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FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Tullos
(337) 482-1369
resources@louisiana.edu
HILLIARD MUSEUM HOST SMITHSONIAN EXHIBITION
Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition of Personal Letters Provides
Intimate Glimpse of Famous Artists
Personal letters
from some of the most important artists of the 19th and 20th centuries
will
soon be on display as part of the new Smithsonian
traveling exhibition, “More Than Words: Illustrated Letters from
the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art.”
Opening at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette,
LA on February 7 the exhibition provides a unique look into the lives
of key artists, including Thomas Eakins, Frida Kahlo, Marcel Duchamp,
Dale Chihuly and Andy Warhol, through handwritten letters to family
members, friends and business associates. The exhibit will remain on
view through April 18, 2009 before continuing a 10-city national tour.
“
The personal letters featured in ‘More Than Words’ uncover
new insights into the personalities and creative processes of some
of America’s finest artists,” said Liza Kirwin, the exhibition’s
curator and curator of manuscripts at the Archives of American Art. “In
this age of modern technology, the works are designed to inspire us
to communicate more thoughtfully and remind us to cherish handwritten,
personal communications.”
Each writer’s unique style provides interesting clues about their
personality. While some of the letters were sent as personal notes,
others explore the travels or business relations of the artists. Most
of the letters include drawings, caricatures, watercolors and collages
that further shed light on each artist’s individuality.
Throughout the exhibition, letters are arranged in sections by theme.
The sections include “Bon Voyage,” containing letters written to and from travelers; “I
Do,” consisting of letters written from the heart; “Plays on Words,” featuring
creative letters using metaphors, puns or puzzles; “Visual Events,” describing
key personal, professional and political events; “Graphic Instructions,” providing
illustrated directives to the reader; and “Thank You,” showing
letters of gratitude.
“
More Than Words” is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling
Exhibition Service (SITES) and the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian
Institution. A book that complements the exhibition has been published by
Princeton Architectural
Press (2005) and is currently available in book stores.
The Archives of
American Art was founded in 1954 at the Detroit Institute of Arts
and joined
the Smithsonian Institution in 1970. The Archives’ mission
is to collect, preserve and make available primary sources documenting the
history of the visual arts in the United States. Its collections of letters,
unpublished writings, financial records, sketchbooks, scrapbooks, photographs
and other primary material, comprising more than 16 million items, are the
world’s largest single source for such information.
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs
with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES
connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of
exhibitions about art, science, and history, which are shown wherever people
live, work and play. For exhibition description and tour schedules, visit www.sites.si.edu.
# # #
The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette, Louisiana is Acadiana’s architectural landmark and the largest art museum between Houston and New Orleans. The Museum features a variety of changing exhibitions and a continuing schedule of lectures and programs. Come enjoy the Museum and the beauty of University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus just blocks away from the galleries, shops, and famous restaurants of downtown Lafayette and the Oil Center.
Hours and Admission:
Tuesday –Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday and Monday- Closed
General Information:
Please visit http://museum.louisiana.edu or call 337-482-2278
Museum
Hours |