The Georgia Museum of Art

This week we’re taking a closer look at Still Life: Two Baskets of Strawberries by Black American painter Charles Ethan Porter. Porter is one of the most notable Black artist to specialize in still life genre paintings at the turn of the century. What’s going on in this work of art? . . Porter was born in Connecticut in the late 1840s to a free African American family. He was one of the first Black Americans to exhibit work at the National Academy of Design in New York City..., and his academic art training helped him stand out among the many artists working in Hartford during the late 1800s. What do you notice about the rich colors Porter uses to paint strawberries? . . The foliage of Connecticut inspired Porter. His work has been described as theatrical studies of his immediate world. Porter’s still-life paintings were popular but unusual for the time. He didn’t include the typical plates or glassware. Instead, his paintings feature fruits on the ground against lush greenery, with unusual components like insects. What is the setting of this painting? How does Porter use plants to create a sense of space? . . (Object info: Charles Ethan Porter (American, 1847 1923), Still Life: Two Baskets of Strawberries, ca. 1900. Oil on canvas. 13 3/4 21 inches. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; The Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Collection of African American Art. GMOA 2012.145.) See more

This upcoming online event will feature a performance inspired by Emma Amos' print "Twined Flowers," with music and an aerialist.

Congratulations to Marilyn Laufer, guest curator of our exhibition "Carl Holty: Romantic Modernist" and recent recipient of the Southeastern Museums Conference's James R. Short Award. In lieu of an in-person tour of this exhibition, you can walk through it with Marilyn and with our director, William U. Eiland, as they discuss the works of art over Zoom.

Popsicle Stick Composition Puzzles A composition is the placement of shapes or other elements in a work of art. Composition means putting together. The artist Albert Eugene Gallatin thought that good art shouldn’t just re-create reality. He believed that great art put together combinations of flat lines, shapes, colors and textures. . In this activity, you’ll experiment with shapes and colors to make your own puzzle composition on popsicle sticks. Then, you can jumble the...m up and try to put them back together or figure out new or more interesting combinations. . You will need: Popsicle sticks Markers Tape To make your popsicle stick puzzle: . Tape 10 to 12 popsicle sticks together. . Use markers to draw a composition of shapes and lines in different colors. . Remove the tape and mix up your sticks. Try fitting them back together, or challenge a friend! . Snap a photo and share your finished work with us by tagging @georgiamuseum

We were so proud to publish Deborah Roberts’ book with Spelman College Museum of Fine Art last year. In celebration of its recent Best in Show win at the Southeastern Museums Conference-SEMC publication design competition, join us for this fun Zoom event with Roberts herself and Antwaun Sargent. Details below.

This week we have just one (virtual) event, but we've posted two recent virtual events online in case you weren't able to attend. On Wednesday, join us via Zoom for a conversation with Nelda Damiano, Pierre Daura Curator of European Art, and Julia Kilgore, our new Pierre Daura Curatorial Research Assistant. On our YouTube channel, you can now watch The Art of Seating lecture by Diane Jacobsen and a curator discussion between director Bill Eiland and Stella Golden on the exhibition "Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath in the Art of Rolland Golden" that show will close soon on Sunday. And check our blog for the announcement of a newspaper chair design contest, open to all ages, deadline to enter is November 16.

Want to learn more about our exhibition of painter Rolland Golden's Hurricane Katrina work (which closes November 1)? Here's our director, William U. Eiland, who was also the curator for this exhibition, talking with Golden's widow Stella over Zoom while walking around the museum to look at the paintings.

Today we’re taking a look at Amiri Baraka’s untitled (I gotta talk to you). Baraka was a great American voice of the 20th century. Through his poetry, art and music criticism, activism and involvement in the Black Arts Movement, he challenged the art market to provide equal opportunity for Black artists. Following the assassination of Malcolm X, Baraka wrote his poem Black Art, encouraging Black artists to invest in their talents. . . We want a black poem. And a Black W...orld. Let the world be a Black poem And Let All Black People Speak This Poem Silently or LOUD . . This work of art uses bold colors to show a figure next to a snippet of text. An enigmatic white stream with electric zigzags crosses the bright background through the sharply dressed figure’s head. Always the poet, Baraka aimed to use colors to make statements about the world that are not necessarily direct. He attributed his expressionistic style to artists like Jacob Lawrence and Vincent Smith. What does this art talk to you about? . . Object info: Amiri Baraka (American, 1934 2014), untitled (I Gotta Talk to You), 2002. Oil pastel, charcoal and graphite on paper, 16 13 inches. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; The Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Collection of African American Art. GMOA 2011.578 Photo of the artist by the New York Times (@nytimes)

Did you miss our Zoom lecture by Diane DeMell Jacobsen on "The Art of Seating"? Or maybe you couldn't get a seat? We recorded it for you, so now you can enjoy all of her amazing insights about chairs and American design in general.

We're enjoying our two chair exhibitions so much that we decided to have a newspaper chair design contest. Accepting entries through November 16, with prizes! Free to enter; all ages allowed. Details at: https://georgiamuseum.org//georgia-museum-of-art-announce/

Toddler Tuesday this month looks at explosions of color! We’ll read Rainbow Colors by Juliana Perdomo and take a closer look at a painting by Carl Holty. Visit the Art at Home page on our website (https://georgiamuseum.org/learn/art-at-home/) for the storytime video and art activity instructions just for the little ones. Share your art with us by tagging @georgiamuseum.

We have a number of events this week, both online and in-person: Toddler Tuesday offers a video and an Art at Home activity; there are two night of the UGA 8th annual Spanish Short Film Festival, España en Corto, followed with a discussion on Zoom; a lecture on "The Art of Seating" exhibition; Yoga in the Galleries and Morning Mindfulness by Zoom, a online Behind the Scenes tour; and two chances to see a dance performance inspired by the chair exhibition. Get the details at our website: https://georgiamuseum.org/events/.

Our fifth announced selection for this year is the short film "Yo confieso" (Dir. Saúl Gallego Mateo). España en Corto is hosting 10 short films on October 20th... and 21st in a first time virtual event with the Georgia Museum of Art. Each night, 5 films will be available to watch from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. At 8:00 pm, we'll have a moderated Q & A via Zoom. October 20th Registration - https://bit.ly/2T3xxvn October 21st Registration - https://bit.ly/3nISDNr

This Saturday, let’s check out Tennessee Cut by artist and former University of Georgia professor Horace Farlowe. What is one word you might use to describe this sculpture? . . This work is part of Farlowe’s window series. A cut-out in the center of the sculpture’s pink marble frames a view of the space behind it. How does the scene through this opening change from different viewpoints? .... . Farlowe thoughtfully arranged pieces of carved stone to seem spontaneously combined. He enjoyed playing with form and juxtaposition (or putting different things together). Take a look at the shapes in Tennessee Cut. Do they appear improvised or carefully blended? . . Come take a closer look at all the museum’s outdoor sculptures this weekend! Our Gallery Gumshoes scavenger hunt guides are available at the front desk. . . Object info: Horace L. Farlowe (American, 1933 2006), Tennessee Cut, n.d. Pink marble. 28 23 20 inches. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Transfer from the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. GMOA 2013.39 See more