Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation

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Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Medium
The Magazine of the Birmingham Museum of Art   Winter · 2020

Recent Acquisition
1880 Crow Peace
Delegation
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Hours                                                 Telephones
                                                                                                                                                                          Contents                 Medium · Winter · 2020

Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–5pm                            Main Office                                        James Outland
Sunday, Noon–5pm                                      205.254.2565                                       Chairman of the Board
Closed Mondays and select holidays
                                                      Public Programs                                    Graham C. Boettcher
Oscar’s at the Museum
                                                      205.254.2856                                       The R. Hugh Daniel Director
Tuesday–Friday, 11am–2pm                                                                                                                                                                  Art + Exhibitions              6
Members receive a 10% discount                                                                                                                                                            Recent Acquisition
                                                      Museum Tour                                        Laura Monroe
205.328.7850; oscars@artsbma.org                                                                                                                                                          Interact + Respond
                                                      205.254.2964                                       Editor
                                                                                                                                                                                          Last Call
Clarence B. Hanson, Jr. Library
                                                      Membership                                         James Williams
By appointment: library@artsbma.org
                                                      205.254.2389                                       Designer
                                                                                                                                                                                          Programs + Events 16
The Museum Shop                                                                                                                                                                           Ongoing Programs
                                                      Development                                        Sean Pathasema
Open Museum hours                                                                                                                                                                         Nina Campbell Talk
                                                      205.254.2600                                       Photographer
Members receive a 10% discount;                                                                                                                                                           Callahan Lecture
205.254.2777;
                                                      Facilities Rental                                  Membership inquiries to:                                                 p. 18
museumstore@artsbma.org
                                                      Jestina Howard, Special Events                     membership@artsbma.org
                                                                                                                                                                                          News + Giving                 20
                                                      205.254.2681; jhoward@artsbma.org
                                                                                                                                                                                          Volunteer Spotlight
                                                                                                         Editorial inquiries to:
                                                                                                                                                                                          Conservation
                                                                                                         lmonroe@artsbma.org
                                                                                                                                                                                          Q + A with Katie Paul
                                                                                                                                                                          p. 7            Family Festival Recap
Board of Trustees
                                                                                                                                                                                          Community Partner Spotlight
                                                                                                                                                                                          CCCA Artist Award
Mr. James K. Outland, Chairman; Dr. Sanjay Singh, Vice Chair; Ms. Myla E. Calhoun, Secretary; Mr. Braxton Goodrich, Endowment Chair;
                                                                                                                                                                                          Museum Ball Chairs
Mr. Joel B. Piassick, Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair; Mrs. Maye Head Frei, Governance Chair; The Honorable Houston Brown;
                                                                                                                                                                                          EAS Trip to Italy
Ms. Carol Clarke; Mr. Norman B. Davis, Jr.; Mr. Mark L. Drew; Dr. George T. French; Mr. C. Randall Minor; Mrs. Joyce Crawford Mitchell;
                                                                                                                                                                                          In Memoriam: Wynn Kramarsky
Mr. John Montgomery; Mr. G. Ruffner Page, Jr.; Ms. Kimberly Richardson; Mr. J. Andrew Robison; Mrs. Nan Skier; Ms. Sonja Q. Smith;
                                                                                                                                                                                          Tribute + Memorial Gifts
Mrs. Kelly Styslinger; Mrs. Patricia Wallwork
                                                                                                                                                                                          Visitors’ View
Chairmen Emeriti: Mr. Thomas N. Carruthers, Jr.; Mrs. Margaret Livingston                                                                                                                 Corporate Partners

                                                                                                                                                                                  p. 24
                                                                                                                                                                                          Annual Report                 28
The Birmingham Museum of Art publishes the membership magazine, Medium, quarterly.
                                                                                                       On the cover: Wendy Red Star, United States, Native American,                      Introduction
                                                                                                       Crow, born 1981, Déaxitchish / Pretty Eagle from the series 1880
                                                                                                       Crow Peace Delegation, 2014, inkjet print and red ink on paper;                    Impact
The mission of the Birmingham Museum of Art is to spark the creativity, imagination, and
                                                                                                       Museum purchase with funds provided by the Estate of Clyde W.
                                                                                                                                                                                          Financial Statement
liveliness of Birmingham by connecting all its citizens to the experience, meaning, and joy of art.    Oyster, 2019.31e
                                                                                                                                                                                          Acquisitions
                                                                                                                                                                                          Contributions
                                                                                                                                                                          p. 31

                             Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. A portion of the general operating budget is supported by the City of
                             Birmingham and a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
                                                                                                                                                                                  p. 27
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Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Director’s                                                                                                                                                                                                                               A visit to a museum is

Letter
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      a search for beauty, truth,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       and meaning in our lives.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Go to museums as often as you can.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Maira Kalman
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Author and Illustrator
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 TEDxMet talk, October 19, 2013

                                                                Dear Member,
                                                                Recently, after 13 years of renting a one-room studio apartment on Highland Avenue, I finally
                                                                took the plunge and became a first-time homeowner, purchasing a unique mid-century modern
                                                                home in Crestwood. Through the process of getting settled in my new digs, I’m learning just how
                                                                much it takes to make a house a home. Two months in and I’m finally starting to feel a sense of
                                                                Gemütlichkeit, a German term used to describe a “state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, and
                                                                good cheer,” but which also connotes “coziness, peace of mind, and a sense of belonging and
                                                                well-being.” Gemütlichkeit is difficult to translate, but suffice it to say that you know it when you
                                                                feel it.
                                                                   Some of you may have already noticed our recent efforts to bring a sense of Gemütlichkeit to
                                                                our museum, not an easy task given that the size of the building and cold marble-clad surfaces
                                                                don’t exactly scream “cozy.” Still, there’s a lot that we can do to cultivate a sense of “at-homeness”
Above: @grahamboettcher posing in the interactive gallery for   at the BMA: places to sit and relax with comfortable seating; free WiFi and charging stations so
visitors as part of Ways of Seeing: Portraits
                                                                that you can stay connected; and attractive, well-maintained facilities.
                                                                   Over the course of the coming months, you’ll witness all of our public restrooms receive a
                                                                long-overdue reboot, including fresh paint, rejuvenated tiles, new sinks, Dyson hand dryers,
                                                                brighter lighting, additional changing tables, and new drinking fountains from which you can fill
                                                                a water bottle. I’m also pleased to announce that this past November, the City Council approved
                                                                funds for a wheelchair lift to our main lobby so that our building will soon be fully accessible from
                                                                both public entrances. I hope that these changes will enhance your museum-going experience,
                                                                and we will continue to identify ways to make our visitors feel at-home.
                                                                   You will recall that last year, we presented The Original Makers: Folk Art from the Cargo
                                                                Collection in conjunction with the celebration of our state’s bicentennial. I'm thrilled to share
                                                                the good news that the publication accompanying the exhibition was recently accorded the
                                                                Exhibition Catalog Award by The Southeast Chapter of the Art Libraries Society of North                    As we begin the new year, I want to thank you for your continuing membership. In Up From Slavery,
                                                                America's (ARLIS/NA) LoPresti Award Committee. The chair of the committee wrote, "The judg-              Booker T. Washington wrote, “I have found that the happiest people are those who do the most for others.”
                                                                es gave it high marks for usefulness to general visual arts collections, image quality, and design       By that measure, our members must be the happiest folks around! Your generous support of the BMA has
                                                                quality. They also noted that the photographs really highlighted the beauty of the exhibition piec-      a multiplied impact, enabling us to maintain free admission for more than 120,000 visitors each year and
                                                                es, were impressed with the recommended reading list, and the level of personal information              continue to provide an exciting array of exhibitions and programs for our visitors to enjoy. Your giving en-
                                                                on the artists themselves. This book will be a wonderful addition to any visual arts collection."        riches our entire community, and helps us to create a feeling of belonging for all of our visitors.
                                                                Catalogues are still available in our Museum Shop. Consider adding this superb volume to your
                                                                own library! Another recent accolade comes from TripSavvy, a popular travel advice website. We                                                                                                                 Yours in art,
                                                                recently received the news from its editors that out of 60,000 businesses reviewed, we were
                                                                one of only 620 to receive a 2019 TripSavvy Editors’ Choice Award naming us “Best for Culture
                                                                Vultures.” In addition to overall excellence and the quality of the visitor experience, winners were
                                                                judged of their “newsworthiness,” that is, we were “in the spotlight this year.” Thanks to the qual-
                                                                ity of our recent exhibitions and programs, we garnered our fair share of the limelight in 2019                                                                                         Graham C. Boettcher, Ph.D.
                                                                and I’m looking forward to more of the same in 2020.                                                                                                                                      The R. Hugh Daniel Director
4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              5
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Art +
                                                                                                      Exhibitions

    T   his work by Wendy Red Star, entitled 1880 Crow Peace
        Delegation, consists of ten historic photographs that have been
    scanned and digitally manipulated. The original portraits were taken by
    Charles Milton Bell, a studio photographer working in Washington, D.C.
    in the late 1800s. The delegation of Crow chiefs and distinguished
    leaders had traveled to Washington to discuss a treaty regarding the
    boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation, and while there had their
    portraits made in Bell’s studio.
      Red Star, who is herself Crow, observed that the portraits, as with
    many historic photographs of Native American people, had made their
    way into the public domain with no identifying information about the
    sitters, and were appropriated for use in commercial advertisements.
    She discovered a photograph of one member of the delegation—Chief
    Medicine Crow—used in an advertisement for Honest Tea. This appro-
    priation has taken place for over a century, with Native American faces
    and bodies used to sell everything from tobacco to cologne.                                                                           Recent Acquisition

    1880 Crow Peace Delegation

                                                                              Wendy Red Star, United States, Native American, Crow, born
                                                                              1981, Peelatchiwaaxpáash / Medicine Crow (Raven) from the se-
                                                                              ries 1880 Crow Peace Delegation, 2014, inkjet print and red ink
                                                                              on paper; Museum purchase with funds provided by the Estate of
                                                                              Clyde W. Oyster, 2019.31a

6                                                                                                                                                          7
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
In Red Star’s series, she has annotated the scanned photographs,
                                                                     identifying the names of the sitters and details about their lives. She
                                                                     researched each individual and provides commentary on their sta-
                                                                     tus, accomplishments, relationships, and particularly the symbolic
Above: Wendy Red Star, United States, Native American, Crow,         significance of their regalia. In the portrait of Peelatchiwaaxpáash/
born 1981, Déaxitchish / Pretty Eagle from the series 1880 Crow
Peace Delegation, 2014, inkjet print and red ink on paper; Museum    Medicine Crow (Raven), she labels “Hair extensions made from peo-
purchase with funds provided by the Estate of Clyde W. Oyster,
                                                                     ple in mourning,” and “Ermine on leggings, successful war leader.” In
2019.31e
                                                                     some instances, her annotations give the sitters a first-person voice,
Opposite Page: Wendy Red Star, Apsáalooke (Crow),
Alaxchiiaahush/Many War Achievements / Plenty Coups from the se-     such as Alaxchiiaahush/Many War Achievements/Plenty Coups who
ries 1880 Crow Peace Delegation, 2014, inkjet print and red ink on
                                                                     states, “I was baptized Catholic as Henry Plenty Coups in 1929” and
paper; Museum purchase with funds provided by the Estate of Clyde
W. Oyster, 2019.31j                                                  Déaxitchish/Pretty Eagle, who says, “My body sold to a collector for
                                                                     $500 and kept for 72 years at the American Museum of Natural
                                                                     History. My people brought my remains back to Crow Country on June
                                                                     4, 1994. My remains are now at Pretty Eagle Point, Bighorn Canyon.”
                                                                     Some of Red Star’s annotations are imagined, and reflect her own hu-
                                                                     mor, such as “I can kick your ass with these eyes,” or “I am not a fan of
                                                                     the white man.”
                                                                       In providing rich details of each man’s life, Red Star has illuminat-
                                                                     ed their humanity and their individuality, and interrogated the pattern
                                                                     of displaying “anonymous” Native American subjects. As well, she has
                                                                     inserted herself as an artist and historian, engaging not only her trib-
                                                                     al forbearers, but the broader experience of Native people past and
                                                                     present.
                                                                       This acquisition was made possible by the bequest of Dr. Clyde W.
                                                                     Oyster, whose generous gift to the Museum has supported purchases
                                                                     of work by contemporary Native American artists.
8                                                                                                                                                Art + Exhibitions   |   9
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Exhibitions Feature

                                                    Interact + Respond

                                                    T   he Birmingham Museum of Art is committed to creating stronger visitor engagement
                                                        through new interpretative methods and experiential spaces in our galleries. The Museum’s
                                                    current exhibitions, all of which close in the next few months, encourage visitor participation and
                                                    response. These response areas offer opportunities to look closely, think critically, and, in many
                                                    ways, contribute to the exhibitions.

                                                    Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now
                                                    Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now originated at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in
                                                    Washington, D.C., and traveled to the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson before making its
                                                    final stop here in Birmingham. The exhibition highlights both historical and contemporary explo-
                                                    rations into the silhouette, revealing new pathways between our past and present.
                                                      BMA staff seized the opportunity to share a hands-on making process through this exhibition.
                                                    Visitors are invited to create their own silhouette by following a step-by-step process inspired by
                                                    the physiognotrace, a device used by artists to trace the shadowed outline of a person’s facial
     Top to Bottom: Station for projecting a
                                                    features. The final step in the process prompts guests to either take their work home as a keep-
     visitor’s shadow for tracing; Display area
     for finished silhouettes; Station for reduc-   sake or hang it in a frame on the response wall.
     ing the silhouette tracing via pantograph.
                                                      “Using a tracing device to create a silhouette is not as easy as one might think,” said Curator
                                                    of Education Rachel White. “I hope visitors come away with renewed insight into the complexity
                                                    of this seemingly-simple medium, but also that they have a lot of fun making cut paper portraits
                                                    of friends and family.”
                                                      A digital screen displaying a scrolling feed of images from Instagram is located outside the
                                                    interactive room. Posts from public accounts that include the hashtag #blackoutbma appear in
                                                    the feed, and visitors are encouraged to tag images of silhouettes they see outside the Museum,
                                                    as well as the silhouettes they create in the exhibition.
10                                                                                                                                                        Art + Exhibitions   |   11
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Left to Right: Digital screen featuring silhouette images found     While silhouettes are unique in that their inherent high contrast nature lends     are coming to the Museum for the first time. Others were more poi-           sculptures by artist Celestia Morgan. Beginning in the 1930s, the
outside the Museum; The Sensory Empowerment Program Touch
Space in Black Out; The community response wall in REDLINE.       itself well to viewers with low vision, for many people, touch remains the pri-      gnant. One of my favorites came in a few weeks ago and said ‘Barbara         Federal Housing Administration systematically denied mortgages
                                                                  mary way to gain information about an object. The interactive Touch Space            Millicent Roberts has had a huge impact on my life as a queer woman          to prospective homeowners on the basis of race, religion, and immi-
                                                                  featured in Black Out includes three-dimensional tactile models which are a          in the south. At first, she taught me about femininity and the ideals        gration status in order to prevent residents from building wealth. This
                                                                  part of the Museum’s Sensory Empowerment Program Touch Tours. Although               that a woman could achieve anything. Then, I realized I was gay and          practice of housing discrimination was called redlining after the red
                                                                  these tactile models are designed for visitors with low to no vision, we encour-     just preferred the girl dolls."                                              lines drawn by banks and government officials on housing maps.
                                                                  age everyone who visits this space to touch and empower their senses!                                                                                               Though redlining officially came to an end in 1968 with the passage
                                                                                                                                                       Ways of Seeing: Portraits                                                    of the Fair Housing Act, its impact continues to perpetuate the racial
                                                                  Barbie: Dreaming of a Female Future                                                  Drawing primarily from the BMA’s permanent collection, Ways of               income gap in the United States. Many of Birmingham’s communities
                                                                  It is obvious upon stepping inside the 740-square-foot gallery that Barbie:          Seeing: Portraits brings together various works from the Museum’s            still suffer from the effects of redlining. The visitor response station in
                                                                  Dreaming of a Female Future is an exhibition created inherently with social          collections that consider the many ways artists have represented peo-        this exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the neighborhoods in which
                                                                                                          media and visitor interaction in mind.       ple from the 1500s to the present day. From a rare Renaissance-era           they live and share their personal experience with redlining by writ-

“
                                                                                                          The works in the exhibition represent        portrait drawing to contemporary photography, this show examines             ing their answers on sticky notes and posting them on the wall. Some
    Barbara Millicent Roberts has
                                                                                                          artists’ interpretations of Barbie and are   how artists have pictured themselves and others across time.                 have expressed that the exhibition opened their eyes to an issue of
     had a huge impact on my life
                                                                                                          presented as part of a life-size dream         For this exhibition, Museum staff put their heads together to create a     which they were previously unaware, while others have told of specific
   as a queer woman in the south.
                                                                                                          house. Photography is encouraged and         photo booth response area after seeing the popularity of a previous in-      hardships faced due to the impacts of redlining.
      At first, she taught me about
                                                                                                          the only objects off limits to touch are     teractive in the Ways of Seeing series (Portraits is the current iteration     “This exhibition is about Birmingham, so we felt it was important for
   femininity and the ideals that a
                                                                                                          hanging on the walls. The immersive          of a six-part series that explores themes from across the Museum’s           people to have the chance to respond about something that affects
   woman could achieve anything.
                                                                                                          space invites visitors to borrow a book      global art collections. The next iteration, The Built Environment, opens     everyone so deeply here,” said Ringle. “Having a response area tells
     Then, I realized I was gay and

                                                              ”
                                                                                                          from Barbie’s bookshelf, take a seat on      in April.) The 15 Minutes of Fame mini-photography studio is inspired        our audience that the Museum is here to listen if they want to share.
       just preferred the girl dolls.
                                                                                                          her couch, and hang out around her din-      by the work of Andy Warhol and his 1968 quote, “In the future, every-        At its core this is a human space made up of the people who work
                                                                                                          ing table. In taking the place of Barbie     one will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”                                    here and the artists whose work is represented on the walls and in the
                                                                  in her home, visitors can consider their own relationship with the doll and the        Museum visitors are invited to snap a photo in front of a Warhol-          collection. We are not the cold, stagnant space so often associated
                                                                  ways in which she may have impacted their perceptions of self.                       inspired background using their phones. To “hang” their portraits in         with museums.”
                                                                    While the hundreds of posts on social media about Barbie are one way to            the exhibition for a few moments, visitors can share their portraits on        In addition to visitor feedback in the gallery, on October 15, 2019, the
                                                                  see our audience’s reaction to the exhibition, we wanted to take it one step         Instagram with the hashtag #portraitsbma. Public posts then appear           Museum hosted the Edward M. Friend and Hermione Friend Lecture, a
                                                                  further. Using a digital touch screen at Barbie’s desk, visitors can respond to      on a digital screen in the space, offering visitors their very own “15       biennial lecture focusing on contemporary artists, critics, and historians.
                                                                  their experience by sending a letter.                                                minutes of fame” experience.                                                 A departure from its typical format, the event included Birmingham artist
                                                                    “This exhibition has been largely experimental and so Barbie's email has                                                                                        Celestia Morgan and a panel of local community activists.
                                                                  been key in getting feedback from visitors,” Curator of Contemporary Art             Celestia Morgan: REDLINE                                                       Prior to the panel discussion, each speaker shared their personal
                                                                  Hallie Ringle said. “Some were funny, like those who apologized to Barbie for        On view through February 16, Celestia Morgan: REDLINE explores               experiences and thoughts on redlining and its effects on Birmingham.
                                                                  cutting her hair when they were kids. Some are from our youngest visitors who        redlining in Birmingham through a series of photographs and small            The following excerpts highlight key points from their talk.

12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Art + Exhibitions        |   13
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Last Call                                                                  Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Closes January 12 · 2020
Celestia Morgan, Birmingham artist: “What about the walls in our             Richard Rice, attorney and community organizer: “We understand              Don’t miss these exhibitions before they close.
communities? What about the walls in our education system? What              that housing or a home is the number one indicator of one’s wealth,
about the walls in our healthcare system? What about the walls in our        and so redlining has contributed drastically to the wealth gap between
government officials? What about the walls for artists in Hollywood?         black and white communities that we see today. The black community
What about the walls in corporate America? Unfortunately, too many           has but a fraction of the overall wealth of this nation to which it has
dreams are limited by where they come from and what they look like,          contributed so much …
but there’s some good that can come out the hood. In some situations,          Southtown is going to be redeveloped not as a mixed income com-
I find myself contained once again just like 55th Street [Morgan’s           munity, but a mixed use community. Mixed use means residential and
childhood home where she first experienced racism], but I was told           commercial space, meaning there is going to be hotels, shopping, and
as a child that the sky is the limit to                                                                           some office space, which is great
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Barbie: Dreaming of a Female Future
what I can have and the sky doesn’t                                                                               in a lot of ways. We want to create
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Closes January 26 · 2020
have borders. So if you feel like                                                                                 new value and new wealth, but my
society has held you back in any                                                                                  question is who does that wealth go
form or fashion, keep pushing, work                                                                               to? Who does that value go to? Is
through it. If you feel like you have                                                                             there opportunity for us to be able
it all together, help someone else                                                                                to redistribute that in a way that
break through.”                                                                                                   would help correct some of these
                                                                                                                  historic wrongs? Do we have a duty
Odessa Woolfolk, educator, pub-                                                                                   to those specific residents to make
lic administrator, and civic activ-                                                                               sure to take into account their spe-
ist: “The thing about the red line is                                                                             cific needs? These are the types of
that it was like a scarlet letter for                                                                             questions that I think need to be
the people who were confined with-                                                                                considered before we redevelop                                                                                    Celestia Morgan: REDLINE
in its boundaries because wherever                                                                                these neighborhoods.”                                                                                             Closes February 16 · 2020
you went, you were associated with                                                                                                                                                  Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now has

whatever images people had of the                                                                                 T. Marie King, community activist                                 been organized by the Smithsonian’s National
                                                                                                                                                                                    Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., and gen-
people who lived within the red lines. And you know, the folks who           and educator: “A lot of times we have these conversations and we                                       erously sponsored by the Thoma Foundation.
                                                                                                                                                                                    The local presentation of the exhibition is
grew up earlier when these laws were in effect were also limited to          confront these issues and it’s easy to say, well, I’m not responsible and                              made possible by the Jack Warner Foundation.
                                                                                                                                                                                    Additional support provided by the Alabama
what they could do outside the red line. Because if you lived in the red     you’re absolutely correct. You are not responsible for the things that
                                                                                                                                                                                    State Council on the Arts and the National
line, as I did, you came to the Birmingham Museum of Art on certain          we are dealing with today, but because you know now, you are ac-                                       Endowment for the Arts, the Barbara Shelton
                                                                                                                                                                                    Education Fund, the City of Birmingham, and
days. If you lived in the red line, there were places that you couldn’t go   countable for change going forward … if we continue at the rate we’re                                  Friends of Black Out.

or if you went, you were treated as an other, a lesser, an undeserved.       at, we will continue to red line eachother out of each other’s lives … If
The red line was very profound.”                                             we can deal with the truth and be honest about what we have done,
                                                                                                                                                         Celestia Morgan: REDLINE is presented by The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family.
                                                                             and come together and bring the people of these communities that
                                                                                                                                                         Additional support is provided by Dr. Graham C. Boettcher, Rebecca and
                                                                             are being red lined out to the table to help create solutions, then the     Jack Drake, the Sperling Family Charitable Foundation in memory of David
                                                                                                                                                         and Natalie Sperling, the City of Birmingham, the Alabama State Council    Ways of Seeing: Portraits
                                                                             sky won’t be the limit. It will just be the beginning.”                     on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Closes March 8 · 2020
14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Art + Exhibitions   |   15
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Programs
+ Events
                                                                                                  Ongoing programs                                                                                                                                       Art-Making Programs

                                                                                                  Art After 5                                         ArtBreaks                                         Visitas guiadas en español                       Drop-in Drawing
                                                                                                  First Fridays through April                         Select Tuesdays · Noon · Free                     El segundo sábado de cada mes, a las             Select Sundays · 2–4pm
                                                                                                  5–9pm · Free                                        Museum curators and guest speakers lead           11am · Gratis                                    Free, no registration necessary
                                                                                                  Unwind from the week with art, making, and          visitors on a 30-minute exploration of art in     El BMA se enorgullece de presentar visitas       Looking for a last-minute art fix? Here’s
                                                                                                  mixing. Each month, we’ll feature a new blend       the galleries. Through a series of close-look-    guiadas de su colección en español. No se        an open invitation to explore your creative
                                                                                                  of art and entertainment, featuring art activi-     ing techniques and questioning, this free ex-     requiere reserva previa para estos recor-        sensibilities in a relaxed setting with inspi-
                                                                                                  ties, local mixologists, and art history hacks      perience helps build the visitor’s interpretive   ridos gratuitos. Destinados a visitantes de      ration from a pro. Make your own drawing in
                                                                                                  with the experts. We’ll see you at Art After 5!     skills across the comprehensive-range of          todas las edades, cada mes, el recorrido         the galleries under the guidance of teach-
                                                                                                  Spring 2020 Schedule:                               art periods and canons represented by the         se centrará en un tema y aspecto único de        ing artist Jamison Harper. You provide the
                                                                                                  Feb. 7 // March 7 // April 3                        BMA’s collections. Stay for lunch at Oscar’s      la colección del Museo. ¡Únete a nosotros        creativity. We’ll provide the art supplies.
                                                                                                                                                      and they will throw in a free dessert! Our        para explorar obras de arte de todo el           Locations vary, see signs at entrances.
                                                                                                                                                      next program is on Tuesday, January 21.           mundo!
                                                                                                  Art and Conversation
                                                                                                  Select Thursdays · 10:30am                                                                                                                             Studio School
                                                                                                  $12 for Museum Members                              Sensory Empowerment                               Spanish Tours                                    Studio School offers a wide range of art
                                                                                                  $17 for Not-Yet-Members                             Program                                           Second Saturday of every month                   classes for adults and children, including
                                                                                                  This program is for people who want to              Second Saturdays · 10am · Free                    11am · Free                                      painting, drawing, pottery, and more. Using
                                                                                                  learn more about art in an informative and          In this program for adults with visual im-        The BMA is proud to offer monthly Spanish        the Museum’s collection and exhibitions as
                                                                                                  interactive setting. Lectures are led by cu-        pairments and their companions, special-          language tours of its collection. No reser-      inspiration, explore your own creativity while
                                                                                                  rators or guest speakers, and attendees             ly trained docents present the Museum’s           vation is necessary for these free walk-in       discovering new techniques. Whether you’re
                                                                                                  are encouraged to ask questions, share              collection by means of verbal descriptions,       tours. Open to visitors of all ages, each tour   interested in a laid-back craft night or an in-
                                                                                                  thoughts and ideas, and actively partici-           three-dimensional tactile models based on         focuses on a unique theme and aspect of          depth course, Studio School has something
                                                                                                  pate in the learning process. Coffee and            original works of art, and sculpture. The ex-     the Museum’s global collection. Join us to       for you.
                                                                                                  light refreshments are available at 10am.           perience may be enhanced by related music         explore artwork from around the world!             New classes begin in February. BMA
                                                                                                  2020 Schedule:                                      and/or art-making to provide multi-sensory                                                         members receive a 10% discount on all
                                                                                                  February 6 // March 5 // April 2 // May 7           access to the visual arts. Advance reser-         This program is brought to you by the Dora       Studio School classes. To see more infor-
                                                                                                  June 4 // July 2 // August 6 // September 3         vations are required; space is limited. SEP       and Sanjay Singh Endowment for Global            mation and to register, visit artsbma.org/
                                                                                                  October 1 // November 5                             tours are also available for school-age or        Arts, Culture, and Education.                    studio-school.
                                                                                                                                                      adult groups. To reserve your spot or learn
                                                                                                                                                      more about group tours, call 205.254.2964.
                                                                                                  Slow Art Sundays
                                                                                                  Sundays · 2pm · Free                                The Sensory Empowerment Program is sup-
                                                                                                  Slow food, slow living, slow … art? Unlock the      ported in part by a grant from The EyeSight
                                                                                                  secrets of works in the Museum’s collection         Foundation of Alabama.
                                                                                                  by cultivating the art of looking slowly. Our do-
                                                                                                  cents ask and answer questions to help guide
                                                                                                  your slow art experience and foster conversa-
                                                                                                  tion. Leave the Museum feeling inspired—not
                                                                                                  tired!

To learn more about our ongoing programs and what we have planned for each event, please visit our online calendar at artsbma.org/events.

16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  17
Medium Recent Acquisition 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
Special Event

          Nina Campbell                                                                                                               Callahan
     Lecture + Reception                                                                                                              Lecture
                                                                                                                                      Beyond the Lotus: Flora in the Arts of India

                                  Interior Decoration:
                                  Elegance and Ease

                                  February 4 · 6PM · $55

                                  Join us for an evening with internationally        Nina established her own interior design
                                  renowned interior designer Nina Campbell.          practice and studio where she creates a
                                  For nearly 50 years, Nina has created vi-          successful fabric and wallpaper collection
                                  brant, imaginative spaces seeped in quintes-       internationally distributed by Osborne &
                                  sentially English style for clients around the     Little. She has retail shops for home acces-
                                  world, from rock stars to royalty. For her talk,   sories and gifts in London’s Knightsbridge
                                  Nina offers a personal tour of her colorful        and Design Center East, Chelsea Harbour
                                  career with highlights from her most recent        which also houses her extensive furniture
                                  book, Nina Campbell Interior Decoration:           collection. Nina is the author of six books on
                                  Elegance and Ease.                                 interior design. Her many awards and hon-
                                                                                                                                      February 29 · 6:30pm · Free
                                    Following the lecture, please join us for        ors include an Honorary Doctorate from the
                                  a reception and book signing in our Main           University of Middlesex (2001), the Royal
                                                                                                                                      Throughout India the language of foliage is profound. Learn the secrets of
                                  Lobby. Copies of Nina Campbell Interior            Oak Timeless Design Award (2003), the
                                                                                                                                      this scented language as rendered in the visual arts through a discussion with
                                  Decoration: Elegance and Ease will be avail-       American Fashion Award for ‘the woman
                                                                                                                                      Katherine Anne Paul, Ph.D., The Virginia and William M. Spencer III Curator of
                                  able for purchase in the Museum Shop.              who has most influenced style internation-
                                                                                                                                      Asian Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art, and Tushara Bindu Gude, Ph.D.,
                                    Nina’s career began at 19 when she               ally’ and she became a Legend of the Pratt
                                                                                                                                      Associate Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, Los Angeles County
                                  went to work for John Fowler at Colefax &          Institute in 2015. She is a Trustee of Bath
                                                                                                                                      Museum of Art.
                                  Fowler. She soon set up her own decorat-           Spa University.
                                  ing business where her first commissions                                                            Unknown artist, Himachal Pradesh (formerly the
                                                                                                                                      Kingdom of Kangra), India, Krishna and Radha by
                                  included a castle in Scotland and Annabel’s        This lecture and reception is sponsored by
                                                                                                                                      a Lotus Pond, about 1800, Ink, color, gold on pa-
                                  private members’ club in London. In 1974,          Carolyn Wade.                                    per; Museum purchase with funds provided by the
                                                                                                                                      Advisory Committee, 1988.19

18                                                                                                                                                                                        Programs + Events   |   19
News +
Giving
         Volunteer Spotlight
         Nancy Sloan

         Nancy Sloan is a talented art educator and caring volunteer who has enriched the Museum’s vol-
         unteer and docent programs since she joined in 2009. Nancy’s long career in art education be-
         gan when she earned a BA in Art from the University of Nevada with a focus on Gallery Practices.
                                                              While she was in school, Nancy volunteered
                                                              as an educator for multiple organizations in
                                                              Las Vegas, including the Junior League’s
                                                              Suitcase Gallery where she brought art
                                                              history lessons to 5th grade classes, The
                                                              American Nevada Institute where she led          Conservation at the BMA: XFR Scanner
                                                              tours of J. Seward Johnson’s bronze sculp-
                                                              tures, and as a gallery educator for vari-
                                                              ous exhibitions at the Nevada Institute of
                                                                                                               As stewards of one of the most diverse collections of art in the Southeast, the Birmingham         Deep Dive: How it Works
                                                              Contemporary Art. After graduating, Nancy
                                                                                                               Museum of Art has a duty to ensure each work of art is properly cared for. Representing
                                                              was employed as a Gallery Educator by the
                                                                                                               5,000 years of global civilization, the Museum’s collection of more than 26,000 objects            The Bruker Corporation XRF (X-ray fluorescence)
                                                              Nevada Institute of Contemporary Art and
                                                                                                               serves as the cornerstone for hundreds of free lectures, programs, and workshops each year.        analyzers have quickly become the industry stan-
                                                              then as a Gallery Assistant for the Crockett
                                                                                                               A highly technical process blending both art and science, art conservation involves research-      dard for investigatory art conservation. During the
                                                              Gallery in Las Vegas before landing the role
                                                                                                               ing and assessing the needs of the works of art, implementing preventative treatments, re-         examination process, the XRF analyzer uses X-rays
                                                              as Gallery Director for the City of Las Vegas.
                                                                                                               pairing damaged or deteriorating objects, and ultimately ensuring the pieces in our collection     to displace electrons from their atomic orbital po-
                                                              In this role, she screened and contracted
                                                                                                               remain intact and accessible for generations to come.                                              sitions, releasing bursts of energy characteristic of
         artists for three fine art galleries, installed and maintained exhibitions, managed the budget, and
                                                                                                                 Technological advances have been integral in addressing one of the greatest challenges           a specific element. The sample is bombarded with
         developed educational programs for exhibitions. Nancy is also an artist herself who started paint-
                                                                                                               of art conservation: correctly and safely identifying the composite materials of a given work      X-rays, which excites the sample to generate X-ray
         ing and drawing from a young age but discovered her true love, photography, while in college.
                                                                                                               of art. In keeping with the latest technology, the Museum’s Conservation Department was            fluorescence. The X-rays “shoot” individual electrons
         She is a prolific photographer whose work has been shown in multiple exhibitions and she has
                                                                                                               recently awarded a grant from the Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust to purchase a portable          out of the atoms of the elements, primarily out of
         won several awards for her work.
                                                                                                               XRF (x-ray fluorescence) scanner. The XRF device uses non-destructive, elemental analysis          the inner atomic shells K and L. The resulting va-
           Nancy moved from Las Vegas to Birmingham in 2006 to help with her granddaughter. Once
                                                                                                               to examine works of art, quickly providing data regarding its elemental composition so as to       cancies are filled up again by electrons from higher
         her granddaughter started elementary school, Nancy decided to sign up as a volunteer at the
                                                                                                               ascertain authenticity, fabrication technology, and provenance, as well as alerting the user       energy shells. The excess energy of these electrons
         BMA where her background in art education served her well. She first volunteered as an Ask Me
                                                                                                               to the presence of dangerous heavy metals, ensuring the personal protection and safety of          is then emitted in the form of X-ray fluorescence
         Volunteer for the Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness exhibition where she would answer
                                                                                                               Museum personnel who handle objects.                                                               radiation. This radiation is characteristic for each
         questions and engage in conversations with visitors about works of art in the exhibition. After
                                                                                                                 The Museum’s XRF scanner has already produced incredibly useful information. Some                element like a fingerprint and independent of the at-
         some encouragement from docent Fay Hart, Nancy joined the docent program in 2011. The
                                                                                                               results are fairly benign—such as confirming the proprietary recipe for jasperware you’d ex-       om’s chemical bond. The intensity of the radiation is
         artwork that she chose as her practice piece during training, George Merle’s The Sorceress, is
                                                                                                               pect to find in a piece of Wedgwood or determining the metal leaf on a 19th-century frame          proportional to the concentration of the element in
         still one of her favorite artworks. She attributes her love for this mysterious piece with her love
                                                                                                               is made of copper, not gold, as previously thought—while other scans have alerted to the           the sample. This release of energy is then recorded
         of spy novels. Nancy’s favorite aspects of being a docent are giving tours to children and the
                                                                                                               presence of toxic heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead. For example, one of our Native           by the XRF, which in turn categorizes the energies
         friendships she has made with other docents. After serving on the docent council for several
                                                                                                               American headdresses tested positive for the presence of arsenic, while a Lonnie Holley            and provides an analytical reading. With training on
         years, she is now the Docent Chair for the 2019–2020 year. Nancy is loved and appreciated by
                                                                                                               sand sculpture suspected of containing hazardous materials was found to have none, only            use and analysis, the conservator is then able to
         the BMA’s Education Department and the docent body for her ability to connect visitors with art,
                                                                                                               sulphur. Going forward, this technology will directly impact our ability to study, conserve, and   make conclusions about the work of art, its origin,
         leadership and organization skills, and positive outlook. We are lucky to have her!
                                                                                                               further preserve our collection of paintings, Wedgwood ceramics, European porcelain, and           composition, and much more.
                                                                                                               Asian ceramics.
20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 21
In August 2019, Dr. Katherine Anne Paul joined the BMA as The Virginia and William M. Spencer
                             III Curator of Asian Art. Prior to her appointment, Paul served as curator of the Arts of Asia at the
                             Newark Museum, where she helped create and shape the vision of the collections, exhibitions,
                             research, and publications for the Arts of Asia and the Pacific, a collection of more than 33,000
Q+A                          objects. At the BMA, she will oversee a permanent collection of approximately 4,000 works of
Katherine Anne Paul, Ph.D.   art from diverse cultures throughout Asia dating from the 5th century BCE to the present.

                             What is one of your top priorities in your            like learning foreign languages. I love to try
                             new position?                                         different foods and to travel and meet new
                             Katherine Anne Paul: My top priorities re-            people. I am mesmerized by how different
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Community Partner Spotlight:
                             flect a three-way tie. First, getting to know         places look, sound, and smell and how food
                                                                                                                                     2019 Family Festival Series Recap                                          Better Basics
                             the many communities of Birmingham.                   tastes so different in many places. This is
                             Second, reviewing the collections in detail,          how each local culture—whether here in
                             and third, working with the Museum team               Alabama or elsewhere in the world—makes
                             to rethink and refresh the galleries and cre-         every experience distinct. When I learned         The BMA is proud to bring diverse communities together to share in         The Birmingham Museum of Art strives to be an active civic partner in
                             ate exciting and dynamic exhibitions and              that studying Asian art was a way to do so        one another’s heritage during our quarterly heritage festivals. Last       our community. We find productive and meaningful ways to respond
                             publications that will hopefully inspire, ed-         many of my favorite things I was sold.            year, 5,578 visitors joined us to celebrate cultures and traditions from   to and address issues that affect our city, such as declining arts edu-
                             ucate, and entertain Birmingham’s diverse                                                               around the world.                                                          cation in our schools. We serve on committees and partner with other
                             audiences of today and tomorrow while si-             How would you describe your curatorial              We kicked off the season in January with the Japanese Heritage           organizations to further our reach and strengthen the impact we make
                             multaneously enhancing the Museum’s col-              style?                                            Festival, inspired by our Japanese art collection. Visitors of all ages    with students and the community. Over the past two years, we have
                             lections for the future.                              KAP: I strive to promote understanding and        enjoyed a variety of activities, including a special Sailor Moon-themed    expanded upon a longstanding relationship with Better Basics—a
                                                                                   connections that are facilitated through en-      scavenger hunt in the galleries, hands-on brush painting, paper-lan-       literacy intervention and enrichment organization—to provide af-
                             Is there an object or area of the Museum’s            gaging visual art. Learning about different       tern making, and an anime screening in the Steiner Auditorium. The         ter-school art instruction at their HOPE 21st Century Community
                             Asian art collection that you are particularly        histories and cultural solutions to basic hu-     highlight of the day was a traditional tea ceremony demonstration by       Learning Centers. Located at CJ Donald, Glen Oaks, and Robinson
                             excited about right now?                              man needs and questions I believe has the         the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Birmingham Association.                        Elementary Schools, these centers provide an environment in which
                             KAP: The Birmingham Museum of Art’s                   power to improve life. Viewing both historic        Over 2,400 people joined us in March for the 9th Annual Holi             children explore their interests, express themselves artistically, receive
                             collections of Asian art are full of rare and         and contemporary artworks (solo and with          Festival, the Indian Celebration of Color. Guests filled the auditorium    extra academic support, and enjoy a healthy dinner.
                             fantastic works! I am deeply thankful to the          others) promotes different kinds of learning.     for traditional Bollywood and classical dance performances, and en-          When Better Basics needed volunteers for their annual Birmingham
                             generosity of many Museum patrons and the             Because the only constant is change, I be-        joyed tasty dishes from Taj India and the Hyderabad Dum Zone food          Reads program, many BMA staff members were quick to answer the
                             amazing work of my predecessors (especial-            lieve continued learning best prepares peo-       truck. The day concluded with the traditional throwing of the colors in    call. Birmingham Reads is the largest literacy event in Birmingham
                             ly Dr. Donald Wood!). Asking to choose only           ple to better understand themselves and           the Museum’s parking lot.                                                  and allows members of our community to connect with the students
                             one object or area is like asking to single out       others in the wider world.                          In June, we celebrated the vibrant cultures found throughout the         of Birmingham City Schools. Each year, Better Basics recruits and
                             a favorite child. What I am most excited about                                                          African diaspora at our African Heritage Festival. The event featured a    places over 600 volunteer readers in every pre-kindergarten through
                             is having these amazing collections connect           You’ve been in Birmingham for a few               powerful performance by Atlanta-based African drumming and dance           fifth grade class in the Birmingham City School System. Our BMA
                             with viewers in creative ways.                        months now. What do you think about the           group Giwayen Mata. Guests explored the African art gallery, enjoyed       staff members were assigned to read Pete the Cat’s Train Trip and
                                                                                   Magic City so far?                                delicious African cuisine from Catering By LaNetta, and made their         Alexander & the Wind Up Mouse to first and second graders at Minor
                             What inspired you to become a curator and             KAP:     I   am   loving   getting   to   know    own African art-inspired crafts throughout the day.                        Elementary. After engaging the students with some reading compre-
                             study Asian art?                                      Birmingham. It has so much to offer. The            Our final festival of the year was our Annual Latinx Heritage            hension questions, volunteers were able to present each student with
                             KAP: I was raised as a museum-goer even               people here have been very warm and wel-          Festival in November. Miami Fusion Cafe hosted a pop-up restaurant,        the book to take home and add to their own library. In total, Better
                             before I could walk. My mother enlisted my            coming. The food culture is so vibrant. The       and guests enjoyed tours and storytelling in both Spanish and English.     Basics’ volunteers read to 12,230 students and gave away just as
                             sister and me to play imagination games               variety of artists and performers who live        As we look back on an incredible year, we hope you will make plans to      many books.
                             in museum galleries where we would pre-               and work here is astonishing. The streets         join us for the 2020 Family Festival series!                                 We are grateful to have Better Basics as a community partner and
                             tend to “shop” choosing what objects we               are full of beautiful buildings. The landscape      The 2018–2019 Family Festivals Series is presented by Medical            encourage anyone interested in volunteering to visit their website and
                             would like to “have.” Then she would make             is majestic and the history is profound and       Properties Trust.                                                          complete a volunteer form.
                             us explain why we liked those works. We               transformative. I can see why it is called the
                             always visited the Asian galleries. I actually        Magic City.
22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            News + Giving         |   23
Collectors Circle for                                    64th Annual Museum Ball Chairs
Contemporary Art Artist                                  Sallie Johnson and Sumner Johnson Rives
Award                                                    Garland Smith and Lindsay Smith Puckett

The Museum is proud to announce the recently             The Birmingham Museum of Art is pleased to announce the co-chairs for the
established Collectors Circle for Contemporary Art       2020 Museum Ball: Sallie Johnson and Garland Smith along with their daugh-
Artist Award, a $1,500 annual prize given to an          ters, Sumner Johnson Rives and Lindsay Smith Puckett respectively. The co-
artist of exceptional skill and merit working locally.   chairs’ devotion to the Museum is evident in their years-long support of the
The award is currently funded by a private donor         Museum. Garland Smith co-chaired the Museum Ball in 1981, just two short
and artists are nominated by active members of           weeks before the birth of her daughter, Lindsay. Sallie is a long-standing sup-
CCCA.                                                    porter of the Museum, whether it be through her championship of American
  Debra Eubanks Riffe is the first recipient of the      art or through the endowment of the James Milton and Sallie R. Johnson
CCCA Artist Award, which was presented at the            Deputy Director position.
group's annual dinner on November 21, 2019. Riffe          The 64th Annual Museum Ball: Beyond the Ordinary will be held on
                                                                                                                                            The European Art Society in Tuscany
has been a practicing printmaker, illustrator, and       Saturday, May 2, 2020. Described by the co-chairs as the most fabulous social
graphic artist for over 30 years. Her prints often       event of the year, guests will enjoy fine dining by local chef George McMillan
include figures performing activities and routine        of FoodBar while immersed in the galleries of one of the city’s crown jewels.
tasks as means of representing African American            The Annual Museum Ball is the Birmingham Museum of Art’s largest                 From October 4 through October 15 last year, 19 European Art Society         priceless masterpiece or two, from Michelangelo’s David to Ghiberti’s
experiences, histories, and narratives in the South.     fundraiser and serves as an important opportunity not only to showcase the         members explored Tuscany and the rich artistic heritage of this region.      Baptistry doors, from Masaccio and Masolinos frescos in the Brancacci
A Tupelo, Mississippi, native, she earned her BFA        Museum’s beautiful collection, but also to highlight the programs and events       We spent two nights in Siena at the beginning of the trip where one of       chapel to the Pazzi chapel designed by Bruneleschi. We spent a day
from Howard University College of Fine Arts in           the BMA brings to Birmingham. From school tours and community outreach, to         the many highlights was a visit to a local neighborhood (“contrada”) to      in Bologna where one of the highlights was the private Magnani pal-
Washington, D.C., and has lived in Birmingham for        innovative exhibitions and public programs, funds raised by the Museum Ball        learn about the palio, the biannual horse race that takes place on Siena’s   ace with a ceiling decoration by the Caracci from the late 16th century.
over 20 years.                                           provide essential support for hundreds of educational initiatives carried out by   historic Piazza del Campo and is such an important part of Sienese cul-      One day we followed the trail of Piero della Francesca in Arezzo, San
                                                         the Museum each year.                                                              ture and identity. We then transferred to Florence and stopped on the        Sansepolcro, and Monterchi. In Arezzo we saw his stunning Finding of
                                                           As co-chairs of Birmingham’s longest-running event fundraiser, Sallie,           way in San Gimignano, the famous small medieval hill town where many         the True Cross fresco cycle. All along—not surprisingly—we ate amazing
                                                         Sumner, Garland, and Lindsay anticipate a smashing fundraising success for         of the original tower houses still stand and which is today a UNESCO         food. My personal favorite was perhaps a cozy lunch in Arezzo known
                                                         one of Birmingham’s most popular social events, and a Museum Ball that guar-       World Heritage Site. We marvelled at the Collegiate Church with its          for its mushrooms, which they use in incredible pasta dishes. And, of
                                                         antees to be Beyond the Ordinary.                                                  largely intact interior fresco decoration, which dates from the 14th and     course, there was always cold cuts and cheese galore and the occasion-
                                                           If you would like to make your reservation for the 2020 Museum Ball, con-        15th centuries. In Florence, we stayed at the luxurious, artsy Gallery       al gelato! Our farewell dinner took place at the Gondi palace just next
                                                         tact Erin Everett, Development Events Manager, at eeverett@artsbma.org or          Art Hotel barely a stone’s throw from Ponte Vecchio. Our first visit in      to the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. We had drinks and appetizers on
                                                         205.297.8062.                                                                      Florence was to the prints and drawings department at the Uffizi where       their private rooftop terrace overlooking the city. It was a beautiful night
                                                                                                                                            we looked at a wonderful selection of Italian Renaissance drawings           and a fitting way to end a special trip filled with wonderful and unique
                                                                                                                                            that their curator, Laura Donati, had pulled for us. Each day we saw a       experiences.
24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       News + Giving         |   25
Tribute + Memorial Gifts                                                         Visitors’ View
                                                                             Gift date range for this edition of Medium is July 1, 2019–September
                                                                                                                                                                                                    From thoughtful reflections to silly self-
                                                                             30, 2019
                                                                                                                                                                                                    ies and everything in between, we love to
                                                                                                                                                                                                    see the Museum through your eyes. Share
                                                                             In Honor of:
                                                                                                                                                                                                    your BMA experience with us on Instagram
                                                                             Amanda S. Adams and Wilson Green: Mr. Alan K. Zeigler
                                                                                                                                                                                                    for a chance to be featured in our next
                                                                             Gail C. Andrews: Dr. Nancy E. Dunlap and Mr. John D. Johns; EBSCO
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Visitors’ View! These selfies were taken in
                                                                                 Industries, Inc.; Mrs. Peter T. Worthen
                                                                                                                                                                                                    the Barbie: Dreaming of a Female Future
                                                                             Olive Arvin: Mrs. Kristie Arvin
                                                                                                                                                                                                    exhibition.
                                                                             Margaret K. Burnham: Mr. and Mrs. William J. Rushton IV
                                                                             Alexa Coleman: Ms. Carolyn L. Sherer and Dr. Jean O’Neal
                                                                             Aubrey Coleman: Ms. Carolyn L. Sherer and Dr. Jean O’Neal
                                                                             Dixie Mae Delgreco: Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth R. Delgreco, Jr.
                                                                             Merrily Delgreco: Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth R. Delgreco, Jr.
                                                                                                                                                                                  @petitnchic2577
                                                                             Dede Driscoll: Mr. and Mrs. David M. Driscoll
In Memoriam: Wynn Kramarsky                                                  Lillian Gamble: Mrs. Molly F. Gamble
                                                                             Mary Bartley Goodrich: Mr. and Mrs. Braxton Goodrich                             @seejavaciawrite
By Michael Straus, President of the Art Fund of Birmingham Inc.,             Mary Ruth Goodrich: Mr. and Mrs. Braxton Goodrich
Board of Directors                                                           Marion Alexis Luna: Ms. Alexis Medina
                                                                             Ms. Lisa P. Morgan: Ms. Emily Morgan
Wynn Kramarsky, a consummate and passionate collector of con-                Frances Rosentiel: Ms. Carolyn L. Sherer and Dr. Jean O’Neal
temporary drawings, passed away late last summer at the age of 93.           Julia Rosentiel: Ms. Carolyn L. Sherer and Dr. Jean O’Neal
Wynn was a Lifetime Trustee of the Museum of Modern Art, the for-            Meg Rushton: Dr. and Mrs. Francis E. Rushton, Jr.                                                                      @brianalene_
mer Chairman of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and          Nicole Watts Rushton: Dr. and Mrs. Francis E. Rushton, Jr.                                           @mcacbham

the former Chairman of the Drawing Center in New York. A native of           Elizabeth Ann Sewell: Mrs. April Sewell
the Netherlands, he and his family fled Europe on the eve of World           Mr. Kelsey “Rocket” Shorts: Mrs. Monique Shorts
War II and settled in New York, where he spent most of his life.             Lane Stanley: Ms. Jennifer Hubka
   Although based in New York, he was far from parochial in his think-       Annegret Tarrasch: Dr. Anne Forschler-Tarrasch and Mr. Jürgen Tarrasch
ing or in his involvement in the arts. Wynn thus visited Birmingham          Louisa Tarrasch: Dr. Anne Forschler-Tarrasch and Mr. Jürgen Tarrasch
over 10 years ago when he brought an exhibition to the Museum of             Teen BMA Program: Dr. and Mrs. David J. Landy
numerous drawings by Mel Bochner from his collection, also leading           Ms. Mary Vines: Mrs. Melissa Dameron-Vines and Mr. Adam Vines
                                                                                                                                                              @xogabriellexo
a lively public panel discussion here together with the artist as well as
the show’s curator, Ruth Fine. And beyond that, he and his wife Sally        In Memory of
gifted 43 exquisite works on paper to the Museum, greatly enriching          Mr. Melford T. Cleveland: Mrs. Linda C. Cleveland
our collection. Many of the artists whose works were donated to us           Mr. Roy C. Green, Jr.: Dr. Graham C. Boettcher; Dr. and Mrs. James Kamplain;
are well-known, such as Roni Horn and William Anastasi, but most                 Mr. Henry S. Lynn, Jr.; Ms. Martha J. Pezrow; Ms. Marianne Schoel; Babbie                        @aleciavera
are not. This was in fact a hallmark of Wynn’s involvement with artists:         and Waid Shelton; Dr. and Mrs. Charles L. Watkins
he greatly championed the works of younger artists, acquiring works          Mrs. Caroline Keith Kidd: Ms. Miriam J. McClung                                                                        @sunlovesthemoon
early in their careers when they were – as he liked to call them – still     Mrs. Henry Sprott Long: Mr. and Mrs. Harold H. Goings
“newbies,” and then expanding his holdings as they continued to devel-       Mrs. Claire Martin: Mr. and Mrs. Harold H. Goings; Mr. and Mrs. James Wilder
op. As he did here, Wynn regularly shared works from his collection at           Kelley
curated exhibitions across the country. And over the years he donated        Mr. Jack Martin: Mr. and Mrs. Harold H. Goings; Mr. and Mrs. James Wilder
literally thousands of drawings to our nation’s cultural institutions, in-       Kelley
cluding of course his gifts to the Birmingham Museum of Art.                 Mrs. LaVona Price Rushton: Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Bainbridge, Jr.; Mr. and Mrs.
   We therefore honor him for his lifetime of commitment to the visual           Ehney A. Camp III; Mr. Patrick Cather; Mr. Henry S. Lynn, Jr.; Mrs. Claude
arts and most particularly for the generosity he showed to the people            C. White
                                                                                                                                                              @courtney__weaver   @aconlinagram     @montanaelle
of this city and state.                                                      Mrs. Dorothy Rice Stewart: Mr. Patrick Cather

26                                                                                                                                                                                                                     News + Giving     |   27
Corporate Partners                                                                                                                                 Corporate Partner Spotlight

                                                                                                                                                   Davis Architects
Founder’s Circle                                                                                        Chairman’s Circle
                                                                                                                                                   Neil Davis Q+A

                                                                                                        Altec Industries, Inc.
                                                                                                        Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP           Known for designing transformative and engaging spaces, Davis Architects is a nationally rec-
                                                                                                        Butler Snow LLP                            ognized architecture, design, and planning studio that has set itself apart as a leader in academic
                                                                                                        Davis Architects                           facility design. As the oldest active architecture firm in Birmingham, Davis Architects has played
                                                                                                        Encompass Health Corporation               an integral role in shaping the built environment of the city. The dozens of talented, dedicated
                                                                                                        Jemison Investment Co., Inc.               team members are led by Neil Davis who, as the son of two architects, was almost certainly
                                                                                                        New Capital Partners, Inc.                 predestined to go into the family business. In fact, his mother, Helen Sellers Davis, was the first
Sustainer’s Circle                                                                                      Red Diamond, Inc.                          licensed female architect in the state of Alabama.
                                                                                                        Regions Bank
                                                                                                        Stewart Perry Construction                 Currently located at the former Birmingham           design team accumulated information from         The field of architecture is certainly scien-
                                                                                                                                                   Electric Battery Company warehouse, Davis            staff and directors of the museum, as well       tific, but it also requires an equal degree of
                                                                                                        Director’s Circle                          Architects has been continuously headquar-           as gathered responses to a poll of persons       creativity. What architects do you admire for
                                                                                                                                                   tered in downtown Birmingham since its               affiliated with the Museum, to create and        their artistry?
                                                                                                        Kinetic Communications
                                                                                                                                                   founding in 1912, so it’s safe to say you’re         establish a Building Program that could be-      ND: A living architect I really admire is
                                                                                                        Ram Tool and Supply Company
                                                                                                                                                   not a fair-weather supporter of the area.            come a guideline for the expansion. It was       Mario Botta. Some examples of his work in
                                                                                                        Thompson Tractor
                                                                                                                                                   What excites you most about the current re-          important to evaluate the existing buildings,    the United States include the San Francisco
                                                                                                                                                   vitalization of downtown and the surround-           study the available land for future buildings,   Museum of Modern Art in California and
                                                                                                        Curator’s Circle
                                                                                                                                                   ing neighborhoods?                                   and consider the vision of the expanded          the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in
                                                                                                        Arlington Properties, Inc.                 Neil Davis: Simply put, that it’s happen-            building palette cohesively.                     Charlotte, North Carolina. He uses simple,
                                                                                                        Dobbins Group                              ing. There’s been substantial progress in a                                                           geometric shapes to create really interest-
                                                                                                        Dunn investment Company                    short period of time and there’s still plenty        In addition to the BMA, Davis Architects has     ing spaces. I’m also inspired by Mies van der
                                                                                                        Synovus Bank                               of opportunities for more development. The           worked on projects with Sidewalk Theatre,        Rohe and his steadfast commitment to re-
                                                                                                        Marx Brothers, Inc.                        city has great bones. If there is to be a silver     the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center,        straint in design. Each project we work on at
                                                                                                        Precision Graphics                         lining in the fact that Birmingham was not           and the Abroms-Engel Institute for the           Davis is guided by the philosophy that build-
                                                                                                                                                   growing in the 60’s and 70’s, it’s that we still     Visual Arts, to name just a few. Why is it im-   ings should enhance the human experience
                                                                                                        Benefactor’s Circle                        have many beautiful old buildings; whereas           portant for you to support arts and cultural     and exist in harmony with the surrounding
Each year, our Corporate Partners provide critical support for the Museum’s programs, exhibi-                                                      Atlanta, for example, had a booming econ-            institutions in our community?                   environment. One of our core beliefs is
tions, and most importantly, keeping the Museum free of charge for our visitors. Ranging from           Brookmont Realty Group LLC                 omy during that time period and the city             ND: Community centers of arts and culture        that exceptional design transcends style to
our hands-on interactive space, Bart’s ArtVenture, to family festivals, school tours, studio classes,   Christie’s                                 razed many of their pre-war buildings to             are where society finds common bonds,            serve the core needs of the people who in-
and more, Corporate Partners are vital to ensuring that our Family and Youth Programs allow             Four Corners Custom Framing Gallery        make room for skyscrapers.                           where we strengthen our appreciation of          habit the space.
nearly 35,000 children each year to create, read, dance, and explore while celebrating cultures         Hughes and Scalise, P.C.                                                                        history, and where we celebrate our love
and traditions from around the world. Thank you to our Corporate Partners for helping to con-           Kassouf & Co., P.C.                        Which project have you enjoyed most in               of beauty. Each museum, gallery, church, or      What about a favorite visual artist?
nect all of Birmingham to the experience, meaning, and joy of art.                                      Levy’s Fine Jewelry, Inc.                  partnership with the BMA?                            venue that we design represents the dis-         ND: My favorite artist is, without a doubt,
                                                                                                        National Cement Company of Alabama, Inc.   ND: In 2015, wHY and Davis worked with               tinct identity and needs of those that inhabit   Vincent van Gogh. I’ve been to the Van
For more information about the BMA’s Corporate Partner membership program or to involve your            O’Neal Industries                          the Museum to assess the current building            the space. Birmingham is fortunate to have       Gogh Museum in Amsterdam three times
company, please contact Meghan-Ann Hellenga at 205.297.8071 or mhellenga@artsbma.org                    Pizitz Management Group                    facilities, infrastructure, and areas to devel-      the BMA as both a cultural and community         now and would happily go back three
                                                                                                        Precision Grinding, Inc.                   op a program of areas and needs in order             resource. Not only is the permanent collec-      more times. I have a particular love of
                                                                                                        Williams-Blackstock Architects             to establish relationships and potential op-         tion outstanding, the services the Museum        Impressionist and Modern art across the
                                                                                                                                                   tions of physical re-use and expansion of            provides are equally impressive - my grand-      board because it’s not easily understood
                                                                                                                                                   the building. The current Museum buildings           children especially enjoy playing around in      and, therefore, challenges me to really study
                                                                                                                                                   were built variously over the years and our          Bart’s ArtVenture.                               the piece.

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