CMA continues to support the growing mobile photography community with our second CMA Photo Hunt exhibition. Last fall, CMA was the first museum in the world to present an exhibition of curated, crowdsourced photos shared using the popular photo app Instagram. Our Radical Camera exhibition served as inspiration.This time around CMA gave photographers assignments based on our Making Faces exhibition, which explores portraiture from our permanent collection. Our William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography Catherine Evans selected her favorite images and her top picks are now on view in the Community Gallery at CMA’s Center for Creativity.

Work from more than 30 mobile photographers is represented including everyone from an Instagrammer from Seattle, a former CMA Art Lab teen,  a father and daughter duo from Columbus, a math and science teacher from Toledo, an art student from Paris, a Columbus cop, commercial photographers, designers, artists, and more. The second CMA Photo Hunt exhibition will remain on view through the summer.

Read more about the inception of the Photo Hunt project in stories in The Columbus Dispatch, Art Daily, and Clic France, and Columbus Alive, and view the NBC4 story. To see a collection of all the more than 3,000 images that have been submitted since the inception of our Photo Hunts, view the CMA Photo Hunt Online Gallery.

Check the CMA blog and follow us on Instagram (columbusmuseum) for more information about new CMA Photo Hunts, and your opportunity to be selected for our next CMA Photo Hunt installation.

Questions on participating in the CMA Photo Hunts? Contact CMA Digital Communications Manager Jennifer Poleon.

Treat your mom to a relaxing and inspiring day of art, food, and memories at one of the most lovely spots in Columbus during our Mother’s Day Brunch on May 12, 2013. See our Rothko exhibition (before it closes May 26, 2013) and our Czech Puppets exhibition, and dine on stuffed French toast, smoked salmon, quiche, pork loin and more from Barcelona’s Sidecar Catering. Adults: $30 members, $35 nonmembers; Kids 12 and under, $12 members, $15 nonmembers. Reservations for Mother’s Day Brunch available from 11 AM – 2:00 PM. Reserve your time now by calling 614-629-0359.

Mother’s Day Menu:
Crepe Station, Stuffed Brioche French Toast — with maple syrup, whipped cream, blueberries, and powdered sugar, Assorted Muffins, Danish, and mini Bagels with cream cheese, whipped butter, and jelly, Fresh Fruit and Cheese Display, Smoked Salmon Display, Mini Quiche — Western, Broccoli and Cheddar, and Cheese Bacon, Mixed Greens Salad, Orzo Pasta Salad, Stella Pasta (vegetarian), Roasted Herb Chicken, Tilapia, Sidecar Pork Loin with cream Savoy cabbage, Prime Rib Carving Station with Horseradish Cream, Herbed Mayonnaise, and Silver Dollar Buns, Roasted Red Skin Potatoes, Spring Vegetable Medley, O’Brian Potatoes. Specially for Kids: Mac & Cheese, and Chicken Fingers.

(Photo by Phil Chester).

PLEASE NOTE: Our Mother’s Day Brunch is now SOLD OUT.

Our next series of CMA Photo Hunts are all about color. Thanks to all who participated in the first two series of CMA Photo Hunts. Since our Photo Hunts began we have received more than 2,000 submissions from hundreds of photographers. With our first exhibition last fall, we were first museum in the world to present a curated, crowdsourced installation based on the popular photo sharing app Instagram. The second CMA Photo Hunt exhibition is on display now in our Community Gallery, and features work selected by our William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography Catherine Evans.

This next round of assignments is inspired by color as the theme. Look for a new color-themed exhibition in our Big Idea Gallery this Spring featuring artists such as Frank Stella, Ed Ruscha, Edward Monet, Childe Hassam and more.  Watch for additional biweekly Photo Hunt assignments here on our blog, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Here is your first color-themed Photo Hunt assignment:

• Capture something that reflects “Red”
• Tag your work on Instagram with #CMAPhotoHunt and #Red
• For this first Color assignment you have until Friday March 1, 2013.
• Please note: images must be your own.

Once again our Photography Curator Catherine Evans will select her favorites (based on the most creative entries, and ones that best represent the theme), and your creation could grace the walls at Columbus Museum of Art.

We can’t wait to see what you come up with for this next series of Photo Hunts! Happy shooting!

(Photo: The Wedding by Sandy Skoglund, Columbus Museum of Art Purchase, Howald Fund)

Pierce’s Long Street barbershop became a gathering place for the local African-American community as well as a gallery for his work. In the late 1960s, Pierce was discovered by an art world newly interested in the work of folk and self-taught artists. He quickly became something of a celebrity both locally and nationally. In 1982, Pierce traveled to Washington, DC, where he was honored at the Corcoran Gallery of Art at the opening reception of a landmark national exhibition recognizing African-American folk artists. Later that year, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded Pierce the National Heritage Fellowship.

In the year following his death, the Columbus Museum of Art acquired more than one hundred Pierce carvings for its permanent collection. This unique trove has been growing steadily as collectors continue to donate important Pierce carvings to the Museum making CMA’s collection of carvings by Pierce the largest in the world.

See Pierce’s work in person in The Essential Elijah Pierce exhibition now on view at CMA through Spring 2013.

Pierce was an inspiration and mentor to many in the community. Do you have a wonderful memory or story to tell about Pierce? Please share it here in the comments!

Become a modern-day Photo Leaguer by participating in Columbus Museum of Art Photo Hunts. Every few weeks through early September and the run of our critically acclaimed The Radical Camera, we’ll be sending you out with new photo assignments, and an opportunity to flex your creative muscle. Anyone in the world can participate.

Our CMA Photo Hunt assignments are inspired by the Photo League, a group of young photographers from the 1930s-1950s who took to the streets with their cameras just as photography was becoming recognized as an art, and magazines such as Life and Look were forming. Artists in the Photo League were known for capturing sharply revealing, compelling moments from everyday life. Photo Hunts were their way of giving themselves creative challenges, and having fun. During Photo Hunts, Photo Leaguers were sent out to capture a word or phrase, then their work was developed, and they’d have a big party to critique and celebrate.

For the first Photo Hunt assignment here is your challenge:

• Capture something that reflects the phrase “Sign of the Times.” How you capture it is up to you.
• Tag your work on Twitter, Flickr or Instagram with #CMAPhotoHunt and #signofthetimes, plus your #city.
• For the first assignment you have two weeks (until Friday June 1, 2012). After that we’ll be announcing new assignments biweekly.

Along the way we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite CMA Photo Hunt submissions via our blog and social media. Catherine Evans, our William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, will select a few of her favorites, and your work might be hanging on the walls at Columbus Museum of Art come this fall.

If you need some inspiration, be sure to check out our The Radical Camera exhibition. Questions about the CMA Photo Hunts? Let us know in the comments. Happy shooting!

(Above photo: Times Square from the Astor Hotel by Photo Leaguer Ruth Orkin).

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Introducing Art Madness, our version of March Madness for Art Lovers. To put together our bracket we selected some of our most beloved pieces from four of our strongest collections, as well as a few sleepers. It’s Photography versus Contemporary. Europeans versus the Americans. The Renaissance Region versus the Impressionism Region. Ashcan School Region versus Abstract Expressionism Region. Who will be a bracket buster? Who will come from behind and be the Cinderella of Art Madness? Who will be crowned the Art Madness champion? That’s all up to you. Each day we’ll have a new pairing on Facebook. The artwork with the most likes by the next day at noon will advance on to the next round.

Want to keep track of the winners? Download the Art Madness Bracket.

Please note: just like the NCAA Tournament, the Region a team competes in may be different. i.e. O’Keeffe is not a Renaissance painter. That’s just the region she’s competing in.

SCOUTING REPORT ON THE ART MADNESS TEAMS

A Lady with a Parrot and a Gentleman with a Monkey by Caspar NetscherDutch portrait artist Netscher’s work is often cited as a perennial fan favorite among the Columbus Museum of Art permanent collection. Here he uses the penchant for symbolism to great effect: oysters as aphrodisiacs, a feather to indicate pleasure, a monkey to indicate lust.	Autumn Leaves – Lake George, N.Y. by Georgia O’KeeffePerhaps the most famous female artist of all time, O’Keeffe is a strong contender to win the Big Dance. She changed the art world with her emphasis on color, shape, clean lines, and close-ups that fell somewhere between representation and abstraction like this painting of leaves from her summer home with her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz.
Sidewalk Clock, NYC by Ida Wyman Wyman was one of the nearly 100 female photographers of the Photo League, the pioneering documentary photo movement of the 1930s and 1940s. Here Wyman captures the movement and rhythm of the city. Analysis: really knows how to pace her game.	Three Piece Reclining Figure: Draped by Henry Moore England’s most famous sculptor is known for his sometimes surreal and sensuous sculptures like this iconic piece on the front lawn of the Columbus Museum of Art. Talk about tough: this art can withstand snow, sleet, and heavy winds, and may be hard to beat down the stretch.
Playing Cards and Glass of Beer by Juan GrisSpanish painter, sculptor, compatriot of Picasso, Gris, was one of one of the founding members of the Cubism movement. Here Gris really pulls his team together with a collage-style painting constructed of real objects combined with painted ones.	Polo at Lakewood by George BellowsColumbus homeboy Bellows, an OSU athlete and one of the preeminent artists of the Ashcan School, was known for depicting scenes of action like this one, where his slashing brushstrokes contrast with the genteel nature of the crowd. Like his Ohio State alma mater he’s likely to go far in the tournament.
Nocturne Navigator by Alison SaarThe “Blue Lady” as this artwork is nicknamed, was commissioned by the Columbus Museum of Art as a commemoration to the Underground Railroad. It’s a powerhouse piece beloved by the Columbus community.	Coney Island by Sid GrossmanGrossman advanced his passion for photography through the Photo League, the pioneering documentary photography movement he founded. He was often cited for his belief that photography could change the world. Grossman’s work (as well as Wyman’s) will be on display as part of our upcoming Radical Camera exhibition, which the New York Times calls “stirring.”
The Swimmer by Yasuo KuniyoshiJapanese American Kuniyoshi takes his cue from the strong lines and low key colors of 18th- and 19th- century Japanese art. The swimmer is an allusion to bas reliefs of ancient Egypt and Assyria in which sea nymphs often swim among water plants. Will this piece swim its way to victory?	The Breakfast by Edgar DegasMaster draftsman and Impressionist Degas explored with intensity and pleasure the potential of pastel for spontaneous, sensuous expression. This piece from our renowned Sirak Collection may be quiet and peaceful, however in the art world it remains a beloved, tough contender.
Andalusia by Henri Cartier-BressonFrench photographer Bresson began as a Cubist painter, and was drawn into the circle of the French surrealists. He’s definitely a clutch player, able to capture what he calls “the decisive moment,” as in this photograph where the boys appear to be enveloped in graffiti.	A Street Called Home by Aminah RobinsonHometown hero and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Aminah Robinson combines traditional art materials with found objects and everyday materials such as buttons, cloth, leather, twigs, shells, and music box workings. She often works on pieces she calls RagGonNons, art that often takes years to research and continues to evolve as others respond to the works. Home court advantage: Robinson.
Composition with Flames by Jackson PollockPassionate Pollock revolutionized the art world with his Abstract Expressionist style. The man put his whole body into his painting, which eventually became known as Action Painting. Enough said.	Jill and I by Tina BarneyConsider Barney the Harvard of the art world. Barney portrays intimate portraits of upper class family and friends like in this haunting photograph. Will Barney and her work be the Cinderella story of Art Madness?
Cornice by George TookerTooker’s paintings were often psychologically charged, haunting, and mysterious. He was known as a magic realist combining real life with fantasy. Does Tooker’s work have what it takes to go all the way?	Schokko with a Red Hat by Alexaj JawlenskyJawlensky was a former Russian army officer turned Expressionist painter, and key member of the Blue Rider, an influential group of Russian emigrants and German artists in the early 1900s that also included Jawlensky’s compatriot Kandinsky. Schokko may just ride all the way to victory.

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

In the next in our “12 for 12″ series, our Columbus Bicentennial initiative highlighting Columbus artists from CMA’s permanent collection, we feature Aminah Robinson.

For more than sixty years, Columbus artist Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson has been creating art inspired by the African concept of Sankofa, understanding the past in order to go forward. Her work reflects the drawing, paper-making, and needlework traditions that she learned from her parents and the training she received in art school. Aminah creates sculpture, large complex work she calls RagGonNons, rag paintings, paintings on cloth, drawings, and books about her family and community, African-American history, her travels, and the stories she has been told by her elders. Her goal is to inspire others to research and document the history of their families and communities and to “pass them on” to the next generation.

When she was asked to illustrate Evelyn Coleman’s manuscript for To Be A Drum, Aminah reflected, “I was touched deeply. I was transported to a past, present, and future that blended together like the sound of beating drums. I saw Africa, the Middle Passage, slavery, the civil-rights struggle, black artists, teachers, and heroes, and always, the children, looking toward tomorrow.” In 2002, the Columbus Museum of Art organized Symphonic Poem, a retrospective exhibition of her work that traveled throughout the United States. In 2004, Aminah was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, given to individuals, “who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.”  In 2008, the Museum launched Aminah’s World, where visitors can learn about Aminah and her work and create their own online art inspired by the artist.  CMA continues to feature the unique work of this artist through continuing exhibitions including 2007′s Along Water Street and our 2011 exhibition Street Talk and Spiritual Matters.

Aminah Robinson Columbus Walking Tour
In much of her art, Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson documents the history of the Columbus neighborhoods where she has lived and worked for all of her life. Take a walking tour of the Discovery District where you can see Robinson’s works in the Columbus Museum of Art permanent collection, the State Auto Insurance Garage, and the main staircase of the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

State Auto Garage, Washington Street, just east of CMA
Aminah wrote and illustrated A Street Called Home, an accordion-style book, about the Mt. Vernon Avenue neighborhood where she grew up. In 2005, a group of students from the Columbus College of Art and Design painted this mural based on the art in the book. Look for a school-age Aminah drawing on the sidewalk alongside two artists painting on easels.

Columbus Metropolitan Library, 96 South Grant Avenue
In 1990, Aminah was asked to create a work of art for the main staircase of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. The scenes that she depicts are drawn from stories about old Columbus neighborhoods that she heard from her elders as well as from the research she conducted at the library. Look for scenes from the Sells Brothers Circus, the Ohio Theater, the Columbus Dispatch, and the neighborhood known as the Blackberry Patch.

One of the greatest parts of my job is being able to get away from my desk during installation week.  Besides the fact that I can wear my comfortable jeans and high tops, I watch an artist I respect and admire work with my colleagues and create a new experience for our visitors.  Since October I have anxiously been waiting to hear from Latifa Echakhch and find out the final details of the exhibition.  Over the course of the last three days, I have been in awe of her careful consideration of every detail.

In 2010 I invited Latifa to participate in our Currents series.  Each artist in the series is provided access to our permanent collection and asked to present a body of work that is inspired by what they find.  Latifa chose to consider lithographs from the Schiller Collection. Made from 1930-1950, most of the prints look at economic, political and social issues in America.  Over the last several years Latifa has created projects that consider cultural icons and the ways in which people use or abuse ideas around difference.  Her interest in the democratic nature of printing has been a part of a few of these projects, and I was please to know that our collection inspired her to think about these ideas more deeply.

Last year I sent her a list of the hundreds of prints included in the Schiller Collection.  Latifa carefully considered each image, choosing 16 as reference points for her latest installation.  In addition, she has found the perfect icon of the American West to spark our imaginations and encourage us to rethink our assumptions.  I mean really, when is the last time you’ve seen a tumbleweed?

Columbus Museum of Art’s Currents: Latifah Echakhch exhibition will be on view January 13, 2012 – April 1, 2012. The Currents series is supported by a grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

For the Columbus Bicentennial, Columbus Museum of Art is asking the community to join 200Columbus and the Columbus Bicentennial celebration by creating your own photograph, painting, sculpture, poem, drawing, or other work inspired by the people or places in our community. Is there a landmark that signifies Columbus for you? A Columbus neighborhood that holds fond memories? An out of the way place you’d like others to discover? Has there been someone in the community who has inspired you? A moment that crystalizes what Columbus means to you?

Create your own artistic interpretation of who and what Columbus is as a city then upload a photograph of the work to our
CMA Celebrates Columbus group on Flickr. Throughout the year, the Museum will be highlight submissions through blogs, social media channels and events to show what a vibrant, creative place Columbus is to live and work. Join the CMA Celebrates Columbus Flickr group and upload images of your work inspired by Columbus. Add any appropriate tags that might identify your work.

Need some inspiration? Check out CMA’s Columbus Views exhibition on view through May 27, 2012.

We’re looking forward to seeing your creative masterpieces.

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Jennifer Poleon, Digital Communications Manager