams, and nightmares- with the animals shown symbolizing the fears of man.

Rufino Tamayo, El Hombre (Man), 1953, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association commission, Neiman-Marcus Company Exposition Funds

Rufino Tamayo, El Hombre (Man), 1953, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association commission, Neiman-Marcus Company Exposition Funds

Surrounding the theme of “man excelling himself,” Rufino Tamayo created the mural El Hombre as a commision for the Dallas Art Association.  Tamayo’s painted figure points into the starry sky in search of our place in the cosmos.  The dog in the lower-left corner blends into the dark ground as it gnaws on a bone- representing man’s baser instincts.

The Star is the seventeenth trump card.  Contributing liquid to both the pool of subconsciousness and the material world, a naked woman kneels directly beneath an exaggerated star.  In a tarot spread, the Star represents renewed hope, inspiration, and discovery.

Simon Starling, Venus Mirror (8/6/08, Copenhagen), 2011, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund

Simon Starling, Venus Mirror (8/6/08, Copenhagen), 2011, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund

Simon Starling’s mirror alludes to the original documentation of the planet Venus’ path accross the sky by Pierre César Jules Janssen.  Undertaken in 1974, the French astronomer developed a special daguerreotype camera to document Venus’ movement.  The telescope-camera hybrid recorded the multiple exposures on a single circular daguerreotype plate.

Strength is numbered as eleven or eight depending on the deck.  Historically titled Fortitude, the design has consistenly portrayed a lion submitting to the gentle touch of a woman.  When selected for a tarot reading, the card implies one’s control of the primal qualities of man.

Edward Hicks, The Peaceable Kingdom, 1846-1847, Dallas Museum of Art, The Art Museum League Fund

Edward Hicks, The Peaceable Kingdom, 1846-1847, Dallas Museum of Art, The Art Museum League Fund

Based on Christian scripture, Edward Hicks created a scene of spiritual and earthly harmony amongst men and animals.  At the left side of the painting, William Penn signs a peace treaty with the Native American peoples of the Delaware Valley- a historic model for peaceful coexistence.

The Sun is the nineteenth of the major arcana cards.  Riding beneath the anthropomorphized sun, a small child sits astride a white horse- both symbols of innocence and purity.  With the red flag representing renewal, this card points to personal power, optimism, and enlightenment.

Constantin Brancusi, Beginning of the World, c.1920, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Clark

Constantin Brancusi, Beginning of the World, c.1920, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Clark

Provocative in nature, the sculpture’s title, Beginning of the World, is full of potential associations.  When paired with the simple geometric and natural shapes, the title hints to new beginnings, concepts, and discoveries.

My next and final Reading the Cards post will look at Temperance, the Tower, the Wheel of Fortune, and the World.

Pilar Wong

McDermott Intern for Community Teaching

John Hernandez in C3

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Have you stopped by the Center for Creative Connections lately?  If the answer is no, then add it to your “to do” list because you won’t want to miss this exciting new work of art in the entryway.  John Hernandez’s bright and energetic piece, HI-C Avenger was recently installed along with an interactive component.

First, a little background on the art and artist.  John Hernandez is a San Antonio based artist who has ties to the North Texas region.  Hernandez received his MFA from the University of North Texas where he studied under Vernon Fisher.  Can you see the influence Fisher might have had on his student?

“When you have a teacher like Vernon Fisher and his paintings are like black and white… I just wanted to go to the extreme, I started doing these wild colors,” Hernandez said during an interview with David Rubin.

Hernandez references a wide array of influences ranging from popular culture (movies, comics, toys, and commercials) to biology and nature (plants, animals, and body parts).  He describes his process as both spontaneous and deliberate as he morphs appropriated images together to form a collage and then builds a three dimensional model to figure out the structure.  What references can you find in HI-C Avenger?

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The interactive component that we have designed to supplement this work of art is two-fold.  There is a short video that plays clips and still images of some of the direct references that inspired HI-C Avenger.  Alongside this is a magnetic board filled with pop culture icons from the past and present.  Visitors can arrange the magnets, layering and combining them to create their own Hernandez-inspired creation.

Come by, see the new work, and play a while!

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Also, mark your calendars for these upcoming opportunities to participate in a workshop led by John Hernandez:

Thursday, January 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
Join guest artist John Hernandez as he takes us beyond collage into a mutated experience in reality. Hear about Hernandez’s work, while constructing a unique morphed creation of your own.

Late Night Creations with artist John Hernandez
6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m., and 9:00 p.m., Art Studio, Center for Creative Connections (C3)
Join us for a special workshop with guest artist John Hernandez.  John will talk about his creative process and then guide participants in constructing sculptures using toys and other found objects.

Jessica Fuentes
C3 Gallery Coordinator

Home for the Holidays

With the holidays upon us, there has been a lot of talk of travel, family, and traditions. Everyone’s experience is unique, so I asked some of my fellow bloggers to choose a work of art from the DMA’s collection that reminds them of home during the holidays.

Studio of Pere Espalargues, Altarpiece, second half of 15th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Leicester Busch Faust and Audrey Faust Wallace in memory of Anna Busch Faust and Edward A. Faust.

Studio of Pere Espalargues, Altarpiece, second half of 15th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Leicester Busch Faust and Audrey Faust Wallace in memory of Anna Busch Faust and Edward A. Faust.

My choice is this 15th century altarpiece. It makes me think of my family’s annual visit to The Cloisters museum in New York. We’ve been going there around Christmastime since I can remember. I would always hunt down my favorite two pieces: the Merode Altarpiece from the workshop of Robert Campin and an insanely intricate rosary bead made from boxwood. Though as a kid I had to be dragged there kicking and screaming, I can now appreciate this wonderful family tradition, and I’m looking forward to returning very soon.

Georgia O'Keeffe, Bare Tree Trunks with Snow, 1946, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase.

Georgia O’Keeffe, Bare Tree Trunks with Snow, 1946, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase.

Danielle Schulz: Georgia O’Keeffe’s Bare Tree Trunks with Snow reminds me of going home to Albuquerque for the holidays. I can just imagine that these bare trees are in my mother’s backyard. The few trees that we do have in New Mexico are quite bare like the painting shows, but become so much more beautiful when it snows. When I look at this painting, all I want to do is curl up in front of the fireplace, eat some green chile stew and watch A Christmas Story on repeat!

John Ward Lockwood, Magic of the Snow, 1945-1946, Dallas Museum of Art, Lida Hooe Memorial Fund.

John Ward Lockwood, Magic of the Snow, 1945-1946, Dallas Museum of Art, Lida Hooe Memorial Fund.

Pilar Wong: I chose Magic of the Snow because the colors are reminiscent of my hometown of Delta, Colorado. While snowy landscapes are dominated by shimmery whites, the blue of the mountains and tan of the shrubbery creates a winter wonderland!

Edgar Degas, Ballet Dancers on the Stage, 1883, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin B. Bartholow.

Edgar Degas, Ballet Dancers on the Stage, 1883, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin B. Bartholow.

Leah Hanson: I would pick Edgar Degas’ Ballet Dancers on Stage. When I was little, we had a tradition of going to see The Nutcracker every year. My sister and I would get dressed up in our Christmas dresses (usually matching!), and every year it was magical to watch Clara and her Christmas tree that grows and grows and the Nutcracker who comes to life. After the show, we’d twirl around in our dresses and reenact our favorite parts – the Arabian dancers, the Russian dancers, and of course, the Sugarplum Fairy. One of my favorites!

Clara McDonald Williamson, Get Along Little Dogies, 1945, Dallas Museum of Art, Ted Dealey Purchase Prize, Seventeenth Annual Dallas Allied Arts Exhibition.

Clara McDonald Williamson, Get Along Little Dogies, 1945, Dallas Museum of Art, Ted Dealey Purchase Prize, Seventeenth Annual Dallas Allied Arts Exhibition.

Amanda Blake: The work of art that reminds me of the holidays is Get Along Little Dogies by Clara McDonald Williamson because I grew up spending Christmas on farms in Oklahoma with both sets of grandparents. This painting reminds me of the view of cattle and wide-open space as we would drive from Kansas to Oklahoma.

Harold Holdway (designer), Regimental Oak shape dinner plate with Christmas Tree pattern, designed 1938, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Stephen Harrison in honor of George Roland.

Harold Holdway (designer), Regimental Oak shape dinner plate with Christmas Tree pattern, designed 1938, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Stephen Harrison in honor of George Roland.

Amy Copeland: For me, nothing says the holidays like this pattern. My family gathers with our neighbors for holiday meals, and the bunch of us have eaten many a Christmas dinner off plates like these.

Happy Holidays from all of us at the DMA!

Alex Vargo
McDermott Intern for Gallery Teaching

Fa La La La La Your Way to the DMA

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Grab a cup of hot cocoa, put on your Santa hat, and get ready for an artsy holiday music quiz! Look at the above images of artworks in our collection and try to match them with the holiday song lyrics below.

  1. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere.
  2. I saw three ships come sailing in, on Christmas Day in the morning.
  3. Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go…let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
  4. Silver bells, silver bells, it’s Christmas time in the city. Ring-a-ling, here them ring, soon it will be Christmas Day.
  5. You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why—Santa Claus is coming to town.
  6. Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.

Scroll to the end of the post for the answers!

See how you did on our Jingle-Meter:

4-6 correct: Ho, ho, hold onto your elf hats! You’re at the top of Santa’s list as a holiday music expert. Now go out and get your jingle on.

2-3 correct: Keep calm and merry on. You’re a little rusty on your melodies, but with a bit more caroling, you’ll be fa-la-la-la-la-ing with the season’s best.

0-1 correct: Bah humbug! Your inner Scrooge is getting the best of you. We recommend a prescription of candy canes and cocoa.

Artworks shown:

  • Raymond Jonson, Composition 7-Snow, 1928, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Duncan E. Boeckman
  • Gerald Murphy, Watch, 1925, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collections, gift of the artist
  • Claude Monet, Valle Buona, Near Bordighera, 1884, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Meadows Foundation Incorporated
  • Thomas Chambers, Eastport, and Passamaquoddy Bay (View of Hudson Valley), 1840-1860, Dallas Museum of Art, The Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Collection, gift of Faith P. Bybee
  • Paola de Matteis, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1680-1728, Dallas Museum of Art, The Karl and Esther Hoblitzelle Collection, gift of the Hoblitzelle Foundation
  • William Bogert & Co. (manufacturer), Dinner bell, c. 1866-1875, Dallas Museum of art, The Charles R. Masling and John E. Furen Collection, gift of John E. Furen in memory of Charles R. Masling

Answers (clockwise from top left): 3, 5, 1, 4, 6, 2

Leah Hanson
Manager of Early Learning

Paris Calling!

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Calling all art enthusiasts!

We are in need of volunteers for a hands-on, art-making area in our Posters of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec & His Contemporaries exhibition.

During the run of Posters of Paris: Toulouse Lautrec and His Contemporaries (on view through January 20, 2013), the Museum is offering a drop-in art-making activity within the exhibition gallery space. For the activity, visitors create their own posters using text and images from the exhibition. Poster-makers layer text and images in between layers of acetate and trace their compositions with dry erase markers. After completing poster designs, visitors bring their finished product to a volunteer, who photocopies the image, creating an 11”x17” poster.  Visitors receive a copy of their posters to take home and the Museum keeps a copy to hang in the Poster Studio space.

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Poster Studio volunteers will be on their feet, interacting with visitors, making copies, and stapling posters onto the wall in the space.  Shifts are two-hours in length during open hours.  Volunteering in the Posters Studio is a fun way to spend two hours of your day—when I work the space, I usually have time to create a poster myself.

We are in great need of volunteers to help during the final weeks of December.  As our way of thanking you for volunteering, we will provide all volunteers with an extra ticket to the Posters of Paris exhibition.

For more information about being a Posters Studio volunteer, or to sign-up for a shift, please visit our website.

Happy Holidays,

Amy Copeland
Manager of Go van Gogh Outreach and Community Teaching

Reading the Cards: Part 3

This post is the third in a larger series finding connections between the ever-mystical tarot cards and the extraordinary collection of the Dallas Museum of Art. Head over to the first and second posts for an introduction and earlier connections.

The Hierophant is the fifth trump card and is occasionally referred to as the Pope.  The term hierophant literally means one who teaches holy things.  With two fingers pointing skyward and two downward, the Hierophant’s hand raised in benediction forms a bridge between heaven and earth.  This card represents seeking guidance from positive role models as the Hierophant is seen as a pillar of the community.

Standing power figure (nkisi nkondi),Yombe peoples, late 19th to early 20th century, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the McDermott Foundation

Minkisi (the plural term for nkisi) are containers for magical substances or medicines that empower them to protect the community against negative forces.  This standing power figure belongs to a class of minkisi called nkondi.  The term translated is “hunter” of wrongdoers in matters of civil law.  Truly a pillar of the community, the hunter is simultaneously chief, doctor, priest and judge.

The High Priestess is the second major arcana card in a tarot deck.  She is represented in plain robes wearing a horned diadem on her head and a large cross on her chest.  The High Priestess is always shown between two pillars- one white and one black.  Labeled “B” and “J,” the columns represent Boaz and Jachin of the mystic Temple of Solomon.  This card is associated with knowledge, love, and common sense.

Matthew Barney, CREMASTER 3: Hiram Abiff, 2002, Dallas Museum of Art, Contemporary Art Fund: Gif of Arlene and john Dayton, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon E. Faulconer, Mr. and Mrs. Bryant M. Hanley, Jr., Margurerite and Robert K. Hoffman, Cindy and Howerd Rachofsky, Deedie and Rusty Rose, Gayle and Paul Stoffel, and three anonymous donors; DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund; and Roberta Coke Camp Fund

Cast by Matthew Barney in the film CREMASTER 3, American sculptor Richard Serra portrays the master architect of the Chrysler building.  In this freeze frame, Serra stands in front of two industrial columns, a reference to two pillars designed by Hiram Abiff, the mythic architect of Solomon’s Temple, who possessed knowledge of the mysteries of the universe.

Judgement is the twentieth trump card in the tarot deck.  Modeled after the Christian resurrection prior to the final judgmenet day, the scene depicts an angel, likely Gabriel, descending to earth sounding a trumpet.  Below, grayish men, women, and children celebrate the angel’s arrival with open arms as they emerge from crypts and graves.  When used for divination purposes the card signals an impending judgement or the resurrection of past errors.

Emma-O, late 16th-early 17th century, Dallas Museum of Art, Wendover Fund in memory of Alfred and Juanita Bromberg an dthe Cecil and Ida Green Acquisition Fund

The title Emma-O is the Japanese translation of Yama, the Hindu god of death.  Based in Buddhism, the idea of Emma-O as the King of Hells originated in China before spreading to Japan.  Wearing the costume of a Chinese judge, Emma-O was thought to determine how your spirit would be reincarnated in your next life.  He was seen as a beneficient power despite his snarling face, which was thought to avert evil.

Justice is numbered either eight or eleven depending on the deck .  Shown seated and holding the scales of justice and the equalizing sword aloft, Justice meditates on various claims of right, morality, and duty.  When Justice appears in a spread, the card signals an injustice that requires righting.

Helmet mask (gye), Guro peoples, mid-20th century, Dallas Museum of Art, The otis and Velma Davis Dozier Fund

The most powerful of masks, gye represent the highest judicial authority.  A person wearing such a mask can judge disputes, negotiate peace treties, and make momentous decisions on behalf of the community.  Worn while dancing atop burning coals, this mask depicts the trustworthy and loyal African buffalo.

The Lovers is the sixth trump card in a tarot deck.  Still nude, Adam and Eve flank the cherub that is presumably ordering them from the Garden of Eden.  Representing the impulse that drove Adam and Eve from the Garden, the Lovers exemplify the transition from innocence to experience.  This transition could manifest due to curiosity, desire, or duty.

Henry Koerner, June Night, 1948-1949, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Joshua L. Logan

An example of magic realism, Henry Koerner’s June Night is a glance at life after leaving the garden.  Contrasting blissful wedding connotations with the harsh qualities of a brick apartment building, this painting comments on the realities of married life, post-honeymoon phase.  The crying child painted on the lower wall brings to mind late night feedings and diaper changes.

Stay tuned for my next post featuring the Magician, the Moon, the Star, Strength, and the Sun.

Pilar Wong
McDermott Intern for Community Teaching

Late Night on the Streets of Paris

Last Friday, the Museum kept its doors open until midnight celebrating Posters of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec and His Contemporaries. During this special Late Night, visitors went on tours of the exhibition, attended lectures about the Parisian celebrities featured on the posters, learned a few French words and phrases, and much much more! Check out some of the highlights of the evening below.

The Matt Tolentino Band created a Parisian ambiance with their French mussette style, getting couples on their feet dancing.

About every hour, an energetic and impressive crew of acrobats, contortionists, and circus performers from Lone Star Circus amazed visitors up and down the Concourse.

Throughout the night, the Poster Studio at the end of the exhibition remained packed with visitors creating their own posters to take home and display on the Poster Studio wall.

From art-making in the Center for Creative Connections to yoga with our resident yogini, there were plenty of activities available for kiddos. One of my favorite family programs is Bedtime Stories with the award-winning storyteller Ann Marie Newman. She always comes dressed in character with props, images, and incredibly creative interactive stories. On this occasion she based her stories on posters from the exhibition. While she animatedly told the tales, images were projected on the wall behind her and kiddos were invited to act out the stories all around her. It was quite a sight to see!

Did you miss all the Late Night Friday fun? Not to worry! The exhibition is open through January 20th and there are plenty more Posters of Paris inspired programs scheduled, including a City of Light free First Tuesday, Gallery Talks, and art-making activities for your littlest learners. We also have some ongoing activities available for anytime you visit the exhibition. As you enter, pick up a Posters of Paris Scavenger Hunt to guide your journey through the streets of Paris, then before you bid us “adieu” create your own poster in the Poster Studio. If you’re still feeling inspired after your visit, use our Culinary Canvas recipe to bake your own Sarah Bernhardt cookies or download our poster-making activity to try at home.

Amusez-vous, mes amis!

Hannah Burney
Community Teaching Programs Assistant

DMA Staff Art Show

Last Friday, the Dallas Museum of Art Staff celebrated the opening of a new show, Crawl Space: Within the Walls, which features works of art by our very own staff. Crawl Space turns the spotlight around onto those who make possible the other wonderful exhibitions on view here at the Museum. In this show, you will find a myriad of subjects and media by representatives from many of the DMA’s departments, from curators to grant writers to the gallery attendants who insure the safety of our collection.

I asked the participants to consider their pieces in relation to the DMA’s permanent collection by responding to the question: “If you could have your work installed next to something from the DMA, what would it be?” Here is a sampling of the responses:

“I would love it if my two photographs could flank [Andrew Wyeth’s That Gentleman]. I believe the images all have similar tones that reflect stillness, reflection, and solitude.” – Reagan Duplisea, Associate Registrar for Exhibitions, 4 years at the DMA

  • Andrew Wyeth, That Gentleman, 1960, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase.
  • Reagan Duplisea, Ascendez (Tribute to Madame J, I), 2010
  • Reagan Duplisea, Descendez (Tribute to Madame J, II), 2010.

“I would like to have Banquete Chair with Pandas installed next to my collages. My collages are playful and speak to 1950s consumer culture while the Campana chair does something similar with a 21st century sensibility. Also, both may be said to deal with the theme of animals run amuck.” – Dana Harper, Assistant Librarian, 4 years at the DMA.

  • Dana Harper, Dream Kitchen #1, 2012.
  • Fernando and Humberto Campana, Banquete Chair with Pandas, designed 2006, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund.
  • Dana Harper, Dream Kitchen #2, 2012.

“I would love to see my painting, Garden of Earthlike Planet Delights, paired with this mask. The mask is primal, dark, mysterious, and speaks of danger and tribal ritual. I love listening to the big three Diaghilev-era Stravinsky ballets in sequence and on ‘repeat all’ while I paint. For me, it isn’t hard to imagine some faraway, earthlike, but strange world in our galaxy where there may exist primitive humanoid tribes experiencing life in ways similar to our own prehistoric times.” – David Caldwell, Gallery Attendant, 1 year at the DMA.

  • David Caldwell, Garden of Earthlike Planet Delights, 2012.
  • Northern New Caledonia, Mask, late 19th – early 20th century, Dallas Museum of Art, The Roberta Coke Camp Fund.

“I would want my drawing to go next to Sir Winston Churchill’s Self-Portrait from the Reves Collection. It’s a very simple colored pencil drawing of a pig. I think my drawing (of my dog, Cooper) would have a lot of fun hanging out with Churchill’s drawing.” – Hayley Dyer, Teaching Specialist, 2 years at the DMA

  • Winston Churchill, Self Portrait, Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection.
  • Hayley Dyer, Mon Petit Chien, 2012.

“I have always been fascinated with using people as my subject matter, because from a simple gesture, expression, attire, or scene, there is almost always a story behind them.” – Kay Sims, Lead Security Supervisor, 15 years at the DMA

  • Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, The Last Respects, 1887, Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection.
  • Kay Sims, Sketchy Doodles, 1989-2011.
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Three Heads of Women, One Asleep, 1637, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Calvin J. Holmes.

“If my piece, Tie Down Thoughts with a Culinary Flair, could be installed next to something from the DMA’s collection, I would imagine it flanked by Bruce Conner’s Knox and Robert Rauschenberg’s Night Hutch. Both of these artists layer found images and objects, resulting in a uniquely recontextualized composition. The layers range from subtle, delicate pieces of cloth referencing “hoarfrost” to attention-grabbing objects protruding from the surface of a chunky assemblage. The layers in my work are meant to mimic the inner layers of the subconscious and how they relate to our outward perceptions. Both of these artists have greatly influenced my understanding of creating a language through mixed-media.” – Nicole Norton, Visitor Services Assistant, 1 year at the DMA.

  • Bruce Conner, Knox, 1963, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund.
  • Nicole Norton, Tie Down Thoughts with a Culinary Flair, 2012.
  • Robert Rauschenberg, Night Hutch, 1976, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the artist.

Crawl Space will remain on view through January 6, 2013 in the Mezzanine 2 hallway.

Alex Vargo
McDermott Intern for Gallery Teaching


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