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March 15, 2013

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CMA’s Women’s Board Presents 20^th Anniversary Decorators’ Show House

(Columbus, OH) –Visit the Women’s Board of the Columbus Museum of Art’s 20^th Anniversary Decorators’ Show House April 23 – May 12. Working with more than twenty interior and landscape designers, the Women’s Board transformed the home at 21 South Parkview Avenue in Bexley. This gorgeous home features a floor-to-ceiling paneled study, spacious family room, two staircases, and multiple fireplaces. Built in 1922, this home also has breathtaking outdoor spaces.

Decorators’ Show House kicks off with a fabulous 1920s themed Preview Party, Roaring into the Show House 2013, on April 20 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The party features the musical stylings of Avalon Nine, signature drinks, food inspired by the 1920s, and vintage clothing and cards. Tickets are $100 per person and $175 per couple.

Decorators’ Show House will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. It is closed on Mondays. Tickets are $15 if purchased in advance at columbusmuseum.org or $20 if purchased at the door.

Please note the house is not handicap-accessible and children under eight cannot be admitted. All proceeds benefit the Columbus Museum of Art.

Show House also includes a Gift Shop featuring one-of-a-kind gifts from various vendors in a pop-up shop format.

This 2013 Show House featured designers include Shauna Lehman Interiors, R. Sherman Design, Terri Slee Interiors, Phyllis Craver Fine Designs, Susan Matrka Interiors, Katie Hixon Interiors, Fortner Fine Living and Upholstery, Grand Design Group, Martha Poulton Interiors, Kellie Toole Interior Design, Howard Brooks Interiors, CRI/Creations, Interiorworks by Sally McDonald, Acquisitions for the Home, Blue Designs, and Fortin Ironworks.

A special thanks to the 2013 Decorators’ Show House Sponsors: Alexander’s Jewelers, itzze.com, Alliance Data, KA Menendian, Capital Style, Michael A. Foley Photography, Columbus Dispatch, Sleep Outfitters, Clear Channel Outdoors, Contracting Solutions, Top of the Table, R.G. Barry, Dispatch Home and Garden Show, Wasserstrom, Flower Galaxy, WBNS-TV, Fortner Upholstering Inc, We Get The Mold Out.com, Hawk Gallery, Zink Foodservice Group, Heidelberg Distributing Company, Dine Originals, Decker Construction, Columbus Window Cleaning, Tattletale Portable Alarm, Brandt-Roberts Galleries and Fiber-Seal.

About the Columbus Museum of Art Women’s Board

The Columbus Museum of Art Women’s Board is an organization of women committed to promoting the mission of the Columbus Museum of Art. Women’s Board members support the Museum by organizing fundraisers, volunteering at the Museum in a variety of ways, and by serving as Museum ambassadors. In addition, Women’s Board members gather for social opportunities connected to art and the mission of the Columbus Museum of Art.

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(Columbus, OH) – Strings Attached: The Living Tradition of Czech Puppets, on view at the Columbus Museum of Art March 8 – August 25, explores the rich history of puppetry in the Czech Republic and its influence throughout the world.

“This is an incredibly rare opportunity to share these amazing objects from Prague and their stories with our community,” said CMA Executive Director Nannette V. Maciejunes. “Working with our international and local partners to bring the exhibition to life here has been an incredible experience and one we hope will prove as enriching for our visitors.”

“We’re delighted to be partnering with the Columbus Museum of Art to premiere this international endeavor in Columbus,” said Joseph E. Steinmetz, executive dean and vice provost, College of Arts and Sciences. “Working together with our 'town and gown' relationship, the arts at the university and the arts in the community bring rich, innovative and imaginative productions and exhibitions to the people of central Ohio.”

For the Czech people, puppetry helped maintain ethnic and national identity during long years of authoritarian rule. Strings Attached illustrates this enduring legacy by using not only puppets but also related set designs, masks, and costumes, dating from the 1850s to the present. The earliest puppets in the exhibition are those used by itinerant puppeteers who performed for both adult and young audiences. The majority of puppets trace the evolution of modern Czech puppetry from these traditional roots.

This resulted in experimentation and new forms of puppetry such as black-light theater based on black theater techniques like those performed in ancient China. Contemporary Czech puppetry continues to flourish and to demonstrate the connections between Czech puppetry and international forms of drama, ballet, opera, and animated and stop-action film.

Thursday, March 28, 7:00 pm

Beth Kattelman, Associate Professor and Associate Curator of the Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute at Ohio State, will present a program about creating puppets for The Contemporary American Theatre Company’s recent production of Avenue Q. This program is free with admission, no registration requested.

Artist Talk: Petr Matásek & Joseph Brandesky

Petr Matásek, Czech theater designer and Joseph Brandesky, Ohio State theatre professor and guest curator of Strings Attached, will present Marion Lee, a puppet designed for their new production, aPOEtheosis: A Fantasy on the Life of Edgar Allen Poe. In aPOEtheosis, objects, music, and movement are used to illuminate the fine lines between creative genius and madness, fatal love and obsession. For aPOEtheosis tickets, visit http://theatre.osu.edu/apoetheosis.html. In celebration of our international collaboration, CMA admission is free, with identification, for OSU students and faculty April 6 and 7. This program is free, no registration requested.

Saturday, April 27, 2:00 pm   

Get the behind-the-scenes scoop from Joe Brandesky, Ohio State theatre professor and guest curator of Strings Attached, during this gallery tour of the Czech Puppets exhibition. This program is free with admission, no registration requested.

aPOEtheosis: A Fantasy Based on The Life and Work of Edgar Allen Poe

The Ohio State University

Roy Bowen Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center

Co-conceived by Czech scenographer Petr Matásek and Joseph Brandesky, Directed by Joseph Brandesky

Matásek returns to Ohio State to devise a new fantasy based on the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe. Objects, music, and movement will be used to illuminate the fines lines between creative genius and madness, fatal love, and obsession. For more information, please visit www.theatre.osu.edu

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Museum admission is $12 for adults; $8 for seniors and students 6 and older; and free for members, children 5 and younger. Admission is free for all on Sundays. CMA Free Sundays presented by Arts Alive is made possible through a grant from PNC Foundation. For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

About The College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University

The College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Ohio State. With more than 80 departments, schools, centers and institutes, the college delivers 60 percent of the academic curriculum to Ohio State students. Its vast academic diversity is its greatest strength, combining the best of a major research institution with a rich liberal arts foundation. Arts and Sciences faculty create new knowledge to solve global problems, fuel Ohio's economy, spark student inquiry, and engage with the local community.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 14, 2013

Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303

CMA Among Three Ohio Finalists for Institute of Museum and Library Services 2013 National Medal for Museum and Library Service

Visit IMLS Facebook Page and Share Your Story

(Columbus, OH) – The Institute of Museum and Library Services today announced Columbus Museum of Art, Cuyahoga County Public Library of Cuyahoga County, and The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County of Cincinnati as National Medal for Museum and Library Service finalists. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community and celebrates institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.

Medal finalists are selected from nationwide nominations of institutions that demonstrate innovative approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach. This year’s finalists exemplify the nation’s great diversity of libraries and museums and include an aquarium and marine science center foundation, conservatory and botanical gardens, county library systems, individual libraries, children’s museums, an art museum, science centers, and more, hailing from across the country.

“Museums and libraries serve as community gathering places and centers for lifelong learning, and we are very proud to announce Columbus Museum of Art, Cuyahoga County Public Library of Cuyahoga County, and The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County of Cincinnati as finalists for the 2013 National Medal,” said Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “This year’s finalists exemplify the many wonderful ways museums and libraries can respond to the needs and wants of the communities they serve.”

“Several years ago, we decided we wanted CMA to be a resource for our community and embraced the idea of becoming a visitor-centered Museum that fostered creativity and promised great experiences with great art for everyone,” said CMA Executive Director Nannette V. Maciejunes. “We’re incredibly honored to be recognized as finalist for this prestigious award and excited that the work we’ve done is resonating with our community.”

Finalists are chosen because of their significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. IMLS is encouraging community members who have visited Columbus Museum of Art, Cuyahoga County Public Library of Cuyahoga County, and The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County of Cincinnati to share their story on the IMLS Facebook page, www.facebook.com/USIMLS. Visit the IMLS Facebook page to learn more about how these institutions make an impact. National Medal for Museum and Library Service winners will be announced this spring.

To Share Your Story, please visit www.facebook.com/USIMLS. To learn more about the 2013 National Medal finalists, visit www.imls.gov/medals.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.  Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive.  To learn more, visit http://www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Columbus Museum of Art

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Museum admission is $12 for adults; $8 for seniors and students 6 and older; and free for members, children 5 and younger. Admission is free for all on Sundays. CMA Free Sundays presented by Arts Alive is made possible through a grant from PNC Foundation. For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release:
February 6, 2013

(Columbus, OH) – The Columbus Museum of Art and Thurber House are pleased to announce the winner of the second annual Graphic Novelist Residency, Ed Piskor. The three-week residency is designed to provide a graphic artist/writer with an opportunity to develop a work-in-progress. The recipient will receive a stipend and housing in the two-bedroom apartment located in the historic home of author and New Yorker cartoonist, James Thurber.

Ed Piskor began his comics career at age 21, drawing American Splendor strips written by underground comics legend Harvey Pekar. He has since published the graphic novel Wizzywig about the history of hacking and is currently publishing The Hip Hop Family Tree as a weekly comic at BoingBoing.net. In addition to researching and producing new work, he will take part in public events during his stay in Columbus. An exhibition of his artwork will be on view at Columbus Museum of Art.

Wednesday, March 20, 6:00-8:00 PM

Led by Ed Piskor. Visit thurberhouse.org for more information

March 15 – June 2, 2013 

This exhibition features original artwork from Piskor’s comics.

Ed Piskor will meet with the high school interns enrolled in CMA’s Art Lab program.

Artist’s Talk and Interview

Ed Piskor speaks about his creative process with interviewer, comics writer, and blogger Jared Gardner, a professor of English and Film Studies at OSU. Free with museum admission.

About the Columbus Museum of Art: The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

About Thurber House: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Thurber House opened its doors in 1984 as a non-profit literary center and museum located in the former home of author, and New Yorker cartoonist, James Thurber.  Our mission is to celebrate the written word for the education and entertainment of the broadest possible audience, and to continue the legacy of James Thurber.  Thurber House is proud to be in a city and a state that provides generous support to the arts. For additional information, please visit www.ThurberHouse.org.

For Immediate Release:
January 22, 2013

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303
               nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org

CMA MOVES FORWARD WITH EXPANSION
PRESENTS BUILDING PLANS TO DOWNTOWN COMMISSION

(Columbus, OH) – The Columbus Museum of Art presented plans for its new wing to the City of Columbus Downtown Commission this morning. The addition of the wing, the third phase of the Museum’s Art Matters renovation and expansion project, will begin in late Spring of this year.  The $37.6 million project encompasses major renovations to the Ross Wing and lobby area the Museum added in 1974 and the construction of a new wing. These changes will result in a unique meeting and special event complex, as well as new Gallery spaces to showcase the Museum’s permanent collection and expanded space for high-profile traveling exhibitions.

“This is a defining moment for the Museum,” said Nannette V. Maciejunes, CMA’s Executive Director. “Moving forward with this project allows us to fulfill our promise to the community of continuing to create great art experiences for everyone. The Museum’s growth is a reflection of our community’s vision for the arts and culture in Columbus and the priority each of our donors places on supporting a thriving arts community.”

Columbus-based architecture firm DesignGroup, has refined and will implement the master plan designed by the New York City firm of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects for its new wing.  The design team members have been led by award-winning architect Michael Bongiorno, a graduate of the prestigious Pratt Institute School of Architecture. Recognized for the talent, experience, and innovation applied to successful local and regional urban projects, Bongiorno specializes in the design of civic facilities, cultural destinations, and residential mixed-use communities. His recent projects include the Grange Insurance Audubon Center, the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington, the Columbus West Family Health Center, and Goodwill Columbus’ Headquarters.

The first phase of the capital portion of CMA’s Art Matters endowment and capital campaign was the renovation and repurposing of Beaton Hall. The building now houses 85 percent of the Museum staff, thereby expanding public space in the Museum. The project was completed in September, 2009, on time and on budget.

The second phase was the renovation of the Museum’s historic Broad Street building, now named the Elizabeth M. and Richard M. Ross Building, which was unveiled to the public January 1, 2011. The project, which was also completed on time and on budget,  included: the transformation Derby Court by raising the floor to improve accessibility, installing a luminous skylight, and improving acoustics; reimagining the entire first floor as a Center for Creativity; renovating, installing new seating, and improving acoustics in the auditorium; and performing upgrades to make the building more accessible for all visitors.

In June, 2012, the Columbus Museum of Art, in partnership with the City of Columbus and Columbus Recreation and Parks, opened its new West Garden. The garden, designed by MSI Design, an award-winning planning, urban design, landscape architecture and entertainment design firm with offices in Ohio, Florida and California, is a gateway entry experience to the Museum and includes an ADA accessible walkway from the street to the entrance.  The garden provides a safe drop-off point for school and group tours and will be the sole ADA accessible entrance to the Museum during the renovation of the Museum’s 1970s addition and construction of its new wing. The garden is free and accessible to the general public during regular Museum hours.

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and until 8:30 PM every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Saturday and Sunday.  For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release:

January 17, 2013

Media Contact:

Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303

                        nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org

CMA Presents Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade

(Columbus, OH) -  This winter, the Columbus Museum of Art celebrates Mark Rothko, one of the most influential and best-known artists of the 20^th century.  Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade, on view February 1 – May 26, 2013, features 29 of Rothko’s works from the 1940s, crucial years in the development of his universally recognizable color-field paintings.

“Mark Rothko’s explorations of color and emotion transformed painting,” said Nannette V. Maciejunes, CMA Executive Director. “This exhibition allows visitors to follow his path as an artist and develop a greater understanding of his work and its importance.”

This is the first significant exhibition of Rothko’s work to be displayed in Columbus. The exhibition is organized by the Arkansas Art Center, the Columbia Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum of Art and the Denver Art Museum, in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

The work from the 1940s is surprising to those familiar with Rothko’s signature style.  In the 1930s, Rothko was painting figures based on the work of his teachers, Max Weber and Milton Avery, also represented in this exhibition. Fueled by the anxieties of the decade, the impact of WWII and the growing Surrealist movement, Rothko’s previous figurative imagery became increasingly symbolic and dream-like.   Rothko finally landed upon a new way of painting using blocks of color which for him contained a “breath of life” he found lacking in most figurative painting of the time.

His mastery of color calls out our emotions and sense of mystery. Rothko himself believed this late style was not abstract, but rather that it conveyed the very real universal human experiences of “tragedy, ecstasy and doom.”

Visiting this exhibition is an opportunity to trace the artist’s steps toward a new and powerful way of making art. In addition, many of Rothko’s influencers and supporters are seen in the exhibition, including Arshile Gorky, Robert Motherwell, Jackson Pollock and Clyfford Still. CMA and CATCO have coordinated their schedules so that the CATCO production of Red will run during the exhibition. This 2010 Tony Award-winning play celebrates the life and vision of artist Mark Rothko as he and his assistant prepare the enormous murals commissioned for the Four Seasons restaurant in 1958.  The play runs from February 13 - March 3 at the Riffe Center.

Supporting sponsors forMark Rothko: The Decisive Decade are the Dedalus Foundation, Peggy Mativi and Donald Dick. Ohio Magazine is the media sponsor.  The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities. Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel is the hotel sponsor for the exhibition.

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Museum admission is $12 for adults; $8 for seniors and students 6 and older; and free for members, children 5 and younger. Admission is free every Sunday. For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release:
May 10, 2012

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303
                        nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org

COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART TO JOIN IN ASSOCIATION OF ART MUSEUM DIRECTORS CELEBRATION OF ART MUSEUM DAY ON MAY 18^th 2012 WITH FREE ADMISSION

VISITORS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO PARTICPATE BY

SHARING THEIR MUSEUM EXPERIENCES DURING THE CELEBRATIONS

(Columbus, OH) — Columbus Museum of Art announced today that it will offer free admission on Friday, May 18 as part of the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) Art Museum Day, coinciding with International Museum Day on Friday, May 18, 2012.  In 2011, CMA—along with more than 100 other AAMD member museums across North America—participated in International Museum Day. 

In recognition of the important role museums play in their communities, CMA will encourage visitors to share their museum experiences during Art Museum Day on a special printed form available at the museum and via social media with the hashtag #ArtMuseumDay in a collective public response. 

Visitors are invited to enjoy a free guided tour of Marvelous Menagerie: An Ancient Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel which opens to the public May 18. Guests can also explore CMA’s Center for Creativity and the newly installed Family Gallery exhibition Making Faces as well as visiting the critically acclaimed The Radical Camera: New York’s Photo League, 1936-1951.

“Museums play an important role in the vitality of communities,” said CMA’s Executive Director Nannette Maciejunes. “Here in Columbus, CMA is proud to be a catalyst for nurturing creativity and to be part of a vibrant arts culture. We celebrate Art Museum Day and again invite the community to explore everything that their Museum has to offer.”

“Art museums create opportunities for the public to engage directly with works of art in new and meaningful ways—from transformative educational initiatives to innovative public partnerships.” said Chris Anagnos, Executive Director of AAMD.  “AAMD believes that art should be accessible and relevant to all, and we are so pleased that the Columbus Museum of Art is joining with us and the global community of museums to celebrate the role museums play in their communities and to encourage visitors to share their museum experiences.”

Participation in the international event highlights the value of the visual arts in society, and provides new opportunities for audiences to participate in wide-ranging programs and record their encounters with works of art.

AAMD member museums—located across the United States, Canada, and Mexico—include regional museums as well as large international institutions.  International Museum Day is organized annually around the world by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).  AAMD’s Art Museum Day is an opportunity to focus attention on the role of art museums in North America, as part of ICOM’s global celebration of museums.

A comprehensive list of participating AAMD member art museums will be available in the newsroom of the AAMD website (http://www.aamd.org/newsroom/).  Note that while AAMD’s Art Museum Day and ICOM’s International Museum Day is formally held each year on May 18^th, some institutions shift their celebrations to adjacent dates.

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.  For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release:
April 25, 2012

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303
                     nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org

Explore the artistry of Ancient Rome at the Columbus Museum of Art

(Columbus, OH) – Explore the fascinating artistry of ancient Rome at the Columbus Museum of Art. Marvelous Menagerie: An Ancient Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel is on view May 18, 2012 – January 13, 2013. Nearly 300-square feet large and more than 1700 years old, this stunning mosaic is one the best-preserved in the world and exemplifies the artistic excellence of the Roman Empire. The Lod Mosaic is on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Shelby White and Leon Levy Lod Mosaic Center.

Discovered in 1996 in Lod, Israel, the Lod Mosaic is unique with its depiction of fish, birds, beasts and ancient sailing ships. Scholars believe the mosaic decorated the floor of a large assembly room in a well-appointed private villa. The centerpiece of the mosaic is a large square medallion that features a scene of exotic, African animals. Two rectangular end panels flank the square. In one of these, scenes of various animals attacking their prey are interspersed with calmer scenes of fish and birds. The remaining panel portrays a fabulous marine scene filled with a profusion of fish and Roman merchant ships.

“What is so amazing about the Lod mosaic is its exceptional quality and excellent state of preservation,” said Carole M. Genshaft, CMA’s curator for the exhibition. “Like a time capsule that has been unopened for 1,700 years, it provides a glimpse into the life of a Roman citizen in the Near East in late antiquity. The painstaking process that defines a mosaic- that it is made from tens of thousands of tiny pieces of cut stone- is also amazing and very much a part of its appeal.  Equally important is the  Israel Antiquities Authority’s effort to carefully conserve the mosaic using today’s most advanced archaeological processes and techniques and to arrange this most remarkable US and European tour. “

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for Columbus and CMA,” said CMA Executive Director, Nannette V. Maciejunes. “We’re incredibly honored to be in the company of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Field Museum as one of only five museums in the United States to exhibit this amazing piece of history.”

Following its tour of the U.S., the mosaic will travel to the Louvre in Paris and the Altes Museum in Berlin before returning to its original site in Israel where the new Shelby White and Leon Levy Lod Mosaic Center is being established.

Ohio Magazine is the Media Sponsor for Marvelous Menagerie. Support for programs related to Marvelous Menagerie: An Ancient Mosaic from Lod, Israel provided by Columbus Jewish Foundation.

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and Saturday through Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.  For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2012

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303

Columbus Museum of Art Celebrates Adventure Out

(Columbus, OH) – The Columbus Museum of Art  invites the public to celebrate Adventure Out Saturday, May 5, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. In the galleries, experienced facilitators will guide playful conversations with CMA’s collection. In the studio, families can participate in a special exploration project. Adventure Out is made possible by funding from JPMorgan Chase Foundation.

The Columbus Museum of Art and The Schoenbaum Family Center at Weinland Park, affiliated with The Ohio State University, have partnered to launch Adventure Out. The program facilitates deep exploration for preschoolers through intersections with the Museum’s collection and an open-ended creative project. Museum educators co-plan with each classroom’s teaching team then implement a week-long class visit during which students record their discoveries in video, written response, and photography.

Students also have the opportunity to visit CMA and participate in a hands-on, interactive experience with art. Each classroom also visits a new gallery station designed specifically for them around a work of art that aligns with their in-class explorations. The strategies and outcomes of Adventure Out are shared with both the early childhood education and museum education fields via conference presentations and CMA’s YouTube channel.

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.  For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release:
February 15, 2012

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303
                        nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org

Critically Acclaimed Exhibition opens at CMA April 19
The Radical Camera: New York’s Photo League, 1936 – 1951

(Columbus, OH)– Drawing on the depth of two great Photo League museum collections, the Columbus Museum of Art and The Jewish Museum in New York City collaborated on an exhibition of nearly 150 vintage photographs.  The Radical Camera: New York’s Photo League, 1936 – 1951, a formidable survey of the group’s history, its artistic significance, and its cultural, social and political milieu, will be on view at CMA April 19 – September 9, 2012.

Catherine Evans, exhibition co-curator and the William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography at the Columbus Museum of Art, observed that “This museum partnership is an extraordinary opportunity to showcase two in-depth collections. Because the images continue to have relevance today, it is especially important that the exhibition will be seen in four U.S. cities, reaching as broad an audience as possible.”

The exhibition premiered at The Jewish Museum on November 4, 2011, to rave reviews and remains on view there through March 25, 2012. The New York Times called The Radical Camera a “stirring show,” and the New York Photo Review hailed it as “nothing short of splendid.” The New Yorker named the exhibition one of the top ten photography shows of 2011.

Following its CMA presentation, The Radical Camera exhibition will travel to the Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA (November 15, 2012 – February 24, 2013); and Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL (March 16 – June 16, 2013).

 Artists in the Photo League were known for capturing sharply revealing, compelling moments from everyday life.  Their focus centered on New York City and its vibrant streets – a shoeshine boy, a brass band on a bustling corner, a crowded beach at Coney Island.  Many of the images are beautiful, yet harbor strong social commentary on issues of class, race, and opportunity.  The Radical Camera exhibition explores the fascinating blend of aesthetics and social activism at the heart of the Photo League.

The innovative contributions of the Photo League during its 15-year existence (1936–1951) were significant. As it grew, the League would mirror monumental shifts in the world starting with the Depression, through World War II and ending with the Red Scare. Born of the worker’s movement, the Photo League was an organization of young, idealistic photographers who believed in documentary photography as an expressive medium and powerful tool for exposing social problems. It was also a school with teachers such as Sid Grossman, who encouraged students to take their cameras to the streets and discover the meaning of their work as well as their relationship to it.  The League had a darkroom for printing, published an acclaimed newsletter called Photo Notes, offered exhibition space, and was a place to socialize, especially among first-generation Jewish-Americans.

The first museum exhibition in three decades to comprehensively look at the Photo League, The Radical Camera reveals that the League encouraged a surprisingly broad spectrum of work throughout extraordinarily turbulent times.  The organization’s members included some of the most noted photographers of the mid-20^th century—W. Eugene Smith, Weegee, Lisette Model, Berenice Abbott and Aaron Siskind, to name a few.  The Photo League helped validate photography as a fine art, presenting student work and guest exhibitions by established photographers such as EugèneAtget, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Edward Weston, among others.

These affecting black and white photographs show life as it was lived mostly on the streets, sidewalks and subways of New York. Joy, playfulness, and caprice as well as poverty and hardship are in evidence.  In addition to their urban focus, Leaguers photographed in rural America, and during World War II, in Latin America and Europe.  The exhibition also addresses the active participation of women who found rare access and recognition at the League. The Radical Camera presents the League within a critical, historical context. Developments in photojournalism were catalyzing a new information era in which photo essays were appearing for the first time in magazines such as Life and Look.

As time went on, its social documentary roots evolved toward a more experimental approach, laying the foundation for the next generation of street photographers. One of the principal themes of the exhibition is how the League fostered a multifaceted and changing identity of documentary photography. “A mixture of passion and disillusionment characterizes the Photo League’s growth, which led photographers away from objective documentary images and toward more subjective, poetic readings of life,” said Mason Klein, exhibition co-curator and a curator at The Jewish Museum. “The tenets of truth in documentary photography laid down by League members were also challenged by them and ultimately upended by members of the New York School,” he added. 

In 1947, the League came under the pall of McCarthyism and was blacklisted for its alleged involvement with the Communist Party.  Ironically, the Photo League had just begun a national campaign to broaden its base as a “Center for American Photography.”  Despite the support of Ansel Adams, Beaumont and Nancy Newhall, Paul Strand and many other national figures, this vision of a national photography center could not overcome the Red Scare. As paranoia and fear spread, the Photo League was forced to disband in 1951.

The exhibition was organized by Catherine Evans, William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, Columbus Museum of Art and Mason Klein, Curator of Fine Arts, The Jewish Museum.

Exhibition Catalogue 

 In conjunction with the exhibition The Jewish Museum, Columbus Museum of Art, and Yale University Press co-published The Radical Camera: New York’s Photo League, 1936 – 1951 by Mason Klein and Catherine Evans with contributions by Maurice Berger, Michael Levy, and Anne Wilkes Tucker.  Time magazine extolled the catalogue as a “heavyweight contender” and a “terrific book.” Art in America celebrated the title as one of the top ten art books of 2011, and the New England Book Festival named The Radical Camera its photography art winner. The book, available worldwide, is in the CMA Museum Store.

Sponsorship

The Radical Camera: New York's Photo League, 1936-1951 has been organized by the Columbus Museum of Art and The Jewish Museum, New York.  Major support was provided by the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Limited Brands Foundation.

About the Columbus Museum of Art

The Columbus Museum of Art, founded in 1878, is committed to its mission of creating great experiences with art for everyone. Since its earliest history, the Museum’s collection has been celebrated as a treasure trove of European and American Modernism. The collection includes important examples of Impressionism, German Expressionism, and Cubism. A growing interest in folk art, contemporary art, and photography continues the Museum’s commitment to collecting and exhibiting art of our time. The Museum also presents a rich menu of traveling and CMA-organized special exhibitions, which have garnered critical and popular acclaim. CMA recently renovated its historic Elizabeth M. and Richard M. Ross building and inaugurated its Center for Creativity with a new focus on visitor-centered experiences. The Museum supports its community by fostering imagination, innovation, and critical thinking skills for the 21st century.

The Columbus Museum of Art is located at 480 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and until 8:30 pm every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Museum admission is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors and students 6 and older; and free for members, children 5 and younger. Admission is free every Sunday. For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org

About The Jewish Museum

Widely admired for its exhibitions and collections that inspire people of all backgrounds, The Jewish Museum is one of the world’s preeminent institutions devoted to exploring the intersection of art and Jewish culture from ancient to modern times.  The Jewish Museum was established in 1904, when Judge Mayer Sulzberger donated 26 ceremonial art objects to The Jewish Theological Seminary of America as the core of a museum collection. Today, the Museum maintains a collection of 26,000 objects – paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, archaeological artifacts, ceremonial objects, and broadcast media.  The Jewish Museum organizes a diverse schedule of internationally acclaimed and award-winning temporary exhibitions as well as broad-based programs for families, adults, and school groups. 

The Jewish Museum is located at 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92^nd Street, New York City. Museum hours are Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, 11am to 5:45pm; Thursday, 11am to 8pm; and Friday, 11am to 4pm.  Museum admission is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for senior citizens, $7.50 for students, free for children under 12 and Jewish Museum members.  Admission is free on Saturdays.  For information on The Jewish Museum, call 212.423.3200 or visit the website at http://www.thejewishmuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release:
January 19, 2012

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303
      nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org
     
      Columbus Museum of Art Presents Critical Works

(Columbus, OH) – Join the Columbus Museum of Art January 27 from noon – 3:00 PM for a celebration of Critical Works, a partnership between the Columbus Museum of Art and the Columbus Collegiate Academy. This program, made possible by support from JPMorgan Chase Foundation,  connects CMA with a middle school that has no arts programming in order to provide a rich arts experience.

CMA teaching artists bring authentic, socially charged works of art to the classroom to engage middle-school students in a five-day, trans-disciplinary learning experience. Students explore social issues relevant to their own lives and communicate their concerns through creative expression and experimentation in the medium of printmaking.

“This is the second year I’ve had the opportunity to co-teach with the social studies teachers at the Columbus Collegiate Academy,” said Emily Reiser, CMA educator for family programs.  “We start by asking the students what critical thinking looks like. What do you do when you are being critical? When you are thinking? We bring a selection of prints to the school that deal with social issues such as inequality, poverty, oppression and race relations. I was impressed with the connections the students were able to make to historical events, literature, and our modern culture.”

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and until 8:30 PM every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.
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For Immediate Release:
January 18, 2012

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303
  nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org

COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART AND THURBER HOUSE PARTNER
TO PRESENT GRAPHIC NOVELIST RESIDENCY

(Columbus, OH) – The Columbus Museum of Art and Thurber House are pleased to announce a collaboration for their first Graphic Novelist Residency. The three-week residency, supported by a grant from the Greater Columbus Arts Council, is designed to provide a graphic artist/writer with an opportunity to develop a work-in-progress. The recipient will receive a stipend and housing in the two-bedroom apartment located in the boyhood home of author and New Yorker cartoonist, James Thurber.
The first recipient of the residency is Paul Hornschemeier, Ohio State University alumnus and author of books including Mother, Come Home and the New York Times bestselling Life With Mr. Dangerous. In addition to researching and producing new work, he will take part in public events during his stay in Columbus. Thurber House will engage Paul in both youth and adult educational programs.
“We are incredibly excited to be part of this new residency,” said Nannette V. Maciejunes, executive director of the Columbus Museum of Art. “It gives us the opportunity to continue the conversation about the place comic art holds in the art world as we deepen our relationship with Thurber House.”
“CMA and Thurber House share a strong commitment to outreach and education within the Columbus community,” said Susanne Jaffe, executive director of Thurber House. “Connecting the visual and written arts through this residency has been a natural partnership.”

Related Programs:
At Thurber House:
The Graphic Novel
Adult Writing Workshop
Monday, March 26, 6:00-8:00 PM
Instructor:  Paul Hornschemeier.
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: March 16

Young Writers’ Studio
Wednesday, March 28, 6:00-8:00 PM
Led by Paul Hornschemeier
Visit thurberhouse.org for more information

At Columbus Museum of Art:
Big Picture Lecture
Saturday, March 31, 2:00 PM
Otterbein professor of philosophy Andrew Mills will speak about Hornschemeier’s work in a philosophical context. Hornschemeier majored in philosophy at The Ohio State University and often addresses philosophical issues in his books, most notably in his 2007 work The Three Paradoxes.
Presented in collaboration with The OSU Institute for Collaborative Research and Public Humanities.
Admission to the lecture is free.

Artist’s Talk and Interview
Thursday, April 5, 7:00 PM
Paul Hornschemeier speaks about his creative process with interviewer, comics writer, and blogger Jared Gardner, a professor of English and Film Studies at OSU. In conjunction with his talk, CMA will display a selection of Hornschemeier’s scripts, storyboards, and sketches highlighting his creative process.
Free with museum admission.

About the Columbus Museum of Art: The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and until 8:30 PM every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

About Thurber House: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Thurber House opened its doors in 1984 as a non-profit literary center and museum located in the former home of author, and New Yorker cartoonist, James Thurber.  Our mission is to celebrate the written word for the education and entertainment of the broadest possible audience, and to continue the legacy of James Thurber.  Thurber House is proud to be in a city and a state that provides generous support to the arts. For additional information, please visit www.ThurberHouse.org.

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During the holidays, we celebrate family  traditions, teaching our children about generosity, peace, and goodwill. We share with one another, giving of ourselves, of our time and of our homes. And, somewhere along the line, we still have to get the holiday shopping done.

CMA’s Museum Store offers a wide variety of unique gift ideas for the children on your list that will not only elicit oohs and ahhs, but spark your child’s creativity.

Don’t forget, CMA members always receive a discount in the Museum Store, but through December 31^st, that discount will be 25% off their purchases.

CMA's Museum Store is open during regular Museum hours, Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00 am - 5:30 pm and Thursdays 10:00 am - 8:30 pm. For more information call 614.221.4848.

Top 10 CMA Gifts to Spark Your Child's Creativity

Playfoam $10.95

Just squish the Playfoam up, shape it however you like, squash it back down, and start all over again.  Never dries out!

Pattern Play $36

Create endless freeform designs with Pattern Play wooden blocks or learn to replicate patterns using the 40 illustrated cards, included with each set. 

Sculpey Ultra Light $13.95

Soft and light oven-bake clay can be used to create jewelry, papercraft projects, sculptures, and floating projects. 

Whatchamadrawit $19.95

The fast-action, fun-filled drawing game includes 110 Whatchamadrawit cards to get your creative juices flowing and a timer to get your competitive spirit going. 

Supposing (by Alastair Reid, illustrated by Bob Gill) $15.95

First published in 1960, Supposing is a book of speculation, mischief, and paradox.

Fine Art Scratch and Sketch $12.99

Create your very own museum, scratching all the way. 

Squiggles $ 7.95

This special book shows how drawing a simple spiral will let you make a lion’s mane, a beautiful flower, cotton candy, and much, much more.

My Life According to Me $14.95

A journal for girls with inspiring little questions, fun quizzes, drawing and writing ideas and plenty of blank space.

This is Not a Book $12.95

In this uniquely skewed look at the purpose and function of "a book," Keri Smith offers an illustrated guide that asks readers to creatively examine all the different ways This Is Not a Book can be used.

Art-to-Go Set $19.95

A case full of colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolors, and markers for creative fun on the go. 

Doodle Wire $14.95

Loop, curl, coil, and swirl soft steel wire into 16 different creations. 

For Immediate Release:
October 28, 2011

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303

OSU Libraries, Columbus Museum of Art , Announce Bellows Acquisition

(Columbus, OH) - The Ohio State University Libraries (OSUL) and the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) have partnered in the acquisition of the record books and ledger of internationally renowned artist and Columbus native George Bellows (1882 – 1925). 

The acquisition was announced by Ohio State’s Director of Libraries Carol Pitts Diedrichs and CMA Executive Director Nannette V. Maciejunes.

Bellows, widely acclaimed as the greatest American artist of his generation, maintained meticulous records of his artistic production including sales and exhibition showings, including documentation of works that were destroyed. He augmented the record books with more than 200 thumbnail sketches of his original art. 

“These documents are a unique research source for the study of the historical book market, and the taste and culture of early 20^th century America,” Diedrichs said. “The acquisition of the books and ledger are in keeping with the Libraries’ mission of acquiring and preserving primary research materials.”

Bellows’ connections to Columbus made retaining the volumes locally a desirable outcome, Diedrichs said.  Bellows was born and raised in Columbus and attended The Ohio State University.

“This acquisition from the Bellows Trust is an important one for Columbus,” Maciejunes said. “The record books provide context for the Museum’s vast collection of paintings and lithographs by Bellows and play a major role in ongoing scholarship on the artist.”

“George Bellows’ three record books constitute the most important primary source for the study of his career and will be an invaluable research tool for the upcoming retrospective exhibition George Bellows (1882–1925), organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington. They document the dates, sales, and exhibition histories for his paintings and drawings with some entries accompanied by thumbnail sketches and color notations. This detailed information is essential to understanding Bellows’ achievements and will continue to inform Bellows scholarship in the future,” said Charles Brock, associate curator of American and British paintings, National Gallery of Art.

As the joint owners of the record books, the Museum and the Libraries will collaborate on programming, exhibition and research availability of these unique resources.

In addition to storing the materials in the secure, atmospherically controlled Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, located in the Thompson Library, 1858 Neil Ave., Diedrichs said the Bellows documents have been digitized and will be available online through OSU’s Knowledge Bank (https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/), a digital repository. 

The Bellows Collection was acquired from the Bellows Trust that assumed stewardship of the materials upon the death of the artist’s daughter, Jean Bellows Booth. 

OSUL is ranked 12th among public university libraries by the Association of Research Libraries. The Libraries include nine special collections available for use by Ohio State University faculty, students, visiting scholars and the general public.

The Columbus Museum of Art is committed to its mission of creating great experiences with art for everyone. The Museum’s collection has been celebrated as a treasure trove of European and American Modernism and includes important examples of Impressionism, German Expressionism, and Cubism. CMA also houses the world’s largest collection of paintings and lithographs by George Bellows.

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