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May 2024 Talk Descriptions

 

Japonisme: Cultural Crossings that Influenced Modern Art

The intriguing art and culture of Japan has always fascinated the Western World, and in the mid-19th Century, a wave of “Japanomania” swept across Europe and America. This talk will tell the story of how some of our favorite artists—Whistler, the Impressionists, Van Gogh and the Post-Impressionists among them— incorporated these influences into their work. We will also learn how the inspiration of the Japanese aesthetic expanded beyond painting and printmaking into the decorative arts, interior design, furnishings, fabrics, and fashion.

 

Käthe Kollwitz: The Art of Social Purpose

Käthe Kollwitz was one of the most notable German artists of the 20th Century and a master of graphic technique. She lived through the trauma of two world wars and for her, art was a catharsis where she could express the plight of the oppressed, the cause of peace and social justice, and the joys and sorrows of motherhood. Her powerfully poignant images won Kollwitz a position of international honor and respect, but Hitler and the Nazis forbid her to teach, labeled her art “degenerate,” and prevented her from exhibiting. Käthe Kollwitz’s dedication to human dignity and her remarkable body of work outlasted the Nazi regime and triumphed over its brutality. This talk will enhance your experience of the Museum of Modern Art’s retrospective Kollwitz exhibition opening on March 31 and running through July 20, 2024.

 

Ruth Asawa: Sculptor, Educator, Arts Activist

Japanese-American sculptor, educator, and arts activist Ruth Asawa is known for her extensive body of work including paintings, printmaking, public commissions, and especially her wire sculptures that challenge conventional notions of material and form.  A firm believer in the radical potential of arts education, she also devoted herself to expanding access to art-focused educational programs by co-founding the Alvarado Arts Workshop in 1968 and the first public arts high school in San Francisco in 1982. Come and hear about this pioneering and inspirational artist.

 

Mary Cassatt: Impressionist Painter and Printmaker

Mary Cassatt was born in Pennsylvania but lived most of her adult life in France. She became acquainted with Edgar Degas, who introduced her to the Impressionist circle. Out of social necessity for an upper middle class, unmarried woman of her era, she mostly created images of the private lives of women, with particular emphasis on the intimate bonds between mothers and children. But her treatment of her subjects was confident, original, and sometimes even radical. It was very difficult for a woman to be a successful painter in 19th Century Paris, but Mary Cassatt persevered and is today remembered as one of the greatest Impressionists. This talk is a great complement to the Philadelphia Museum of Art's blockbuster exhibition, Mary Cassatt at Work on view from May 18 to September 8.

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       Tempestuous Beauty:

           How Artists throughout the Ages Were Inspired

by Flowers and Gardens

Artists have long been drawn to the natural world to stimulate their creativity. The rich symbolism, diverse color palettes, and delicate, changing nature of flowers have been a source of inspiration across cultures for centuries. Come join us for this talk; we will be introduced to an array of astonishing images from throughout art history, some iconic and some unfamiliar, reminding us why flowers and gardens give us hope, nourish our souls, and elicit pleasure and happiness.

 

Norman Rockwell: An American Phenomenon

The prolific American artist and illustrator Norman Rockwell produced more than 4000 works that chronicle not only ordinary moments from everyday life but also important social and political issues. During his lifetime Rockwell was dismissed by many serious art critics, but this talk will examine why and how he has remained a beloved American original. We will look at many of his iconic paintings, as well as at some that may surprise you.