Fall 2019 Newsletter & Calendar of Events
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FALL 2019 NEWSLETTER & CALENDAR OF EVENTS MORE THAN A CENTURY OF ART, PG 2 NEW ACQUISITIONS, PG 14 CALENDAR OF EVENTS, PG 19 FROM THE DIRECTOR History, Art, and Culture he Tennessee State Museum is often considered a history museum, but a look T inside of our collection shows emphasis in art and culture as well. It has long collected and exhibited art together with artifacts, focusing on both individual pieces significant to the history of the state, and artists that have called the state home while pushing the form forward. Decorative arts can also often tell us as much about the periods in which they were created as material culture. In this issue, we focus on Tennessee art and artists during a time of rapid growth in both art influence and style — after the turn of the 19th century. Senior curator of art and architecture, Jim Hoobler, is your guide through notable paintings, sculpture and furniture from the Museum’s collection, much of it on display now. Elsewhere in the magazine, we highlight important new acquisitions that further inform our understanding of Tennessee history, like a sign denoting segregation on Nashville streetcars during the early 1900s. In our collection highlight, we delve deeper into state prehistory, by examining remarkably preserved Native American artifacts from the Woodland period. This season also marks one year since we opened our doors at our new location. Our By-The-Numbers section takes a fun look at how much we’ve grown, and who we’ve served, both in the building and throughout the state. The holidays are upon us. Be sure to check our Calendar of Events and plan a visit with us this holiday season. Ashley Howell, Executive Director Tennessee State Museum DIRECTOR’S COLUMN TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM | FALL 2019 Ancestral Fish, by Jairo E. Prado, 1997-98, wood carving MORE THAN A CCENTURYelebrating OF TENNESSEE he arts have been a part of life in Tennessee since the state’s beginnings. By the early 20th Tcentury, many people experienced art as a part of their daily lives. Most homes were filled with decorative arts such as textiles, furniture, ceramics, silver and glass. The incorporation of sophisticated design into mass-produced items expanded opportunities to participate in national aesthetic movements. Tennesseans also appreciated fine arts like sculpture, drawing and painting. Tennessee artists achieved national and international renown in many creative areas. The Tennessee State Museum currently displays the works of these artists throughout its galleries and in the temporary exhibition In Search of the New: Art in Tennessee After 1900. Gilbert Gaul and Ella Hergesheimer were Michael McBride, Rediscovery, academically trained painters from the eastern 1993, oil on canvas United States. They relocated to Tennessee and had careers here in the early 1900s. Gaul was a member of the National Academy of Design in New York. He maintained a studio in Van Buren County. 1 Anton Weiss, Light Field, 1997, acrylic on canvas William Edmondson, Eleanor Roosevelt, c. 1940, limestone sculpture Gilbert Gaul, Cold Comfort On The Bonnie Mae Bell Williams, Toddler Girl’s Dress, 2003, Outpost, c. 1880-1900, oil on canvas cotton & polyester blend with white applique Hergesheimer was a descendant at the Museum of Modern Art in Crow’s sculpture, Spearfinger, is of Revolutionary War-era artist New York. The Tennessee State currently on display. He was a and museum curator Charles Museum currently has four of Cherokee and Hitchiti artist who Willson Peale, with generations Edmondson’s works on display: often drew inspiration from oral of artists in her lineage. Both Lion, Eleanor Roosevelt, Pulpit histories. Bonnie Mae Bell Williams succeeded professionally in and Rabbit. African American made traditional Choctaw Tennessee. Gaul specialized Tennessee artists such as clothing, and Minnie Bell, an in military paintings with Civil Gregory Ridley, Michael McBride elder of the Mississippi Band of War themes and landscapes, (whose work Rediscovery is on Choctaw Indians community, and Hergesheimer focused on display), Alonzo Davis and this produced traditional baskets. portraits, landscapes, still lifes and newsletter’s cover artist, David prints. Visitors can view Gaul’s Driskell, produced paintings and New immigrants to America Cold Comfort on the Outpost and sculptures with a broad appeal. brought their own artistic Hergesheimer’s Still Life with Fruit Beauford and Joseph Delaney, traditions to Tennessee. Fritzi and Flowers on display in the brothers from Knoxville, both had Brod left her homeland in Museum. careers in painting in New York Czechoslovakia to escape from before Beauford moved to work the Nazis. Her colorful painting William Edmondson of Nashville in Paris. Beauford’s Self-Portrait Near Gatlinburg has become was a self-taught sculptor whose hangs in the Museum’s Time one of the Museum’s most work reached international Tunnel. iconic images. Jairo Prado, who audiences in the 1930s, when he emigrated from Colombia, made became the first African American Native American artists continued his intricate sculpture Ancestral artist to have a one-person show to create art in Tennessee. Tis Mal Fish while living in Tennessee. 2 TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM | FALL 2019 Ella Sophoisba Hergesheimer, Still Life with Fruit and Flowers, c. 1930, oil on canvas Richard Jolley, Spiraling Fritzi Brod, Near Gatlinburg, Thoughts, 1996, glass c. 1944, oil on panel Rudolph Ingerle moved from DeMay. Glass artist Michael the collapsing Habsburg Empire Taylor instructed Richard Jolley, Sylvia Hyman, The Great Eggscape, and discovered the beauty of whose stunning work Spiraling 2000, Trompe l’oeil clay Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains to Thoughts is on display. Jolley and inspire his paintings. Pale Moon, Tommie Rush then taught art Nutt, whose okra-inspired Tri-Pod in the Museum’s collection, is a glass techniques to Calvin Nicely Table is part of the museum’s wonderful example of his work. and Tadashi Torii, among many exhibition Let’s Eat! Origins and Anton Weiss emigrated from others. Born in Osaka, Japan, Evolutions of Tennessee Food, and Yugoslavia and built a successful Torii called Knoxville home for Wendy Maruyama, whose work painting career here in the state. several years. His Flight of Fancy is The Writing Table is a highlight All of these artists are featured an extraordinary example of his of In Search of the New: Art in in the Museum’s temporary work. Tennessee After 1900. exhibit In Search of the New: Art in Tennessee After 1900. Creating fine furniture is also For more information about an enduring artistic tradition. the Tennessee State Museum’s Many Tennessee artists shared Curtis Buchanan is one of the temporary exhibition In Search their crafts and traditions with the finest Windsor chair makers in of the New: Art in Tennessee After next generation. In some cases, America. Today, he’s training 1900, visit tnmuseum.org. both teachers and students are new generations to craft represented in the Museum’s furniture using traditional styles collection. Trompe l’oeil master and techniques. James Horne Sylvia Hyman taught generations adapts older forms into modern Jim Hoobler Senior Curator of Art of ceramic artists, such as Susan interpretations, as does Craig and Architecture 3 GALLERY NEWS THE ROLE OF TENNESSEE IN KEN BURNS' COUNTRY MUSIC There are dozens of key players in Ken Nashville Sound. Sarah Colley was focus on the growth of country Burns’ sprawling eight-episode,16- born in Centerville, Tennessee, turned music in Tennessee. The section on hour documentary, Country Music. into Minnie Pearl and claimed she the Bristol Sessions includes a panel Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, was from a fictitious town named about the historical significance of Hank Williams, Emmylou Harris Grinder’s Switch, Tennessee. She was the events, right next to a display of a and Johnny Cash are just a few of a star of the Grand Ole Opry for 50 bow tie belonging to Jimmie Rodgers. the individuals whose stories and years. Many artists, like Ernest Tubb, The gallery also includes a sequined influences are weaved throughout the came to Tennessee to make it in the coat worn by Parton that dates to entire program. But there’s another business and stayed. Others, like Willie 1980 along with her 1970 Epiphone player with a unique story that shows Nelson, had moderate success before 12-string guitar. Our Tennessee up in every episode as well: the State finding his career was better suited Transforms gallery includes a Lucy of Tennessee. going back to Texas. Still others, like Adams outfit worn by Parton while Patsy Cline, who died in a plane crash performing on her Dolly TV show From Ralph Peer’s recording sessions in Camden, Tennessee, lost their lives during its 1976-77 season, displayed in Bristol, Tennessee, introducing The here and will always be a part of the with her 1965 Kingston banjo. Cash, Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers to state’s history. whose career provides a narrative the world; to the Grand Ole Opry and thread through many of the episodes WSM Radio in Nashville; and those At the Tennessee State Museum, an of the documentary, is also featured first records produced by Sam Phillips official location on the Tennessee with outfits in both our State of Sound at Sun Studios in Memphis, Burns’ Music Pathways trail (see sidebar), and Tennessee Transforms galleries. film continually returns to Tennessee artifacts connected to the state’s role Additionally, in a connection to Sun to document the innovations to in music, in all genres, are a significant Records, where Cash started his the industry and the setting for part of the collection. Ken Burns’ film career in the 1950s, The State of Sound its stars. Dolly Parton was born in offers a timely opportunity to dig features a Presto Vinyl Disc Cutter, Sevier County and made a name into the collection and make those Type 6N, like the model Phillips used for herself here, before becoming connections.