The Figge Art Museum presents Virtual Curator Talk: Christina Kastell" -- April 15.

Thursday, April 15, 6:30 p.m.

Presented by the Figge Art Museum

On April 15, the Putnam Museum & Science Center’s Curator of History and Anthropology Christina Kastell presents a Virtual Curator Talk for Davenport's Figge Art Museum, introducing the Putnam's current Faces of the Past, an original Putnam exhibit that explores portraiture around the world and across time as a reflection of self-identity, popular culture, mythology, and ritual.

Throughout the world, people see themselves in different ways, and different cultures demonstrate how they view themselves through their artwork. Whether depicted solely with human features, a blend of human and animal characteristics, or something completely supernatural, the masks, wood carvings and pottery in the Faces of the Past exhibit characterize a great deal about the cultures that made them. Exploring portraiture around the world and across time as a reflection of self-identity, popular culture, mythology, and ritual, Putnam visitors can expect to see faces representing 20 countries and 35 cultures, with the included artworks boasting a Pre-Columbian face jug, Japanese Noh and Kyogen theatre masks, dance masks from Africa, and much more.

On display in the venue's Kornder Hall, the Putnam's Faces of the Past is being displayed in partnership with the current Figge exhibit For America: 200 Years of Painting from the National Academy of Design. From its founding in 1825 to the present, New York's National Academy has required all Academicians elected to donate a representative work to the Academy’s collection. From 1839 to 1994, the Academy also required associates to present a portrait of themselves, whether painted by their own hand or that of a fellow artist. This has resulted in a collection of over 8,000 works by historical and contemporary masters such as Winslow Homer, William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, Andrew Wyeth, Jaune Quick-to-See-Smith, Charles White, Jane Freilicher, and many others. For America showcases more than 90 works made between 1810 and 2010 by some of the greatest American artists, drawn from the National Academy's extensive collections.

“The Putnam believes in strong community collaboration,” says Putnam President and CEO Rachael Mullins, “and we’re proud to be partnering with the Figge Art Museum on their For America exhibit from the National Academy of Design. When we learned of the portraiture by American Masters which will be featured, we thought it would be a great opportunity to compare and contrast portraits from cultures around the world. We hope visitors will get a chance to see both exhibits.”

Kastell's Virtual Scholar Talk is free, but advance registration is required, and participants will receive an e-mail with a Zoom link two hours before the program begins at 6:30 p.m. on April 15. For more information on the event, call (563)326-7804 and visit FiggeArtMuseum.org.

Support the River Cities' Reader

Get 12 Reader issues mailed monthly for $48/year.

Old School Subscription for Your Support

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Old School Subscribe now.



Help Keep the Reader Alive and Free Since '93!

 

"We're the River Cities' Reader, and we've kept the Quad Cities' only independently owned newspaper alive and free since 1993.

So please help the Reader keep going with your one-time, monthly, or annual support. With your financial support the Reader can continue providing uncensored, non-scripted, and independent journalism alongside the Quad Cities' area's most comprehensive cultural coverage." - Todd McGreevy, Publisher