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Jade Jubilee: 35 Years of Concentrations

Published September 14, 2016 Archive 2 Comments
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The year 2016 marks the 35th anniversary of the DMA’s Concentrations series, which was inaugurated in 1981 with paintings and monotypes by Richard Shaffer.

Concentrations I: Richard Shaffer, March 1–April 12, 1981

Initially planned as a series of five exhibitions exploring the work of living artists, Concentrations has grown into a long-running series featuring emerging and international artists working across a range of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film and video, assemblage, and site-specific installations. Over the history of the series, nine curators have organized Concentrations exhibitions: Sue Graze (21), Steven A. Nash (1), Joan Davidow (3), Dave Hickey (1), Annegreth Nill (1), Charles Wylie (4), Suzanne Weaver (22), Jeffrey Grove (2), and Gabriel Ritter (5).

In celebration of the anniversary, I’ve pulled together some fun facts about the series with installation photos to illustrate them.

1. How many Concentrations exhibitions were held primarily outdoors in the Sculpture Garden?

Answer: Four, although there were a few exhibitions that had work in the Sculpture Garden in addition to the works in the galleries

Concentrations 8: Dalton Maroney, October 10, 1983–February 19, 1984

Concentrations 8: Dalton Maroney, October 10, 1983–February 19, 1984

Concentrations 9: Richard Long, March 31–July 8, 1984

Concentrations 9: Richard Long, March 31–July 8, 1984

Concentrations 11: Luis Jimenez, February 17–March 31, 1985

Concentrations 11: Luis Jimenez, February 17–March 31, 1985

Concentrations 51: Mark Handforth, March 23–September 23, 2007

Concentrations 51: Mark Handforth, March 23–September 23, 2007

Concentrations 8: Dalton Maroney was also the first exhibition held at the new Museum building downtown. It opened with the Sculpture Garden a few months before the Museum building.

2. What two exhibition series are related to Concentrations?

Answer: Projects and Encounters

Projects I: David McManaway, March 19-April 27, 1975

Projects I: David McManaway, March 19-April 27, 1975

Projects was a series of three exhibitions in 1975 curated by Robert Murdock, Curator of Contemporary Art. The three exhibitions in the series featured work by David McManaway, Bruce Cunningham, and Raffaele Martini. The series inspired the creation of the Concentrations series in 1981 by Curator of Contemporary Art Sue Graze.

Encounters was a series of six exhibitions held between 1992 and 1995 that were presented in place of Concentrations. The series, created and curated by Curator of Contemporary Art Annegreth Nill, paired the work of a regional artist with that of an artist from the national or international arena to increase potential dialogue.

Encounters 1: John Hernandez and Rainer Ganahl, February 23–April 19, 1992 - John Hernandez

Encounters 1: John Hernandez and Rainer Ganahl, February 23–April 19, 1992 – John Hernandez

Encounters 1: John Hernandez and Rainer Ganahl, February 23–April 19, 1992 - Rainer Ganahl

Encounters 1: John Hernandez and Rainer Ganahl, February 23–April 19, 1992 – Rainer Ganahl

3. Concentrations exhibitions have primarily been one-person shows, with a few duos (Peter Fischli/David Weiss, Jane and Louise Wilson, and Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla) and one collective (Slavs and Tatars). How many have shown the work of two or more artists working separately?

Answer: Six

Concentrations III: Betsy Muller/Andrea Rosenberg, June 21–August 2, 1981

Concentrations III: Betsy Muller/Andrea Rosenberg, June 21–August 2, 1981

Concentrations 23: Texas Figurative Drawings, May 19–July 15, 1990

Concentrations 23: Texas Figurative Drawings, May 19–July 15, 1990

Concentrations 24: Continuities of Concern, June 2–August 5, 1990

Concentrations 24: Continuities of Concern, June 2–August 5, 1990

Concentrations 32: Anne Chu and Bonnie Collura, October 15, 1998–January 17, 1999

Concentrations 32: Anne Chu and Bonnie Collura, October 15, 1998–January 17, 1999

Concentrations 54: Matt Connors and Fergus Feehily, April 3-August 14, 2011

Concentrations 54: Matt Connors and Fergus Feehily, April 3-August 14, 2011

Concentrations 59: Mirror Stage, Visualizing the Self After the Internet, April 10-December 6, 2015

Concentrations 59: Mirror Stage, Visualizing the Self After the Internet,
April 10-December 6, 2015

4. How many artists have been part of a Concentrations exhibition?

Answer: 81 – This includes the twelve artists in Concentrations 23: Texas Figurative Drawings and counts the collective Slavs and Tatars from Concentrations 57 as one artist. Concentrations 24: Continuities of Concern is not included. About 40% of the artists are women.

I will close with a few more images from past Concentrations exhibitions to show the variety of work over 59 shows. More information on these and all Concentrations exhibitions can be found in Past Exhibitions on DMA.org. Concentrations 60: Lucie Stahl will open on September 16. Admission is FREE.

Concentrations IV: Alain Kirili, Recent Sculpture, October 18–November 29, 1981

Concentrations IV: Alain Kirili, Recent Sculpture, October 18–November 29, 1981

Concentrations 14: Pat Steir, The Brueghel Series, November 1, 1986–January 4, 1987

Concentrations 14: Pat Steir, The Brueghel Series, November 1, 1986–January 4, 1987

Concentrations 16: Mary Lucier, Wilderness, October 10–November 22, 1987

Concentrations 16: Mary Lucier, Wilderness, October 10–November 22, 1987

Concentrations 17: Vernon Fisher, Lost for Words, January 23–April 17, 1988

Concentrations 17: Vernon Fisher, Lost for Words, January 23–April 17, 1988

Concentrations 20: Kiki Smith, January 14–April 16, 1989

Concentrations 20: Kiki Smith, January 14–April 16, 1989

Concentrations 25: Harry Geffert, November 23, 1990–January 20, 1991

Concentrations 25: Harry Geffert, November 23, 1990–January 20, 1991

Concentrations 26: Celia Alvarez Munoz, Abriendo Tierra/ Breaking Ground

Concentrations 26: Celia Alvarez Munoz, Abriendo Tierra/ Breaking Ground, May 4-June 30, 1991

Concentrations 30: Mariko Mori, Come Play with Me, September 17–November 9, 1997

Concentrations 30: Mariko Mori, Come Play with Me, September 17–November 9, 1997

Concentrations 31: Patrick Faulhaber, June 25–September 13, 1998

Concentrations 31: Patrick Faulhaber, June 25–September 13, 1998

Concentrations 40: Maki Tamura, November 7, 2001–January 27, 2002

Concentrations 40: Maki Tamura, November 7, 2001–January 27, 2002

Concentrations 47: Jim Lambie, Thirteenth Floor Elevator, May 20–August 21, 2005

Concentrations 47: Jim Lambie, Thirteenth Floor Elevator, May 20–August 21, 2005

Concentrations 48: Charline von Heyl, October 28, 2005– January 8, 2006

Concentrations 48: Charline von Heyl, October 28, 2005– January 8, 2006

Concentrations 49: Miguel Angel Rios, “A Morir ('til Death)”

Concentrations 49: Miguel Angel Rios, “A Morir (’til Death)” January 29-May 14, 2006

Concentrations 55: Karla Black, October 19, 2012-March 17, 2013

Concentrations 55: Karla Black, October 19, 2012-March 17, 2013

 

Hillary Bober is the Archivist at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Meet the McDermott Interns

Published September 12, 2016 Behind-the-Scenes , Staff Closed
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September is already upon us, which means it’s once again time to meet our new McDermott Interns. Each year we offer nine internship positions—four in the Museum’s Education Department and five in the Curatorial Department—to talented individuals who are interested in exploring museum careers. Established in 1974, the McDermott Internship Program allows interns to work closely with staff throughout the Museum and provides opportunities for individual contributions. Below you’ll find some brief background information on our brilliant new bunch, along with their official positions.

Grace Diepenbrock
McDermott Intern for Family and Access Teaching
Grace completed her BA in Studio Art at Mars Hill University in North Carolina. She most recently served as the Family Programs Assistant at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, where she led programs for families and early learners. Grace has also held positions with the EdVenture Children’s Museum and the Madison County Arts Council, where she developed the curriculum for an art-based afterschool program.

Kelly Filreis
McDermott Graduate Intern for Contemporary Art
Kelly received her BFA in Print/Paper/Book from Minneapolis College of Art and Design and recently completed her MA in Art History from the University of California, Riverside. While at UCR, Kelly served as the Art History Graduate Student Association Vice President and coordinated the 2016 Art History Graduate Student Conference. She has also worked with multiple galleries in Minneapolis to coordinate exhibitions and special artist projects.

Sara Greenberg
McDermott Graduate Intern for Adult Programming and Arts & Letters Live
Sara completed her BA in Art History at the University of Denver and recently earned her MA in Art History from the University of California, Riverside. As a collections intern at the California Museum of Photography, she initiated a print viewing program to provide increased accessibility to the collection. While in Denver, Sara held internships at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Denver Art Museum, where she helped organize their monthly late night program, Untitled Final Friday.

Angela Medrano
McDermott Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching
Angela recently earned her BA from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, where she majored in American Studies. During her time at Dickinson, Angela founded a program for university student volunteers to learn and teach American Sign Language to early learners at the Dickinson College Children’s Center. Angela also worked with the university’s Trout Gallery to facilitate art-based wellness programs and programs for K–12 visitors.

Dana Olesch
McDermott Intern for Ancient American Art
Dana recently earned her BA in Anthropology and History from Beloit College in Wisconsin. During her time at Beloit, Dana served as a teaching assistant for multiple courses and worked with the college’s Logan Museum of Anthropology to create teaching materials for high school and college students based on the museum’s Andean and North American collections. She has also participated in archaeological excavations of domestic sites in Virginia and Peru.

Francesca Soriano
McDermott Intern for American Art
Francesca recently earned her BA in Art History from Colby College in Maine. While completing her degree, Francesca worked with the Colby College Museum of Art in various roles, including that of curatorial intern, student docent, and co-chair of the Student Advisory Board. She has also held internships with galleries in New York, Paris, and Berlin, during which she gained experience in development, communications, and exhibitions.

Marta Torres
McDermott Graduate Intern for Visitor Engagement
Marta earned her BA in Arts and Humanities from the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey and her Masters in Art Education with an emphasis on Museology from Caribbean University. Marta has worked with multiple departments at the Dr. Pio Lopez Martinez Museum of Art in Cayey, gaining experience in education, collections, and curatorial research. She also held a position researching and organizing the archives of artist Antonio Martorell.

Amy Wojciechowski
Dedo and Barron Kidd McDermott Graduate Intern for European Art
Amy received her BA in History from Oberlin College and holds her MA in the History of Art from Bryn Mawr College, where she is in the process of completing her PhD. Amy curated an exhibition of special collections at Bryn Mawr’s Carpenter Library and has also held a curatorial internship with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where she contributed to an exhibition on Fernand Léger. She has also served as a student docent and education intern at Oberlin’s Allen Memorial Art Museum.

Megan Zembower
McDermott Intern for African Art
Megan recently completed her BA in Art History and French at Denison University in Ohio. While at Denison, Megan held positions as a teaching assistant and as a research assistant, working with her professor to organize an exhibition of contemporary art at Kenyon College’s Gund Gallery. Megan has also conducted architectural research on the Simon Jude Chancognie House, a historic 19th-century home located in Charleston.

Sarah Coffey is the Education Coordinator at the DMA. 

Meet Our Director

Published September 7, 2016 Behind-the-Scenes Closed
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This month marks the arrival of the DMA’s new Eugene McDermott Director, Agustín Arteaga. Uncrated sat down with him in the Museum galleries to get to know him a bit better:

All in a Day’s Work – 1940s

Published September 5, 2016 Archive 3 Comments
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It’s Labor Day and while it is time to say an unofficial goodbye to summer, it is also the perfect time to recognize some of the staff that worked hard to make the Museum what it is today.

The Museum staff in the 1940s was small. Counting the names on the rosters in bulletins and annual reports, there were fewer than 20 people, including the teaching staff, which is about 10% of the people currently employed by the DMA. Some did multiple jobs covering both administrative and teaching duties, for example, or managing both the library and education programs.

Staff-JimmyGarrett-1940s-002

This is Building Superintendent Jimmie Garrett in 1940. He joined the staff after working on the construction crew that built the Museum in 1936. Unfortunately, I can’t quite figure out what he is doing in the photo, maybe guarding an installation in progress, or maybe just pondering the small figures on the shelves.

Staff-EdBearden-SculptureClass-1946-001

Ed Bearden, in the coat and tie, was both the Museum’s Assistant Director and a member of the teaching staff. Here, he instructs a sculpture class with a live model in 1946.

The 1947 State Fair was an exciting time as the Museum secured a loan of Rosa Bonheur’s famous painting The Horse Fair from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and staff worked hard to promote the event.

Membership_drive

Mary Bywaters (left) and Fran Bearden (right) use The Horse Fair to promote Dallas Art Association membership. The man in the center is unidentified, but it would be great to learn his name if you recognize him.

Bonheur_Horse_Fair_1947_002

In addition to administrative and art class teaching duties, Ed Bearden also gave public lectures. Here he is speaking about The Horse Fair in 1947.

DMFA_staff_1948_001

Standing left to right: Herb and Jett Rogalla, Ed and Fran Bearden, Mellville Mercer, Jeanette Bickel, Rusty Grimes, Barbara Mercer, Margaret Milam; seated left to right: Jerry Smith, Mary Bywaters, Tom Grimes.

Thankfully it wasn’t all work for our 1940s staff. Here are some DMFA staff and friends in what I like to imagine was a staff picnic-type outing, but maybe I am reading too much into the grass and trees in the picture. It would be quite a happy coincidence if the photo happened to be taken on Labor Day 1948.

Stay tuned next Labor Day to see Museum staff of the 1950s doing interesting things . . .

Hillary Bober is the Archivist at the Dallas Museum of Art.

 

Party in the DMA

Published August 31, 2016 Behind-the-Scenes , Exhibitions Closed
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Nicolas Party Pathway_artist Nicolas Party_August 2016_Courtesy of Dallas Museum of Art

On August 1, Nicolas Party hopped off the plane at DFW and ever since it has been a Party in the DMA. It only took the Swiss artist two weeks to transform the Museum’s Concourse into an enchantingly surreal landscape. Unconfined to a static sketch, each day the former graffiti artist added richly hued flora that simultaneously recalls forest floors and ocean depths. Visitors were entranced as he worked to bring his imaginative vision of a sanctuary for the people of Dallas to life. Check out the progression of the site-specific mural below.

And tomorrow, let the long weekend begin. Come experience the wonder of Nicolas Party: Pathway on Thursday evening and throw your hands up because we’ll be playing your song when DJ Wild in the Streets takes over the DMA patio. You’ll be nodding your head like yeah as we start the weekend early with 20% off crepes from Socca, fresh retro pop, funk, soul, and great company. See you there!

 

Julie Henley is the Communications and Marketing Coordinator at the DMA.

 

 

 

 

The Canines Behind the Canvas

Published August 25, 2016 Collections 3 Comments
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Dogs are said to be man’s best friend, but can they also be his muse? The following artists sure thought so! These four-legged friends were never far from their master’s side, eager to give a bark of approval for work well done or a shake of the muzzle to try again, and, in dire circumstances, to lend their tail as an extra paint brush. These furry entourages inspired, encouraged, and lent a paw whenever they could to their famous owners. Happy National Dog Day to the creative canines behind the canvas!

David Hockney with his models, Stanley and Boogie


Georgia O’Keeffe getting some air with her fluffy chow companions


Jackson Pollock taking a breather with Gyp and Ahab


Pablo Picasso adventuring with his beloved dachshund Lump


Andy Warhol with his favorite army candy . . . his dachshund Archie


Frida Kahlo with her hairless, but not heartless, Xoloitzacuintli dogs


Julie Henley is the Communications and Marketing Coordinator at the DMA.

Appily Ever After

Published August 22, 2016 Behind-the-Scenes , DMA app 1 Comment
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AppImage_2 heading
Once upon a time, in a kingdom called the Dallas Museum of Art, a group of talented young wizards from the nearby land of Pariveda decided to create an enchanted portal. Far better than your run of the mill magic mirror, the portal gave all, far and wide, a glimpse into 5,000 years of the realm’s riches. Royalty and peasants alike could go behind castle lines with specially curated content like audio tours and insider guides, all without fear of being thrown into the dungeon. Word of mouth and carrier pigeons became practically obsolete with the portal’s interactive map, filterable calendar, favorites queue, and instant social media sharing. If that weren’t enough,  with a mere shake of their scrolls a random treasure would pop up to explore!

The wizards saw how much joy the portal brought the kingdom and decided to share it with all. They named their creation the DMA app and made it available on iOS devices!

And they all lived APPily ever after . . . Download today to experience the wonder.

Meet the Wizards:

Reed Correa
Texas A&M University, Management Information Systems
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Hey there! In building the DMA app, I worked to pull back artwork in the permanent collection, displaying details about that artwork, and displaying tour media information. My favorite work in the Museum is probably the Sporting Cup designed by Ashbee. I came across it while testing the search function. There are a number of cups and they became my favorite search. I love the turquoise color on it!

Philip Gai
Baylor University, Computer Science
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Hi! My central tasks in building the DMA app were developing the home page, the exploration guide pages, and the shake for a random art piece feature. After working with so much art information for the guides, I definitely came to appreciate art in a new way. The Wittgenstein Vitrine is definitely my favorite artwork at the DMA!

Nick Graham
University of Oklahoma, Computer Science
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Hi! I created the “At the Museum” page, which gives an overview of events on the DMA calendar. Additionally, I worked to make audio-video tour content accessible from the app. I enjoyed the opportunity to work in this unique environment with so many beautiful works of art. During this summer, I have grown to especially like the Wittgenstein Vitrine and Piet Mondrian’s Windmill.

Derik Hasvold
Brigham Young University, Provo, Information Systems
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Hi! Helping build the DMA’s mobile app was fantastic. One thing I worked on is the ability to filter through the Museum’s art collection to find artwork you are interested in. This feature helped me realize one thing: I love sculptures! There are some sweet sculptures in the Sculpture Garden; some of my favorites are Willy and Dallas Snake. If it weren’t for this amazing app, this is something I might never have discovered.

Mary Kate Nawalaniec
University of Notre Dame, Electrical Engineering
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Hey! I primarily worked on the Map features for the app. During our time at the DMA, Samantha Robinson was gracious enough to give us the history behind the Wittgenstein Vitrine. She provided interesting insight into the process of acquiring and restoring art pieces. I have a greater appreciation for the work curators do to track down pieces like the vitrine. It’ll be hard to top having the DMA as office space!

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Julie Henley is the Communications and Marketing Coordinator at the DMA. 

Collection Connection: Then and Now

Published August 22, 2016 Archive , DMA app Closed
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Just last week the Museum released the DMA app, allowing visitors to engage with the collection, but the Museum has a long history of using technology to enhance the learning experience.

Students working with "Artifacts," the Museum's interactive computer video program during "The Shogun Age" in 1984.

Students working with Artifacts, the Museum’s interactive computer video program during The Shogun Age in 1984.

The first efforts began in 1984 when the DMA launched Artifacts (not to be confused with the 21st century version of Artifacts – the DMA Member magazine), a suite of interactive video computer programs that provided visitors a one-on-one learning experience for the Museum’s permanent collection and special exhibitions. “Combining visual images, through the use of video, with the stored information and access capability of a computer, a simple user-friendly system has been developed. Artifacts enable to the user to become involved with the program content rather than the mechanical operation of the machine, by the use of a light pen placed directly on a video monitor screen.”(DMA Bulletin, Summer 1984, page 27) Through Artifacts visitors were able to access information not available on text labels in the galleries providing context and greater appreciation of the artworks.

Today, a team of staff and intern programmers from Pariveda Solutions created the interactive app over the summer. Mary Mills, Administrator of Visual Resources, created Artifacts after two years of research and development, and had to learn both video production and computer programming, since Artifacts was the first system of its kind to be developed for an art museum.

The tools have vastly evolved over time but the idea of using technology to give visitors a more engaging experience at the DMA has stayed the same.

Hillary Bober is the Archivist at the Dallas Museum of Art.

But Wait There’s More!

Published August 17, 2016 Arts & Letters Live 1 Comment
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DMA Arts & Letters Live, the Museum’s acclaimed literary and performing arts series, announced a “but wait there’s more!” extension of its 25th anniversary season this week with six author events for the fall.

I’m particularly excited that each of these carefully selected programs dovetails with the DMA’s collection, and we’re offering pre-event tours so that people can explore connections between the featured books and art currently on view.

Here’s the scoop and a few tidbits on why we selected them.

September 11: Robert Hoge

Robert Hoge UGLY

Australian author Robert Hoge wowed us with his TEDx talk, sharing his own poignant and personal story of being born with a tumor on his face and disfigured legs. His memoir for adults and now middle grade students, Ugly addresses life, love, beauty, imperfection, and pain, so his story will resonate with a wide variety of ages. Hoge says, “We all have scars only we can own.” Our pre-event tour will focus on Frida Kahlo’s Self Portrait Very Ugly and stir discussion about self-perception and ideas of beauty.

September 15: Ross King

Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1908, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, 1981.128

Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1908, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, 1981.128

Ross King returns to the DMA by popular demand with his new book, Mad Enchantment, about the beloved artist Claude Monet and the creation of his famous water lily paintings. He argues that there is more than meets the eye with these serene images of beauty, examining the complexity behind them and the frustrations and challenges that Monet overcame to create them. A docent will discuss the DMA’s iconic painting of water lilies and other Impressionist highlights before the event.

September 28: Candice Millard

Candice Millard Hero of the Empire

Candice Millard’s brilliant new biography, Hero of the Empire, pinpoints the little-known story of young Winston Churchill’s Indiana Jones–like adventures, including a bold escape from prison camp during the Boer War. Millard offers keen insights on how the lessons Churchill learned in the midst of these challenges related to his achievements and legacy as prime minister later in his life. Before the event, enjoy a gallery talk about Winston Churchill’s friendship with Wendy and Emery Reves and see his paintings and belongings on view in the Reves Collection.

October 26: Yaa Gyasi and Margo Jefferson

Yaa Gyasi_credit Michael Lionstar

Margo Jefferson (c) Michael Lionstar

One of the most buzzworthy books this summer, garnering more than 250 stellar reviews on Amazon, Yaa Gyasi’s epic debut novel, Homegoing, begins with two half-sisters in 18th-century Ghana—one married off to a wealthy Englishman, the other sold into slavery—and traces the lives of their descendants to 20th-century America. (FYI: Knopf acquired the novel for more than $1 million from the then 25-year-old author!). Pulitzer Prize–winning critic Margo Jefferson adored Gyasi’s novel and will discuss it with her as well as her own National Book Critics Circle Award–winning memoir, Negroland. Before the event, join curator Dr. Roslyn Walker in the galleries to explore works of art from Ghana.

November 15: Hannah Rothschild

Hannah Rothschild PB Cover

British author Hannah Rothschild knows the art world—she comes from a prominent art-collecting family and is the first woman chair of the National Gallery in London. Rothschild is coming to the DMA in her only US appearance for the paperback release of her debut novel, The Improbability of Love. The New York Times hailed it as “a frolicsome art-world caper,” and Elizabeth Gilbert called it “an inspired feast of clever delights.” In it, Annie McDee stumbles upon a grimy painting in a secondhand shop that turns out to be a lost masterpiece by one of the most important French artists of the 18th century. While searching for the painting’s identity, Annie will unwittingly uncover some of the darkest secrets of European history as well as the possibility of falling in love again. Before the event, don’t miss the chance to hear Dr. Nicole Myers, The Lillian and James H. Clark Curator of European Painting and Sculpture, highlight 18th–century French paintings in the DMA’s collection.

November 17: Patricia Cornwell

Patricia CORNWELL__Author Photo__cred Patrick Ecclesine

We’ve had several requests to bring in the #1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Cornwell on audience surveys, so we are excited to cap off our 25th anniversary season with twenty-five years of Cornwell’s popular high-stakes series starring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Cornwell will share insights about her new novel, Chaos, involving a cyberbully; her creative process in researching and writing her books; and her theory that artist Walter Sickert was Jack the Ripper. Fans can purchase VIP experience tickets that include a wine and cheese reception with the author, a hardcover copy of Chaos, reserved premium seating, and a book signing fast-track pass.

You can make DMA Arts & Letters Live your own book club—invite your friends to join you for these unique and inspiring evenings combining books and art!

Carolyn Bess is the Director of Arts & Letters Live at the DMA.

Freeze Frame

Published August 10, 2016 Artifacts , Exhibitions , Guest Blog Post Closed
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It’s hard to believe, but we’re in the final week of the celebrated exhibition Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty. Prior to the show’s opening in April of this year, Allison V. Smith, photographer and granddaughter of Stanley Marcus, shared with the DMA Member magazine, Artifacts, her first encounter with the work of Irving Penn and the impact of his legacy.  Read about her experience below, and discover the work of Irving Penn for the first time or for the hundredth time through Sunday with buy one get on free exhibition tickets offered every day.

One of the Real Greats
By Allison V. Smith
Original publish date: Artifacts Spring–Summer 2016

Irving Penn’s name is synonymous with beauty in fashion photography. So it’s no surprise that in 1990 my grandfather Stanley Marcus gave me, a young, passionate photographer, a signed copy of Issey Miyake’s catalogue photographed by Irving Penn. An enclosed handwritten Post-it note read:
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“Dear Allie— Penn, in my opinion, is the greatest of the fashion photographers and perhaps one of the real greats of the 20th century. Are you friends with him?”

I wasn’t, but I quickly took the time to educate myself.

Penn’s prolific photographic career spanned seventy years, and in this time he managed to merge the lines between fashion and fine art. His first cover for Vogue magazine was published in 1943, and he would shoot at least 150 more.

Irving Penn, Salvador Dali, New York, 1947, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist. Copyright © The Irving Penn Foundation

Irving Penn, Salvador Dali, New York, 1947, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, © The Irving Penn Foundation

Penn’s assignments ranged from shooting striking models in designer dresses on location in Paris, to contemporary still lifes of familiar objects, to the simple “corner portraits” of artists that included Salvador Dalí and Truman Capote. These portraits were made sometime in 1948 in a constructed corner in his studio. The sitter embraced the corner, demonstrating his or her own personality and making the static background Penn chose into a private stage. Dalí fills the frame in a confident pose, with both arms placed firmly on his knees. Capote kneels on a chair, wearing an oversized tweed jacket and looking directly at the photographer. It’s hard to tell whether he’s feeling vulnerable or safe.

Irving Penn, Truman Capote, New York, 1979, printed 1983, silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Irving Penn Foundation. Copyright © The Irving Penn Foundation

Irving Penn, Truman Capote, New York, 1979, printed 1983, silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Irving Penn Foundation, © The Irving Penn Foundation

Penn wrote in Passage: A Work Record about this process: “This confinement, surprisingly, seemed to comfort people, soothing them. The walls were a surface to lean on or push against. For me the picture possibilities were interesting; limiting the subjects’ movement seemed to relieve me of part of the problem of holding on to them.”

Working for Vogue, Penn had the dream job of traveling the world photographing portraits of everyday people—artisans and blue-collar workers in Paris and London, a gypsy community in Spain, and the tribes of New Guinea. Penn approached all of his portraits with the same respect and elegance as he did in posing a model in Paris or an Issey Miyake design.

Irving Penn, Issey Miyake Fashion: White and Black, New York, 1990, printed 1992, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Irving Penn Foundation. Copyright © The Irving Penn Foundation

Irving Penn, Issey Miyake Fashion: White and Black, New York, 1990, printed 1992, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Irving Penn Foundation, © The Irving Penn Foundation

Penn’s photographs are subtle and sophisticated, often finding his subjects against a blank backdrop. His meticulous flowers are a study of visual rhythm. His nudes, whom he shot on countless rolls of film on his Rolleiflex camera between 1949 and 1950, went largely unseen until 1980. He closely examined the shapes of models of all sizes. The results were about form and less about nakedness.

A prolific photographer and a technical master, he made personal work throughout his life, including his early photographs of shop window displays, and later cigarette butts, smashed cups, and chewing gum. These simple photos of litter experimented with different photographic processes, such as platinum and palladium, giving them a rich quality—and also leaving an indelible mark on me.

Allison V. Smith is an editorial and fine art photographer based in Dallas. In 2008, the DMA presented “Reflection of a Man: The Photography of Stanley Marcus,” a retrospective of photographs taken by the department store magnate and produced by Smith and her mother, Jerrie Smith.

 

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O'Keeffe may be her name, but this artist's work has been long eclipsed by that of her famous sister. Now #IdaOKeeffe's distinct creative identity is getting the spotlight it deserves in "Ida O'Keeffe: Escaping Georgia's Shadow". Opening TODAY, discover uA remarkable performance by @dallasblackdance in our American Art Gallery with choreography inspired by artist Dorothy Austin’s “Slow Shuffle”. See more #DMANights highlights in our story! . . #MyDMA #DallasMuseumofArt #AmericanArt #Dance #DancePerformanc
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