Symbols of History

News Channel 3’s Alex Coleman came by this morning to talk to our Chief Curator Marina Pacini about an upcoming auction of “Printed & Manuscript African Americana” by the the Swann Auction Galleries.  Mike Lollar of The Commercial Appeal wrote an article about it in today’s paper. Among the items up for auction (click here for Swann’s full catalogue) are a number of items from the Civil Rights movement, including one of very few surviving copies of the original poster carried by Memphis sanitation workers during the 1968 strike, bearing the message I AM A MAN.

One of the things that makes these posters so significant, Marina explains, is that this simple sentence, just a few words, so powerfully expresses the fundamental statement of Civil Rights.  It is also remarkable because the placards themselves were made from cardboard, that this one was kept and is in such good condidtion.

Also up for auction are photographs by Ernest Withers.  The Brooks considers ourselves very lucky to have a collection of Withers’ work, and we have a permanent tribute to the ground-breaking photographer in our rotunda. There is always one of his photographs on display on this special wall so visitors are able to see these historical images anytime they come in.  It is access to visual resources such as these, Marina says, that allows people to learn about and experience history in a new way.

The WREG story will appear sometime after 5pm today.

Read more about the museum’s collection of works on paper here.

Film Highlight:Summer Hours

Thursday, February 4 | 7:30 pm

Directed by Olivier Assayas, and starring Juliette Binoche, Summer Hours (L’heure d’été) gives the viewer a ‘fly-on-the-wall’ insight into the inner workings of a family grieving their mother, as three siblings must decide how to deal with their inheritance–a large art collection and the family home.  As the arrangements for disassembling the valuable collection begin, each sibling encounters various pieces that both remind them of their past in their childhood home and reveal the history their own children will not be able to share.

This film is one of four commissioned by the Musée d’Orsay to help commemorate their 20th anniversary.  The famed Paris museum commissioned four directors to create films that feature both the gallery and actress Binoche. The first of the series was Chinese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s first Western film Flight of the Red Balloon (released in 2008). 

One of the most celebrated films of the year, Summer Hours has been honored as the best foreign language film of 2009 by the New York, LA, and Boston Film Critics’ awards.  It has been listed as the best foreign film in the Village Voice Film Critics’ Poll, Southeastern Film Critics Association, and the National Society of Film Critics poll.  It is also a strong contender for the Oscar’s foreign film category (nominations announced February 2).

Commercial Appeal film critic John Beifuss included Summer Hours in his list of “Twenty Touted and/or Significant Films That Never Played in Memphis” (until now at the Brooks).  Read it here.

For tickets and more information, visit www.brooksmuseum.org/films.

Community Mural Program

Post written by: Kathy Dumlao

In March, students at Sherwood Elementary School and Campus School were excited to complete a Community Mural Program. The mural at Sherwood Elementary School was painted by a group of fifth-grade students, and the mural at Campus School was completed by students from the sixth-grade. The participants were selected through a writing activity where they wrote about why they thought there should be art in their school and how they thought art could change the way people look at the world.

To begin the mural process, teaching artist Jon Hart showed the students a video called How to Paint a Mural: Step by Step and talked about the process they would use for their project. Mr. Hart then had the students brainstorm on the theme of “community” by writing down their ideas about what community meant to them and making sketches of their ideas. Mr. Hart took the students’ drawings and compiled them into the final mural design.

On the second day of the project, the students made a trip to the Brooks Museum to see a variety of paintings in the museum’s permanent collection. The students really enjoyed their visit to the Brooks, especially because many had never been to the museum before.

After the final mural design was complete, the image was transferred to the wall using an overhead projector. Students traced the outlines from the drawing onto the wall and began the painting process.

As the first layers of paint were applied, the mural started to take shape, and students began to get excited about seeing their ideas, sketches, and designs come to life. With each new color and layer of paint, the mural came together. The completion of both murals was celebrated with a dedication reception at each school. The accomplishments of the students who designed and painted the mural were celebrated with food and friends. Everyone in attendance was proud of the students and thrilled with the completed murals.

Read the March 12, 2008 Commercial Appeal article on the Brooks’ Community Mural Program here.

The next mural project is scheduled for fall 2008 at Magnolia Elementary School.

The Community Mural Program is generously sponsored by the Highland Area Renewal Corporation and an Arts Build Communities grant, a program funded by the Tennessee General Assembly and administered in cooperation with the Tennessee Arts Commission and ArtsMemphis.