Saturday, November 12, 2011

TAM Docents: December 2 Public Docent Tour needs covered

Hello Docents-

The public tour of the Folk Treasures exhibition that was scheduled on December 2 at noon now finds itself without a docent. If any of you could find it in your heart to come in that day and, provided we get takers, give a tour, I would be most grateful.

Please let me or Megan Ristine know if you can help.

Thank you,

-Jana

 

Jana Wennstrom | TACOMA ART MUSEUM

Manager of Public and Volunteer Programs

 

T: 253.272.4258 x3030

1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Washington 98402

www.TacomaArtMuseum.org

 

embrace art in everyday life Folk Treasures of Mexico October 29 - February 19

 

 

 

TAM Docents: Marion Oettinger Autographs

Hello Docents-

If you are interested in having Marion Oettinger's autograph for your catalog, or just because, I have a short stack of Tacoma Art Museum Stickers with his autograph on them at my desk. You could stick that to any number of things – just think of the possibilities. If you want one, just let me know or drop by.

Thank you for all that you do for Tacoma Art Museum!

Happy weekend,

-Jana

 

Jana Wennstrom | TACOMA ART MUSEUM

Manager of Public and Volunteer Programs

 

T: 253.272.4258 x3030

1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Washington 98402

www.TacomaArtMuseum.org

 

embrace art in everyday life Folk Treasures of Mexico October 29 - February 19

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

TAM Docents: Join Flora Book for afternoon tea on November 13

Hello Docents-

Just a reminder that Thomas graciously extended you the invitation to join in this event for members. Please be sure to RSVP if you wish to attend.

-Jana

 

Jana Wennstrom | TACOMA ART MUSEUM

Manager of Public and Volunteer Programs

T: 253.272.4258 x3030

 

embrace art in everyday life Folk Treasures of Mexico October 29 - February 19

 

 

 

 

 

From: Tacoma Art Museum [mailto:KHefley=TacomaArtMuseum.org@mail14.us2.mcsv.net] On Behalf Of Tacoma Art Museum
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 10:47 AM
To: Jana Wennstrom
Subject: Join Flora Book for afternoon tea on November 13

 

 

The Eloquent Silver Curve: The Jewelry of Flora Book
 

An Afternoon with Flora Book, November 13, 1-3 pm at Tacoma Art Museum

 

Join us for an afternoon tea and insightful conversation with Flora Book.

Sunday, November 13
1-3 pm
Tacoma Art Museum

Free with museum admission (Members free)
R.S.V.P. to KHefley@TacomaArtMuseum.org by Friday, November 11.


Northwest jewelry artist Flora Book has combined her passion for elegant jewelry with her love of silver and life-long study of textiles. Throughout her career, she has focused on constructing refined compositions that evoke the traditional functions of jewelry but also drape and flow with the wearer's movements.


Tacoma Art Museum

Tacoma Art Museum | 1701 Pacific Avenue | Tacoma, WA 98402 | 253.272.4258
www.TacomaArtMuseum.org | info@TacomaArtMuseum.org

© 2008 Tacoma Art Museum. All rights reserved.


Image: Flora Book, Jayne's Veil, 1996. Silver beads and nylon monofilament, 12 x 26 x 12 inches. Collection of the artist. Photo: Roger Schreiber.


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TAM Docents: Mexican Folk Art - More Answers to Intriguing Questions

Hello Docents-

Terry Dew had some questions that came up during a couple of shifts so I have included those below followed by Stephanie's reply.

 

Also, just a reminder that we have another Know More Art Lecture this Saturday:

Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and their Collection and Transformation of Mexican Folk Art
November 12, 1 pm
In the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution, artists of that country embraced popular folk art as a central inspiration for a new, "revolutionary" art that would reach a mass audience and represent the agency of poor and indigenous people in the Mexican nation. Nowhere is this embrace of folk art more public and evident than in the related lives and distinct art of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. This lecture will consider: how this couple developed and displayed a large collection of folk art that included pre-Hispanic sculpture, paper mache "Judas" dolls, and religious ex-votos and retablos; how their public personae, performed in working class overalls and indigenous rebozos, embodied elements of folk art; and finally, through a selection of paintings by each, how they incorporated genres and motifs from folk art while giving them new political and personal meanings.

 

Plus you are invited to the Flora Book Tea on Sunday at 1 pm. I will forward the invitation to that after sending this email out.

 

Warm regards,

-Jana

 

Jana Wennstrom | TACOMA ART MUSEUM

Manager of Public and Volunteer Programs

T: 253.272.4258 x3030

 

embrace art in everyday life Folk Treasures of Mexico October 29 - February 19

 

 


During my Docent & Volunteer shifts on Thursday night & Saturday, the following comments & questions have arisen, on which I would appreciate enlightenment:
 
1. On the jacket & inside the exhibition catalogue, appears "Cart and Animals," Oaxaca. In the exhibition, the cart is empty? Where are the men subduing the tiger? Also, why does the man have a staff in one hand & a machete in the other? Is this a child's toy?
 
2. Why is the amazing, lone secular "Portrait" of a Huichol Indian by Felipe Olay displayed on a red "sacred or religious" wall? Although resources state & other Huichol art objects in the exhibition depict that their religious beliefs & ceremonies owe little to Christianity, the man's hat creates the effect of a halo?
 
3. Visitors had several question re: "Stations of the Cross." Where are the missing 2 of the 14? Were they too deteriorated to survive? Were they originally displayed in a church: if so, where? Were they all painted by one artist? Why is the label on "II Estacion"
different from all the rest?
 
Your insight is appreciated. Thanks,
Terry

 

Dear Jana,

 

Here is how I would reply after input from Nancy and Amanda:

 

1)       The other figures were used for the catalogue cover mockup and are not part of the original ensemble. The staff and machete in hand reflect the tools need for work in the fields.  Is this a child's toy?  Probably I'd say.  The work comes from a region famous for its wood carvings.

2)        The portrait of the Huichol Indian is in the ceremonial section because he is outfitted in his ceremonial or celebratory dress. He could be a shaman in a special dress for a peyote celebration. Or the portrait could have been in the blue Decorative section.

3)       Can't respond to where the other two paintings are.  Assume Rockefeller was not able to purchase them. Not sure I understand the question about the label. Is the question, why does the label talk about Station 2?  The reason for that is that the red, white and green nationalistic color is particularly evident in that work.  I would add that by looking closely at these canvases it is evident that they were framed differently at some point, cutting off the edge of the works.  There has been some restoration of these works, including a change in treatment of how station 2 is rendered.

 

Stephanie

 

 

 

Stephanie A. Stebich

Director

Tacoma Art Museum

1701 Pacific Avenue

Tacoma, Washington 98402

T: 253.272.4258 x3014

F: 253.627.1898

www.TacomaArtMuseum.org

Become a Member Today!

 

 

embrace art in everyday life Folk Treasures of Mexico October 29 - February 19

 

TAM Docents: Mexican Folk Art Info from Elizabeth

Hello Docents-

More info below sent by Elizabeth. Thank you!

-Jana

 

Jana Wennstrom | TACOMA ART MUSEUM

Manager of Public and Volunteer Programs

T: 253.272.4258 x3030

 

embrace art in everyday life Folk Treasures of Mexico October 29 - February 19

 

 

 

 

Here is a guide of Mexican Folk Art Treasures from the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology at Berkeley that I found, that describes some of the various artforms we have in our exhibit. I found the condensed descriptions quite helpful .

http://hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu/exhibitions/mexico2/gallery8_11.html

 

There's also this Family guide right from the San Antonio musuem on this exhibit:

http://www.samuseum.org/files/LAAC%20Gallery%20Guide%20-%20EDU_ENG.pdf

 

Also try Google: You Tube + Oaxaca + black pottery
and you will get some interesting links to the process of shaping and firing the black pottery piece.

 

Hope this helps.

Elizabeth

 

 



 

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

TAM Docents: Mexican Folk Art

Hello Docents-

Realizing that Mexican Folk Art is a bit out of our usual comfort zone of NW art, I have provided some notes and links below that I hope may be of assistance with this new material. If you find something to share with your fellow docents, feel free to send that my way and I will gladly distribute. Also let me know if there is any material you are having difficulties with and I will see what I can find to help.

 

Guide for Spanish pronunciation that has recorded samples: http://www.studyspanish.com/pronunciation/

 

Please note that this is Mexican Folk Art and not Spanish, though there may be Spanish influence, of course.

 

Also, be careful with your use of the word "primitive" in this exhibition. People who are not familiar with that as an art history term may find it insulting to the artists and the art work. "Primitive" can come across as a judgment which we want to avoid (not to say that you aren't allowed to have opinions, just be careful about separating out your personal opinion from the facts so the two don't get mixed up by the visitor).

 

Here is a map of Mexico with some access to other great information about the country and its people:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mapsofworld.com/mexico/maps/mexico-map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mapsofworld.com/mexico/&h=443&w=600&sz=71&tbnid=X3fa-nRlILzQVM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=123&zoom=1&docid=lsG7BXD0jIrQuM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KXC5TqiTEeOfiQLi9Lz0BA&ved=0CDAQ9QEwAg&dur=372

 

Info on Talavera Pottery: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talavera_%28pottery%29

 

Info on Nahuales: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahual&ei=8HK5TsDkEK_8iQKV65XKBA&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQ7gEwAw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dnahuales%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS251%26prmd%3Dimvnsb

I think this term was brought up by Nancy when she was here while talking about Teodora Blanco: http://www.cosasonline.com/artists/familia-blanco .

 

Some info on Charros: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charros

 

I hope that this is helpful.

Thank  you for all that you do for Tacoma Art Museum!

-Jana

 

Jana Wennstrom | TACOMA ART MUSEUM

Manager of Public and Volunteer Programs

 

T: 253.272.4258 x3030

1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Washington 98402

www.TacomaArtMuseum.org

 

embrace art in everyday life Folk Treasures of Mexico October 29 - February 19