Mead Art Museum at Amherst College Annual Report for the Year 2013–2014 COVER: Visitors to the Mead on Family Fun Day. Photo by Zoe Vayer ’16 ABOVE: The Madrigal Singers performing during the 1st annual Amherst Fringe Festival in the Rotherwas Room. Photo by Stella Honey Yoon ’15 BACK COVER: A visitor to the Mead’s Family Fun Day enjoying books and crafts in the Rotherwas Room. Photo by Zoe Vayer ’16 Mead Art Museum TABLE OF CONTENTS at Amherst College Report from the Director . 2 Annual Report for the Year 2013–2014 Acquisitions . 4 Loans . 14 Research . 16 Financial Information . 19 Grants . 19 Curricular Collaborations . 21 Volunteer Student Docents . 26 Exhibitions . 27 Publications . 30 Programs . 31 Attendance . 36 Security and Facility . 37 Staff, Interns, Docents, Friends, Advisors . 39 Strategic Plan, Status Report . 46 Amherst students enjoying an Evening at the Mead Bingo Night. Photo by Megan Robertson ’15 1 REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR program, which expanded in February 2014 from a semiannual event to one that takes place monthly. Three New England Museum Association (NEMA) awards. Seven special exhibitions. Seven artists’ A total of 1,636 college students—a figure equiva- talks. One hundred thirty-one college class sessions. lent to 91.7% of Amherst College’s student body— One hundred sixty-six acquisitions. Twenty thou- from sixty-eight courses used the Mead’s collection sand visitors. Record attendance in January, March, in their studies in disciplines ranging from Law, Ju- April, and May of 2014, with an average increase of risprudence, and Social Thought to Spanish, Ameri- 18.5% in the first five months of the calendar year. can Studies, and Women’s & Gender Studies. If we The introduction of a new community reading group compare figures with the 2007–2008 academic and an expansion of Family Fun Days. In 2013–2014, year, when the Mead redoubled its commitment to the Mead was cooking with gas. academic service, the 2013–2014 tally represents a 400% increase in college class visits. Our visitors found much to savor. They listened to talks by artists Jonathon Keats (Amherst Col- Equally important, the range of artworks selected lege Class of 1994), Barbara Bosworth, Ekaterina for teaching and research has expanded at a Khromin, Michael Starkman (Amherst College comparable rate. Such diversification surely results Class of 1974), Robert Priseman, Katja Oxman, and from the special project, underwritten by the Sandra Matthews; a discussion with art collectors Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) John Wieland (Amherst College Class of 1958), and completed in the fall of 2013, to digitize most John Hillman (Amherst College Class of 1966), and of the Mead’s 18,000 artworks. Today, 99.3% of Charles Wilkes (Amherst College Class of 1971 and the paintings; 99% of the sculpture; 98% of the Parent, Class of 2008). They participated in discus- drawings, prints, photographs, and decorative arts sions of the Mead Reads community book club and objects; and 61% of the furniture in the Mead’s col- enjoyed picture-book readings for children in the lection has been digitally photographed. With 94% Mini Mead Reads summer series. Many happy visi- of the collection now illustrated online—and new tors joined in the festivities of the Family Fun Days images continuing to be added—faculty are em- Director Elizabeth Barker gives a Homecoming tour. Photo by Joshua Baum 2 powered to select the most pertinent, rather than Professional peers also recognized the fine work simply the most familiar, objects for examination. of our colleagues: as this report goes to press, the This refinement in the selection process not only New England Museum Association has honored ensures that students encounter the most relevant the Mead’s achievements with three awards in the objects for their courses; it also continues to yield small-museum category: the top prize for website new discoveries in the vaults, as professors and design, and second place for the Picturing Enlight- other scholars shed light on works not yet studied enment catalogue and the “Dig Into Art” family by the curators. activity totes. The process of photographing so many artworks New members of our team promise to help main- in such rapid succession has drawn attention to tain this high standard of accomplishment in the opportunities for enhancing the museum’s storage years ahead. This spring, Katherine LeBeau joined areas, and prompted in the past year an important the museum’s staff as Accounting Manager, and Dr. expansion of the Mead’s print storage area, provid- Vanja Malloy will begin work as Curator of Ameri- ing sufficient space for years of additional growth. can Art and Keely Sarr as Assistant Educator this Digitization has also raised the prominence of the summer. During the 2013–2014 academic year, Mead’s collection around the globe, and increased Fiore Graziano, Alyssa Kristek, Roman Kucinski, the demand for access to publishable-quality im- Linda Matson, and Samuel Schwartz joined the ages. To streamline this process, in 2013–2014, the security team. Mead launched its long-awaited partnership with Bridgeman Images. Like the Mead’s arrangement Further staff transitions are planned for the fall. with Amazon to sell museum publications, this as- On October 1, I will become Stanford Calderwood sociation promises to free staff time for essential Director of the Boston Athenaeum, a position that collections work that can only be performed onsite. will allow me to continue, on a larger scale, the type of work I’ve keenly enjoyed here at Amherst— The Mead’s exhibition schedule in 2013–2014 ad- leading a talented team to energize, grow, and dressed a range of topics, from animals in art of make more inclusive an august New England cul- the ancient Americas to woodblock prints depicting tural institution. During the national search for the the start of the Russo-Japanese War and Barbara next Mead director, Dr. Pamela Russell, Head of Bosworth’s recent large-format photographs of the Education and Mellon Curator of Academic Pro- New England National Scenic Trail. Two exhibitions grams at the Mead, will serve as interim director. I featured selections from the more than 1,200 ac- know that you will welcome her as warmly in that quisitions made over the past seven years. Another, role as you have me. notably innovative project explored the previously little-known work of Kyohei Inukai, a Japanese- Thank you for the support and kindness that so born New York society portraitist active during the many of you—students, colleagues, alumni, and first half of the twentieth century and deserving of museum regulars—have extended to me. I look greater fame. forward to following the Mead’s continued success in the years ahead, and to seeing many of you again The Inukai exhibition received a favorable notice in Boston, or perhaps in Amherst. After all, I feel in the New York Times. And that wasn’t the only as you do: I wouldn’t dream of setting foot in the appearance of the Mead in the media during the Pioneer Valley without visiting the ever-changing, past year. The Tibetan tangka catalogue received always marvelous Mead! a positive review in the Wall Street Journal (shortly before the works in that exhibition are due to be shown at the Middlebury College Museum of Art), and the Mead’s decision to reopen a decades-old stolen-painting case with the help of the FBI attract- Elizabeth E. Barker, Ph.D. ed a flurry of television and newspaper coverage. Director 3 ACQUISITIONS Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), Here I Come, Brooklyn, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist GIFTS (alphabetical by artist) (Class of 1958) (2014.09) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), The Conversation, Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), Good Friends, Brighton Bowery, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the Beach, Brooklyn, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.10) artist (Class of 1958) (2014.07) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), My Brother Gives a Good Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), Miss Sunshine, Shine, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. artist (Class of 1958) (2014.11) Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.08) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), A Hard Day’s Work, The Bowery, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.12) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), Barefoot in the Park - Central Park Zoo, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.13) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), The News Stand, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.14) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), Lunch in the Park, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.15) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), In the Bowery, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.16) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), (A Hard Day’s Night) The Bowery, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.17) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), The Funeral, NYC, 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.18) Sol LeWitt (American, 1922-2007), Untitled, 1999. Gouache on 100% cotton Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), The Funeral #2, NYC, paper. Gift of Mary Patricia Pence (2013.113) 1952; print 2014. Gelatin silver print. Gift of the artist (Class of 1958) (2014.19) Paul Ackerman (American, born 1936), Time Out for Lunch, The Bowery, NYC, 1952; print 2014.