Mead Art Museum at Amherst College Annual Report for the Year 2009-2010 Mead Art Museum at Amherst College Annual Report for the Year 2009-2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Report from the Director 2 Acquisitions 5 Loans 16 Grants 16 Curricular Collaborations 18 Exhibitions, Publications, Podcasts 30 Programs 30 Attendance 35 Facility 36 Staff, Interns, Docents, Advisors, Friends 36 Strategic Plan, Status Report 41 A student using the new microscope in the William Green Study Room at the Orientation Mini-Course. Photo by Alec Jacobson ’12 Arthur Lourié and the Voice of Silver Age Russia performance in the Rotherwas Room. Photo by Alec Jacobson ’12 Cover: A dancer from the East Street Dance Center performing in Moments of Grace: Ballet Meets Art at the Mead. Photo by Jon Crispin 2 3 Report from the Director Amherst’s first Kindle-compatible e-book. The the college’s first Thomas P. Whitney, Class of 1937, the Mead is bringing rigorous attention to bear on and cheese reception—and made the vital decision Mead’s first web-based exhibition catalogue. An Curator of Russian Art came aboard and immedi- it extraordinary permanent collection. A generous to direct the Friends’ funds to support student learn- artist’s residency. Five temporary exhibitions. ately rolled up her sleeves, assessing the collection; grant from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter ing initiatives, particularly the docents program. And Seventy college class visits. Eight-five public events. placing key works on display; revising cataloguing Foundation, coupled with a sizeable gift from the in the spring 2010 semester, the museum formed an Three hundred art acquisitions. Fifteen thousand records; arranging for conservation treatment; Amherst College Department of Religion (both Ad Hoc Faculty Advisory Committee, whose mem- visitors. 2009-10 marked another dynamic year lecturing in college classes; leading a not-for-credit received in the spring 2010 semester), are enabling bers offer informal consultation on academic and for the Mead. interterm seminar for Amherst students; and helping the museum to conserve its important collection of curricular initiatives. Asian (primarily Tibetan) tangkas, and thereby to re- Attendance continued its steady climb, increasing by activate those rare and resonant objects for teaching The year ahead promises to be equally exciting at 6.3% overall and swelling by 69.4% for school groups and display. The museum has launched projects for a the Mead. The museum will hire a part-time docent and 22.4% for special events—a remarkable trend collection handbook and scholarly catalogues of the coordinator to help deploy the Mead’s active student considering the museum’s greatly reduced budgets 19th-century American paintings and 20th-century volunteers even more effectively as community arts for advertising, catering, and exhibitions; the absence Russian art. And, most visibly, the new curatorial educators and museum guides. It will present of designated parking near the Mead; and the one- team has embarked on a major project to reinstall a major exhibition of the work of the 19th-century time public closure of the museum’s galleries for a full the entire museum with fresh displays offering a Amherst woman of art and science, Orra White month to accommodate a major reinstallation project. continuous chronological survey of the collection, Hitchcock. And it will hold a series of mouth- featuring both favorite artworks and previously watering conversations about art and food, pairing The secret of the Mead’s success must lie in its little-known treasures. Visitors to the museum’s curators with distinguished regional chefs in consid- talented, dedicated staff. In 2009-10, for the first website during the summer of 2010 can glimpse an erations of specific artworks. Complete information time in several years, nearly every position in the animated virtual preview of the new displays, which about all of these events, and much more, will be museum’s reorganized structure was filled. With an will open to the public at the beginning of the fall available on the museum’s website. We hope to almost-complete team of players on the field, more 2010 semester. welcome you back to the Mead in 2010-11. projects became possible, and each proved easier to implement. As a result, the Mead is moving with In 2009-10, the museum was equally busy behind Elizabeth E. Barker, Ph.D. increasing swiftness, dexterity, and collaboration the scenes. Working with the Amherst College Director and Chief Curator towards its Mission-directed goals (formally adopted Department of Art and the History of Art, the Center in 2007-8) of academic service and intellectual for Community Engagement, Career Services, and engagement. Photo by Samuel Masinter ’04 the Office of Advancement, the Mead was able to increase the awards and restructure the administra- The academic year began with the arrival of the to arrange a faculty seminar on Russian icons. Also tion of the Mead/Fine Arts Summer Fellowships in museum’s Andrew W. Mellon Coordinator of College in the fall semester, the Mead welcomed its first keeping with other fellowships offered elsewhere on Programs, under whose energetic leadership the Andrew W. Mellon Post-Baccalaureate Curatorial campus. At the same time, the museum’s Advisory Mead expanded its orientation activities for new Fellow, who delved into the museum’s print holdings Board began work on four complementary long-range students, new faculty, and other campus research- with enthusiasm and intelligence, discovering rich plans: a collections plan, a new strategic plan for the ers; facilitated the use of original artworks in dozens materials for a forthcoming exhibition on the Ameri- period 2012-17, the museum’s first three-year finan- of college classes; enriched the volunteer student can painter and printmaker Ernest Haskell. cial plan, and an advancement plan. The officers docents program; and organized faculty lecture of the revived Friends association organized the series on literature and art and on meditation involv- With every curatorial position now filled with scholars group’s first public event—a private, artist-led tour ing artworks. A few weeks into the new semester, whose expertise spans centuries and global cultures, of the Lino Mannocci exhibition followed by a wine 2 3 Acquisitions Military Structures, and the Men Who Fought the Sioux Wars (Portfolio II)(edition 46/150), printed in 1982 from original glass GIfts (alphabetical by artist) negatives. Portfolio box containing 15 Gelatin silver contact prints. Gift of Linda and John Hillman (Class of 1966) (2009.168.2.1-15) Ay-O (Japanese, born in 1931), Rainbow Cezanne (edition 139/200), 1976. Silkscreen. Gift of Doris Lee and John H. Rich, Jr. Possibly by Orlando Scott Goff (American, 1843-1916),Custer, (2010.26) Fellow Officers, Their Wives and Friends, before February, 1874. (2009.168.2.1) Ay-O (Japanese, born in 1931), No Up No Down, 1980. Silkscreen. Gift of Doris Lee and John H. Rich, Jr. (2010.50) Possibly by Orlando Scott Goff (American, 1843-1916),Captain Thomas W. Custer (1845-1876), ca. 1874-1876. (2009.168.2.2) Azechi Umetaro (Japanese, 1902-1999), Mountaineer with Bird (edition 145/150), 1969. Woodblock. Gift of Doris Lee and John H. Possibly by Orlando Scott Goff (American, 1843-1916),First Lt. Rich, Jr. (2010.28) James Calhoun (1845-1898), ca. 1874-1876. (2009.168.2.3) David Francis Barry and Orlando Scott Goff (American, 1854-1934) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Captain Frederick W. (American, 1843-1916), Images of the Frontier: Chiefs of the Sioux Benteen (1834-1898), ca. 1880’s. (2009.168.2.4) Wars and the Battle of Little Bighorn (Portfolio I)(edition 46/150), printed in 1982 from original glass negatives. Portfolio box contain- David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), First Lt. Edward S. ing 15 Gelatin silver contact prints. Gift of Linda and John Hillman Godfrey (1843-1932), ca. 1880’s. (2009.168.2.5) (Class of 1966) (2009.168.1.1-15) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Captain Thomas David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Rain-in-the-Face, McDougall (1845-1909), ca. 1880’s. (2009.168.2.6) “Iromagaja” (ca. 1835-1905), ca. 1885. (2009.168.1.1) Orlando Scott Goff (American, 1843-1916),Charles Reynolds David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Gall, “Pizi” (ca. 1838- (ca.1842-1876), ca. 1875-1876. (2009.168.2.7) 1894), 1881. (2009.168.1.2) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Curley, “Ashishishe” David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Low Dog, “Xunka Kuci- (ca.1859-1923), ca. late 1870’s. (2009.168.2.8) yedan” (born 1846), 1881. (2009.168.1.3) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), General Nelson A. David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Sitting Bull, “Tatanka Miles, “Bear Coat” (1839-1925), ca. 1880’s. (2009.168.2.9) Iyotanka” (1834-1890), ca. 1885. (2009.168.1.4) Unknown (American, 19th century), Fort Yates (1874-1903), last David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Crow King, “Kangi quarter of 19th century. (2009.168.2.10) Yatapi” (died 1884), 1881. (2009.168.1.5) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Custer Battlefield David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Red Horse,. “Xunk- Monument, 1881. (2009.168.2.11) tanka Stanwe”, ca. 1883. (2009.168.1.6) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Reno Hill, Survivors, David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Long Dog, “Xunka June 25, 1886. (2009.168.2.12) Hanska”, ca. 1883. (2009.168.1.7) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Custer Hill, Ten Years David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Running Antelope, to the Day, June 25, 1886. (2009.168.2.13) “Tatoke Inyanke” (ca. 1830-1892), ca. late 1870’s. (2009.168.1.8) David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), Survivors at Fort David Francis Barry (American, 1854-1934), John Grass, “Pezi” Custer, June 25, 1886.