​​​May & June Public Talk Descriptions

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May 2026 Public Talk Descriptions

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Art and Activism: The Life and Legacy of Ruth Asawa

The groundbreaking work of Ruth Asawa, a Japanese American sculptor and passionate arts activist, will be the subject of a blockbuster retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art from October 19, 2025 to February 7, 2026. Asawa was best known for her ethereal wire sculptures that blur the boundaries between art, craft, and nature, but her extensive body of work also includes paintings, printmaking, and public commissions. Asawa’s legacy extends far beyond the studio—she was a tireless advocate for arts education, believing deeply in its power to shape communities and young minds. This presentation will explore her remarkable life, her artistic innovations, and her enduring impact on American art and public life.

 

Vincent van Gogh: Color, Passion, and Pain

Throughout his life, Vincent van Gogh was poor, often hungry and ill.  When he died in 1890 at the age of 37, it seemed that his work would be forgotten.  All that has changed, and Vincent is now perhaps the most famous painter of all.  This talk will look at Vincent’s life through his colorful, bold and passionate paintings. Although his works were created many years ago, these remarkable images capture the world in a modern and exciting way.

 

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: Painter & Printmaker of the Parisian Demi-Monde

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a post-Impressionist painter, printmaker, and illustrator who immersed himself in the colorful and sometimes decadent world of Paris’s circuses, theaters, cabarets, and brothels. Because he was an aristocrat born with a rare physical condition, he was more accepted by this cohort of outsiders than by the society of his peers. He recorded his experiences in enticing, elegant, and provocative images, which we will explore as we learn about his brief, extraordinary life.

 

Three Visionary Women / Three Great Art Museums

What does a woman do when she is born to great privilege, has enormous wealth, loves to travel to faraway places, and has a healthy dose of intellectual curiosity? Well, she collects art of course! And then she must envision a place to exhibit her treasures so that the world can appreciate her passion. This talk will examine the lives of three remarkable women who defied society’s expectations: Isabella Stewart Gardner, Helene Kröller-Müller, and Peggy Guggenheim. We will trace the steps each took to amass three of the most important collections of art in the world. And we will see some amazing paintings, too!

 

Raphael: Artist and Visionary

The Italian painter and architect Raphael became one of the defining figures of the High Renaissance — revered for his grace, harmony, and masterful balance of beauty and structure. His lyrical use of form, color, and composition not only defined an era but continues to shape our understanding of artistic perfection. The Metropolitan Museum of Art will exhibit more than 200 of his drawings, paintings, tapestries, and decorative works from March 29 to June 28, 2026, and this presentation will be a unique window into Raphael’s creative process and the depth of his artistic thinking.

 

Marcel Duchamp: The Alchemist of the Avant-Garde

Open the dictionary to the word “iconoclast,” and you will see a picture of Marcel Duchamp. He challenged the standards and beliefs of the art world and ushered in a new era of creative license—the reverberations of which are still felt in contemporary art today. Duchamp’s imagination was aroused by elements of Cubism, Surrealism, and even Pop Art, but his resourcefulness meant continuous self-reinvention and deliberate inconsistency. He once said, “I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste.” Come and learn about his innovative works and the shockwaves they produced. A blockbuster Duchamp retrospective opened at the Museum of Modern Art on April 12, 2026.

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June 2026 Public Talk Descriptions

 

Marcel Duchamp: The Alchemist of the Avant-Garde

Open the dictionary to the word “iconoclast,” and you will see a picture of Marcel Duchamp. He challenged the standards and beliefs of the art world and ushered in a new era of creative license—the reverberations of which are still felt in contemporary art today. Duchamp’s imagination was aroused by elements of Cubism, Surrealism, and even Pop Art, but his resourcefulness meant continuous self-reinvention and deliberate inconsistency. He once said, “I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste.” Come and learn about his innovative works and the shockwaves they produced. A blockbuster Duchamp retrospective opened at the Museum of Modern Art in NY on April 12, 2026 and will be on view until August 22.

 

Raphael: Artist and Visionary

The Italian painter and architect Raphael became one of the defining figures of the High Renaissance — revered for his grace, harmony, and masterful balance of beauty and structure. His lyrical use of form, color, and composition not only defined an era but continues to shape our understanding of artistic perfection. The Metropolitan Museum of Art will exhibit more than 200 of his drawings, paintings, tapestries, and decorative works from March 29 to June 28, 2026, and this presentation will be a unique window into Raphael’s creative process and the depth of his artistic thinking. 

 

Egon Schiele: Nature, Allegory, and the Human Condition

Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt’s protégé, shocked the art world with his sensual drawings, ravishing portraits, and ebullient landscapes that represent more than their apparent subject matter. His works characterize the cycle of life and the human condition in a unique and stunning way. Come and hear this presentation that will introduce you to intense, expressive works created during a productive but tragically abbreviated life.

 

The Impressionists: Imagining the Modern

Everyone loves the Impressionists, but many don’t know that the artists and their works were initially reviled by the critics and rejected by the public. The Impressionists: Imagining the Modern tells the compelling story of how this beloved art movement was born and why it flourished. We will see some of your favorite paintings and some that will be new to you.