A Guest Lecturer Sheds Light on Botero’s Dark Humor

 

 

 

As you wander through the Botero exhibit, you will be confronted with scenes ranging from exuberant parties and cross-dressing to domestic melodrama and violent conflict.  To make sense of these contradictions, come see a lecture on the political history of Latin America given by Mike LaRosa, Associate Professor of History at Rhodes College.  A question-and-answer period will follow, so you can enhance your understanding of Botero’s world.

 

You really could make an afternoon of the whole thing — come in to see the exhibition, grab a quick bite at the Brushmark, and enjoy an informative (but informal) educational experience.

 

The lecture is free with museum admission on Thursday, November 6 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The number of seats is limited, so please call us at 544-6215 to save your spot. 

 

Tableland: Food + Film

On Thursday, October 30 at 6:30 p.m., come out to Brooks for dinner and a movie!

We will be screening the award-winning film, Tableland.  It swept the 2008 New York Food Film Festival and tells the story of a dining revolution. 

From Canadian orchards to the inner city gardens of Chicago, small-scale farmers are growing delicious, seasonal foods.  Filmmaker Craig Noble makes the case to eat local, and encounters people from all walks of life along the way.  Tableland shows us the necessity of a fresher, healthier way of feeding ourselves.

See a trailer of the film here:

After the film screening, we will have a special dinner, served family-style in the Brushmark Restaurant.  Locally-produced foods dominate the menu, specially prepared by Chef Wally Joe and Chef de Cuisine Andrew Adams for a unique and eco-delicious experience.

Purchase tickets online or call 901.544.6208 for reservations.

A BIG Event: Botero Opening Weekend

We are planning an exciting Opening Weekend around Botero!  It’s all happening tomorrow through Sunday (October 24-26).  There will be something for everyone.  Read on…

The Street

 

Food:

Friday night at our Members-Only reception, we will be having cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.  If you’re not a member yet, it’s not too late to join.  We’re going to have a fun and fabulous time!

Also, on Saturday and Sunday the Brushmark is serving up tantalizing, Columbian-inspired dishes for lunch.  Afterwards, savor a cup of fresh, hot Columbian coffee — on the house!  You can also make reservations if you like.

Still Life, 1995

Guided tours:

To begin with, this is an amazing show.  Over 100 works from the artist’s personal collection will be on display, and no one has seen such an extensive review of Botero’s career for nearly 30 years now.  We have arranged special guided tours of the exhibition both in English and in Spanish.  You will get an intimate, in-depth look at this artist since the tours are limited to 30 people.  Give us a call at 901-544-6215 and we will reserve a spot for you.  (You’ll be spending about 40 minutes with your tour guide.)

Storytime:

Saturday will be a big day for the little ones.  Volunteers with the Shelby County Books from Birth are coming to read stories.  In the morning, readers will share Latin American stories in English.  Later that afternoon, they will be reading the stories of Rafael Pombo in Spanish.  You can also register your child to get a free hardcover book provided by the Books from Birth program.  This is a great chance to expand your child’s cultural horizons and then bring that experience home.

Still Life with Mandolin, 1998

Music:

The highly acclaimed pianist, Victor Agudelo, will be with us on Saturday from 12 – 2pm in the Brushmark to entertain you with traditional Colombian music. 

Botero’s opening weekend celebration promises to be a great time.  See you there!

Botero at the Brooks

In a little over a week, the Brooks will be opening a new exhibition of paintings, drawings, and sculptures by Fernando Botero.  It’s going to be a really exciting exhibition, and we hope that you’ll come out!  

If you have never seen Botero’s work, imagine if Velasquez painted in the style of Diego Rivera.  He takes the human form and exaggerates its proportions to the point of absurdity.  The result?  Gigantic, quirky, round figures awash in hyperreal color that submit a darkly humorous commentary on the legacy of colonialism in South America. 

Our Lady of Colombia (1992)

Botero is among the most famous living artists from South America (born in Columbia), and we are very lucky to be able to show such an extensive group coming straight from his private collection.  Some of the works have never been seen in public before!  There will be roughly 100 pieces on display – the most complete showcase of Botero’s work that has been seen in the past 30 years.

The Widow (1997)

There will also be three of his oversized sculptures greeting you as you come into the museum.  When they came to install them last week, there was definitely excitement in the air (no pun intended!).  We were watching outside as the crew carefully set them up. It was incredible to see this massive, reclining bronze figure being lowered onto the lawn by cranes. 

The Baroque World of Fernando Botero opens on Sunday, October 19 and is on view through January 11, 2009.  Hope to see you there!