By Gladys Ramirez, Public Programs Manager at the Norton Museum of Art
I have to confess; this hasn’t been all bad.
Putting aside the harsh reality of the world we live in today, purely from a creative standpoint, this has been an exciting exercise in letting go, reimagining, and experimenting. As creators, how often are we given a chance to completely dismantle what we know and reliably create? How often are we forced into exploration? Reinvention? Made to abandon our routines and try everything for the first time? Like, um, never. …
By Meredith Gregory, Associate Curator of Education for School and Teacher Programs, Norton Museum of Art
The augmented reality experience allows visitors to engage with six contemporary works of art in the Norton’s permanent collection and encourages conversation between family members of all ages about the themes related to the work of art. “Norton Art+ stands out because each of the six augmented-reality interactions in the app is tailored to a specific contemporary artwork. …
By Glenn Tomlinson, William Randolph Hearst Curator of Education, Norton Museum of Art
The waterfall that cascades through the center of this painting comes into view at the top of the canvas as a white pathway bounded by black, angular cliffs. As the torrent falls, the white shape is inflected with brushstrokes of grey-blue pigment that suggest rushing waters. At the very center of the painting, this waterfall becomes a beautiful chute of pale green, blue, and violet tones, flanked on either side by grey-green ledges. A nude woman raises her hand to catch the water as she bathes in the stream below. To her right, a second nude reclines by the banks of the stream. Her hand touches the earth, her fingers merging with the pink tone of the ground. The shape of her hip repeats the round forms of the stream’s bank that build up toward trees and verdant hills that ascend to a darkening sky at the upper right. In contrast, an active figure who stretches her arms and arches her back as if gesturing to the waterfall’s source dominates the left side of the painting. She too resonates with the landscape; her red hair matches the color of the tree above her. Her arched chest and abdomen echo contours of what may be the dark trunk and limbs of another tree, or the craggy edges of cliffs upon the ridge. Observing the entire scene from the lower left corner of the painting, a fourth nude rests on her elbow, her back to the viewer. She appears to look at the figure in the stream, suggesting traditional perspective and pictorial space, yet the forms of her body deny correct proportions or modeling. …
Divine Beings: China at the Center of Cross-Currents in Asian Art is on view through January 31, 2021.
By Laurie Barnes, Elizabeth B. McGraw Curator of Chinese Art, Norton Museum of Art
The Passage of Shakyamuni Buddha into Nirvana
This rare and important hanging scroll by the Japanese artist TOSA YUKIHIRO* depicts the passing of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni into nirvana. In Buddhist thought, nirvana is a release from the cycle of death and rebirth. Parinirvana is the ultimate nirvana, which occurs with the death of the physical body of someone who has attained enlightenment.
The Buddha passes into nirvana while lying on a platform in meditation beneath sacred trees near the banks of the Batsudaiga River, represented behind a host of disciples. In the surrounding crowd are Bodhisattvas, Buddhist monks, Hindu deities, men and women of every class, a multitude of animals, and even some mythical beasts. …
by Kristen Cahill, Director of Retail Operations, Norton Museum of Art
From handmade items like Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired painted scarves and ocean-inspired jewelry to fun stocking stuffers such as beaded ornaments and artist inspired card decks, find the perfect gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list.
As the Store’s Manager, I have the pleasure of knowing our inventory really well and put together this list for you of recommendations, must-haves, and festive favorites.
By Glenn Tomlinson, William Randolph Hearst Curator of Education, Norton Museum of Art
Charles Ethan Porter’s small painting, Roses, invites us to look as closely at a bouquet as if we were approaching to catch its scent. Set in a rotund ceramic jar atop a brown tablecloth and against a sepia background, the brilliant flower arrangement captures one’s gaze. At the right, white, pale yellow and pink roses appear at different stages of flowering. The yellow bud is relatively compact compared to the white rose’s petals that extend and curl back. Green tinted shadows upon this flower contrast with the warmer pink tones on the white blossom at the center of the composition. This blossom stands out against the deep green leaves behind, while projecting over the lip of the jar, casting a shadow on the ceramic surface. Three bright pink roses — as well as a fourth which has fallen to the table — draw our attention to the left. These flowers provide the most dramatic range of tones in the bouquet, from pale pink highlights to burgundy shadows as they turn away from the light. The bulbous profile of the bowl echoes the silhouette of the flower above and draws it to the rose on the tablecloth. …
Divine Beings: China at the Center of Cross-Currents in Asian Art is on view through January 31, 2021.
By Laurie Barnes, Elizabeth B. McGraw Curator of Chinese Art, Norton Museum of Art
This large, exquisitely crafted Hindu roundel depicts the Hindu god Vishnu riding his legendary transport, Garuda. Scholars believe that the work originally was situated on the lintel over the entrance to a Hindu temple built in the 5th to 6th century in what is now Bangladesh. Such temples were considered dwellings for deities, and the lower tiers were inset with terracotta narratives representing Hindu gods and their exploits. Priests and individuals would circumambulate temples in ritual acts of worship and offer prayers, flowers, and food. …
Michael Blackwood founded Blackwood Productions Inc. with a vision to create compelling documentaries about leading figures in contemporary culture spanning art, music, dance, history, science, and architecture. Blackwood rarely used narration and never allowed the filmmaking to compete with his subjects. The recipient of a host of awards, in 2010 Blackwood became a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
This November, the Norton presents three films directed and produced by Michael Blackwood. Each 2pm screening is followed by a virtual post-screening Q&A. See films and dates below.
In anticipation of the series, we spoke with Benjamin Blackwood, President, Michael Blackwood Productions, Inc. …
By Glenn Tomlinson, William Randolph Hearst Curator of Education, Norton Museum of Art
Edward Mitchell Bannister’s two landscapes in the Norton Museum of Art collection present the New England countryside at its most contemplative. In the earlier work from 1881, a woman sits in the shadows of great trees whose trunks and branches frame her against a sunlit forest glade. The crimson ribbon on her hat, a counterpoint to the bright green and yellow tones of the open space, calls attention to the figure as she reads. Across the glade a steep hillside dense with foliage rises to the top of the canvas. …
Installation photographs from Transcending the Borders of Memory, September 24-November 13, 1994, Norton Museum of Art archives.
By Marie Penny, Archivist, Norton Museum of Art
In 1994 the Norton presented the exhibition Transcending the Borders of Memory, which displayed the work of four Cuban American Artists. Organized by Assistant Curator Olga Viso, this show dealt with the subject of exile from one’s homeland and the impact this has on cultural identity.
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