Release Date: May 2, 2012
National Gallery of Art Summer Lecture Program Celebrates Miró, Bellows, Castiglione, and Van Aelst Exhibitions, and 20th-Century American Artists
Andrew Graham Dixon presents a lecture and signs copies of Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane on Sunday, May 20, at the National Gallery of Art.
Washington, DC—The National Gallery of Art welcomes summer in the nation's capital with lectures by distinguished guest lecturers and Gallery staff. Highlights of the season include a public symposium, two book signings, and a summer series exploring 20th-century American art.
The exhibition Joan Miró: The Ladder of Escape opens May 6 with a lecture, "Miró: Two Views" presented by Harry Cooper, curator of modern and contemporary art, National Gallery of Art, and Matthew Gale, head of displays, Tate Modern. On June 1 and 2, the Gallery hosts Joan Miró, a related public symposium. Joan Miró: The Ladder of Escape is open through August 12.
On May 13 Faya Causey, head of academic programs at the National Gallery, presents a lecture to celebrate her newest book, Amber and the Ancient World. On May 20 London art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon discusses his acclaimed biography Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane. Book signings with the authors follow both lectures (publications are available in the Gallery Shops).
On view June 10 through October 8, the exhibition George Bellows is accompanied by several related programs, including an opening-day lecture with exhibition curator Charles Brock, "Introduction to the Exhibition—George Bellows: An Unfinished Life." On August 19 lecturer Eric Denker presents "All the News That's Fit to Paint: Reading in Art," followed on August 26 by lecturer Lorena Baines' "Creating the Legacy of George Bellows: The Artist and His Critics."
The Gallery's annual summer series by staff lecturers will highlight 20th-century American art. Wilford Scott, head of adult programs, opens the series with "Robert Henri, 'Art Cannot Be Separated From Life'" (July 15); lecturer Adam Davies presents "'Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: Examining the Work of James Agee and Walker Evans'" (July 29); and lecturer David Gariff presents "Spectatorship and Voyeurism in the Art and Films of Hopper and Hitchcock" (August 5).
All lecture programs are presented free of charge and take place on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. in the East Building Auditorium unless otherwise noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.
Public Symposium
Joan Miró
Friday, June 1, 12:00–5:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 2, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Illustrated lectures by noted scholars, including Maria-Josep Balsach, Maria Luisa Lax, Robert Lubar, Charles Palermo, Jaume Reus, and Benet Rossell.
This program is coordinated with and supported by the Institut Ramon Llull.
Lecture Programs
"Miró: Two Views"
May 6
Harry Cooper, curator and head of modern and contemporary art, National Gallery of Art and Matthew Gale, head of displays, Tate Modern
"Amber and the Ancient World"
May 13
Faya Causey, head of academic programs, National Gallery of Art
Book signing of Amber and the Ancient World follows.
"Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane"
May 20
Andrew Graham-Dixon, art critic
Book signing of Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane follows.
"Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione: Genius in Context"
June 3
Jonathan Bober, curator and head, department of old master prints, National Gallery of Art
"Introduction to the Exhibition—George Bellows: An Unfinished Life"
June 10
Charles Brock, associate curator, department of American and British paintings, National Gallery of Art
"Exotic Beasts and Politics: The Menageries of Josephine Bonaparte, Lorenzo de' Medici, and Rudolph II"
June 17
Marina Belozerskaya, independent scholar
"Introduction to the Exhibition—Elegance and Refinement: The Still-Life Paintings of Willem van Aelst"
June 24
Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., curator of northern baroque paintings, National Gallery of Art
Summer Lecture Series: An American Century, 1900–2000
"Robert Henri, 'Art Cannot Be Separated From Life'"
July 15
Wilford Scott, head of adult programs, National Gallery of Art
"John Sloan's New York"
July 22
Diane Arkin, lecturer and manager of adult program docents, National Gallery of Art
"'Let Us Now Praise Famous Men': Examining the Work of James Agee and Walker Evans"
July 29
Adam Davies, lecturer and media specialist, National Gallery of Art
"Spectatorship and Voyeurism in the Art and Films of Hopper and Hitchcock"
August 5
David Gariff, lecturer, National Gallery of Art
"Art in the Gilded Age"
August 12
Julie Springer, senior educator and manager of teacher programs, National Gallery of Art
"All the News That's Fit to Paint: Reading in Art"
August 19
Eric Denker, lecturer, National Gallery of Art
"Creating the Legacy of George Bellows: The Artist and His Critics"
August 26
Lorena Baines, lecturer, National Gallery of Art
Works in Progress
All lectures take place on Mondays and selected Tuesdays in the East Building Small Auditorium at 12:10 and 1:10 p.m.
"Caravaggio: Interpretations of His Life in Film"
May 7
Felix Monguilot Benzal, graduate curatorial fellow, National Gallery of Art
"Salvator Rosa's London 'Self-Portrait': An Allegory of Philosophy or Rhetoric?"
May 21
Alexandra Hoare, research associate, Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art
"Barnett Newman: The Stations of the Viewer"
June 4
Harry Cooper, curator and head of modern and contemporary art, National Gallery of Art
"Sigmar Polke's Bernstein/Amber Series"
June 18
Faya Causey, head of academic programs, National Gallery of Art
"Installing Bonnard"
June 25
Elizabeth Tunick, Samuel H. Kress Interpretive Art Museum Fellow, National Gallery of Art
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