October, November, December 2004 @ DeCordova: Exhibitions and Events

Ongoing Exhibitions

Robert ParkeHarrison: The Architect's Brother
Joyce and Edward Linde Gallery
September 18, 2004 - January 2, 2005
The Architect's Brother is the first solo museum exhibition of Robert ParkeHarrison, whose work considers the state-and possible fate-of the Earth. Robert ParkeHarrison-who lives in Great Barrington and teaches in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the College of the Holy Cross-collaborates with his wife, Shana, on the conception and execution of complex images that, in their creation, combine performance, sculpture, photography, and painting. The ParkeHarrisons collage paper photographic negatives into large-scale coherent narratives that feature Robert performing Herculean struggles with nature and artifice in landscapes scarred by overuse and technology.

This traveling exhibition of over forty works is organized by George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film with support from the Bulrush Foundation. The DeCordova presentation is supported by funding from the Lois and Richard England Family Foundation. The exhibition is accompanied by the 136-page book of the same name by Twin Palms Publishers. During the showing at DeCordova, the film Art Close Up: Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison, produced for Art Close Up by WGBH, Boston, will be shown continuously in the galleries.

Luminous Forms: Abstractions in Color Photography
James and Audrey Foster Galleries, Fourth Floor Hallway Gallery
September 18, 2004 - January 2, 2005
Whether created for the camera by the artist or abstracted from objects or places in the natural world, these photographs emphasize color, form, and light as subjects unto themselves. Director of Curatorial Affairs Rachel Rosenfield Lafo has selected six photographers for this exhibition: David Akiba, Bill Armstrong, Sandi Haber Fifield, Olivia Parker, Bonnie Porter, and Laura Wulf. Each explores a different form of abstraction, from pulsing mandala shapes to images of pure color created by gels.

Abstract Photography in the Permanent Collection
Arcade Gallery
September 18, 2004 - January 2, 2005
This exhibition of abstract photographs from DeCordova's Permanent Collection accompanies Luminous Forms. This show includes works by David Akiba, Len Gittleman, Gyorgy Kepes, Calvin Kowal, Aaron Siskind, Bradford Washburn, and others, and is organized by Director of Curatorial Affairs Rachel Rosenfield Lafo.

mobiustrip
Phyllis and Jerome Lyle Rappaport/Media Space Gallery
September 18, 2004 - January 2, 2005
Mobius is Boston's artist-run center for experimental work in all media and has for over 25 years been the region's primary presenter of performance, installation, video, and sound art. mobiustrip is a collaboration among all twelve current Mobius artist-members, who will create a video installation that features individual 60-90 second video art clips seamlessly woven into a metaphorical Möbius strip (a Möbius strip is a surface with only one side, formed by giving a half-twist to a narrow strip of paper and then pasting its two ends together, a dimensional paradox). mobiustrip is organized by Curator of New Media George Fifield.

Abstract Elements: The Dr. Beatrice H. Barrett Collection of Art
Dewey Family Gallery
September 18, 2004 - July 31, 2005
In 2003, DeCordova Museum's Permanent Collection received over 170 works of art from the bequest of contemporary art collector Dr. Beatrice H. Barrett. This exhibition will highlight the most significant artworks from her collection, bring together largely abstract works by regional and international artists of the second half of the twentieth century, and examine the taste and vision of an important collector. Featured artists include Alexander Calder, Wolf Kahn, Gyorgy Kepes, Henry Moore, Maud Morgan, George Rickey, and Hugh Townley. Organized by Curatorial Fellow Alexandra Novina, this show is accompanied by the full-color book Choreographing a Collection: The Dr. Beatrice H. Barrett Collection of Art, by former DeCordova Assistant to the Director Angela Koester.

Events and Programming

Gallery Talks: Meet the Artists
Third Floor Lobby
Saturdays @ 3 pm
Free with Museum admission
The act of creating artwork can be just as exciting as looking at the final product. Meet New England and regional artists to discuss their work on view at DeCordova in the current exhibitions.

Luminous Forms: Abstractions in Color Photography
Olivia Parker September 18
David Akiba October 23
Sandi Haber Fifield December 4

Sculpture Park artists
Kitty Wales October 16
Rick Brown November 20

mobiustrip (Live Performances)
Mari Novotny-Jones and Milan Kohout October 30
Jed Speare and Larry Johnson November 6

The Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture
A Conversation with Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison
Dewey Family Gallery
Thursday, October 21, 2004, at 6 pm
Museum doors open at 5 pm
Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison are internationally renowned artists who create powerful and mesmerizing images that combine photography, performance, collage, and painting. Their work has become some of the most sought-after contemporary art in America. The fate and state of the earth and the attempt to heal it is the prevailing topic in their artwork. Each work is the result of painstaking research involving hundreds of drawings and sketches as well as hours of reading and writing. Their influences are as far-ranging as literature, dreams, artists both historical and contemporary, inventors, theater, and cinema. Join Director of Curatorial Affairs Rachel Rosenfield Lafo as she talks with Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison about the artworks in the exhibition Robert ParkeHarrison: The Architect's Brother.

The lecture will be held in DeCordova's Dewey Family Gallery. Space is limited. Tickets are $8 for Members and $10 for Non-Members and will be held at the door. Reservations are required. For reservations, please call 781/259-3604.

Sculpture Park Discovery Day
Sculpture Park
Saturday, October 9, 2004, from noon - 4 pm
Fill your car with food, friends, and family, and come to this great fall event, rain or shine! Join us for an afternoon filled with fun art activities, talks and demos by Sculpture Park artists, live performances, a Sculpture Park scavenger hunt and Sculpture Park bingo! There will also be Sculpture Park tours at 1 and 2 pm.

Admission to Sculpture Park Discovery Day includes Museum entry. Prices are $5 for Members ($7 at the door on the day of the event) and $12 for Non-Members ($15 at the door on the day of the event). Ages 2 and under are free. No passes, discounts, or coupons will be accepted for this event. All parking is located at DeCordova. Space is limited, so purchase your tickets today by phoning 781/259-3629 or online at www.decordova.org. Click on "Sculpture Park Discovery Day."

Family Sundays
Museum Galleries
Drop-In Sundays, 1 - 3 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Have fun with looking and hands-on activities as you share insights and discover what you value and enjoy about art-as a family. Join us as we celebrate artists' creativity through interpreting artworks with gallery games, art projects, and tours of the current exhibitions. This drop-in program is perfect for families with children ages 6-12.

October 17 A World of Stories
What kinds of stories do artists tell? Delve into Robert ParkeHarrison: The Architect's Brother for inspiration, and then create a world of your own.

November 7 Focus In
Weird and eerie, dazzling and gorgeous…Have fun exploring the artworks in current exhibitions all over the Museum, and bring your ideas into the picture.

Eleventh Annual Artists' Market
The Store @ DeCordova
November 13 - December 31, 2004
A new season of holiday hoopla is upon us! Come shop this spectacular collection of pottery, glass, wearable art, frames, clocks, ornaments, and cards-every year an expanded collection from the fantastically talented hands of the finest craftspeople in the area. And it's one-stop shopping-so many choices for everyone on your holiday list!

Extended holiday hours-November 15 through December 23:
Monday - Thursday 9:30 am - 9:30 pm
Friday - Saturday 9:30 am - 5:30 pm
Sunday 11:30 am - 5:30 pm

Museum School Gallery Exhibitions
Museum School Gallery
Ongoing
The Museum School Gallery serves the school community in several ways: It provides a venue for the public celebration of student product, process, and exploration; it serves as a meeting place for students and faculty to gather and share ideas between classes; it celebrates the process of student achievements at all levels regardless of professional goals; and it is geared toward the serious artist looking for a taste of a gallery experience.

For complete information about the School Gallery, please visit our Web site, www.decordova.org. Call Donna Berube at 781/259-3603 or e-mail education@decordova.org for further details about submissions.

Children's Summer Art Camps: Greek Revival
October 2 - October 17, 2004
Reception: Sunday, October 17 from 3 - 4 pm
Our first exhibition of the fall season will focus on artwork of students from our summer camp. The students' work will feature artwork influenced by Greek culture and traditions.

Solid Foundations Summer Art Institute & Teen Artisans' Boot Camp
October 20 - November 7, 2004
Reception: Sunday, November 7 from 3 - 4 pm
Join us for a celebration of children's artwork designed to build a portfolio: drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, and sculpture. Come view work from our first three-week intensive program for teens which includes glass blowing, stained glass, drawing for designers, ceramics, metalsmithing, and photography.

General Information

DeCordova Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm and on selected Monday holidays. As of September 18, 2004: General admission during Museum hours is $9 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, students, and youth ages 6-12. Children age 5 and under, Lincoln residents, and Active Duty Military Personnel and their dependents are admitted free. The Sculpture Park is open year round during daylight hours. The Store @ DeCordova and the School Gallery are open Monday through Thursday, 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, Friday through Saturday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, and Sunday 11:30 am to 5:30 pm. The Café @ DeCordova is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm. Free guided public tours of the Museum's main galleries take place every Thursday at 1 and Sunday at 2 pm. Free tours of the Sculpture Park are given on Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm from May to October. Visit www.decordova.org or call 781/259-8355 for further information.

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