AQAprilMayJune2011

ArtsQuarterlyNEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART APRIL � MAY � JUNE 2011, VOL . 33 N o .2

A Membe r s ’ P ub l i c a t i on

TARBELEC NECAGNIT AFOYRUTN TR

I’m composing this letter following a productive

weekend spent immersed in discussions about

NOMA’s future. At the museum’s annual Board of

Trustees retreat, the board members and I worked to

establish a clear vision for NOMA’s second century and

develop a plan of action for achieving our goals.

Part of our discussion centered on NOMA’s

extraordinary position of opportunity, in its centennial

year, for renewed engagement with collections and

communities. Drawing on the insightful framework that

scholar Jim Collins lays out in his book, Good to Great

and the Social Sectors, we talked about ways to maximize

this moment of opportunity, raising the museum’s

profile and the quality of experience we provide. I plan

to share with you in future columns the various

strategies we discussed for approaching this goal. I’d

like to begin, however, with the idea of audience

engagement.

As NOMA embarks on its next century of service,

we aspire to occupy an integral place in the public life of

New Orleans. In order to do so, we need to ensure we

are engaging our audiences fully. According to a recent

report by the American Association of Museums’ Center

for the Future of Museums, we can learn much about

developing audiences by looking to a specific type of

visitor. This group, called “Museum Advocates,” views

museums as “especially important places in their lives

where they truly enjoy spending their leisure time.”

What these people have in common, the study found, is

“a distinct memory of a specific, seminal museum

experience, usually between the ages of 5 and 9.” By

creating accessible, inviting museum experiences,

developing lively programs, and partnering with

schools and other organizations, we can help to develop

the next generation of museum-goers at the same time

that we welcome the present one.

Our upcoming exhibition, Ancestors of Congo Square:

African Art in the New Orleans Museum of Art, has

provided us an initial opportunity to explore this notion

of audience engagement. Our education department has

developed a full roster of programs to complement the

exhibition and appeal to all ages and backgrounds. We

are also taking a new approach to the installation of the

show, introducing design and interpretative techniques

which will serve as a model for future exhibitions.

Featuring more than 100 objects from our acclaimed

permanent collection of African art, Ancestors of Congo

Square promises to be a highlight of our centennial year.

You can read more about the exhibition and the history

of the collection in this issue, which features an

interview with our curator of African art, William

Fagaly, conducted by well known African art dealers

Kent and Charles Davis.

I look forward to sharing with you other aspects of

NOMA’s plans for the future in coming issues of Arts

Quarterly. In the meantime, I hope you will visit the

museum as well as the exhibition to experience the early

stages of our ongoing transformation. We look forward

to welcoming you to NOMA!

Susan M. TaylorThe Montine McDanielFreeman Director

DIRECTOR’S LETTER

From the Permanent Collection:Georgia O’Keefe, American, 1887-1986

My Back Yard (detail), 1937, Oil on canvasCity of New Orleans Capital Fund, 1973.8

CONTENTS

2 FeatureB u i l d in g a Col l ec t ion : Th e E vol u t ion of Ances tors o f Congo Square

6 Exhibi t ionsRead My Pins: The Madele ine Albr igh t Col lec t ionE xpl ores J ewel r y as a Dipl om at ic Tool

S woon ’s Thalassa to Tran s f or m N O M A’s G reat H al l

10 Centennial News

12 Exper iencing NOMAWh ere Y ’ A r t H appy H ou r S h ak es U p F r iday s at th e M u s eu m

14 NOMA and the CommunityS tu den t P odc as ts O f f er F res h Views of N O M A

16 Suppor t ing NOMA

20 NOMA FamilyR em em ber in g J oh n Webs ter K eef e

Arts��2 April � May � June 2011

FEATURE

Throughout NOMA's centennial year, a series of

special exhibitions will highlight our vast and

diverse permanent collection. One of the most

impressive areas of these holdings, the museum’s

extensive African collection, will be showcased this

summer in Ancestors of Congo Square: African Art in

the New Orleans Museum of Art. Featuring 100 works

of art from across the continent, the show was

inspired by a book of the same title, edited by

NOMA’s African art curator Bill Fagaly (see sidebar).

In honor of the exhibition’s debut, longtime

African art dealers Kent and Charles Davis sat down

with Fagaly to discuss the history of the museum’s

collection.

CD: Bill, how did a young man from Indiana get

snake bit by African art?

BF: I attended Indiana University and was a studio

and art history major. One day this man showed up

who was offering a course called African art. That

was Dr. Roy Sieber, who I think most people will

acknowledge was the first trained African art

historian in the United States. He changed the whole

direction of my life and the focus of my career.

KD: After you graduated, what brought you to New

Orleans?

BF: I came here because I knew I wanted to work in

an art museum. In those days most American art

museums did not recognize African art or display it.

It was this brand new field and new information was

constantly coming forward. This appealed to me and

I felt I could make a contribution.

Building a Collection: The Evolution of Ancestors of Congo Square

1. Figure of an Archer, Undetermined Inland NigerDelta Peoples, Mali, circa 11-17th century, terracotta, iron, traces of polychrome, Gift of Robert andHelen Kuhn families, 97.138. All photographs byJudy Cooper.

Arts�� 3April � May � June 2011

CD: What was the status of NOMA’s African

collection when you arrived?

BF: We had some spears and shields of non-aesthetic

value that had been given in years past. But, with a

couple of exceptions, there was little of any

significant artistic merit.

CD: What collectors, if any, were in the city at the

time?

BF: Well, technically our biggest collectors were Mimi

and Fred Stafford. They weren’t living in New

Orleans, but Mimi was a New Orleanian. We did an

exhibition of their collection when I first arrived in

1966, Odyssey of an Art Collector. They had a really

extraordinary small collection of African works,

many of which the museum now owns thanks to

their benefaction. The only other early, serious New

Orleans collectors were two artists, Robert Gordy

and Ida Kohlmeyer.

KD: Can you elaborate on that pivotal moment when

NOMA received an enormous treasure of African art

from Victor Kiam?

BF: It was 1974, and it really put us on the map. Kiam

was a native New Orleanian who lived in New York

and had a superb collection of African and Oceanic

sculptures, as well as paintings and sculptures by

modern masters. The collection was pursued by a

number of New York museums, but Kiam decided it

would be better appreciated in a smaller museum

like NOMA.

After the bequest, word spread like wildfire.

Before it was ever shown publicly, many scholars and

collectors made a special trip to New Orleans to see

this mysterious Kiam collection.

FEATU

RE

2. Memorial Staff (Asen) Fon/Hweda/Yoruba Peoples, Republic of Benin, Town of Ouidah, circa 19th century, attributedto Akati Akpele Kendo, Master of the Long-Horned Ram (fl. 1858-89), wrought iron, raffia, wood, organic materials, Giftof Françoise Billion Richardson, 89.257. 3. Face Mask (Pwo), Chokwe Peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo/Angola,wood, fiber, red pigment, copper, cane, Bequest of Victor K. Kiam, 77.273.


CD: The buzz in the African art world is that what

has happened here at NOMA, in terms of the quality

and growth of the collection, has been a “perfect

alchemy.” Can you explain?

BF: Our collection is the product of many elements. It

could not have happened without the vision of

former director Jim Byrnes hiring a curator of African

art and bringing him to New Orleans to develop the

collection. When Byrnes left and John Bullard

became director, he too understood the importance of

an African art collection and supported and

encouraged its development. And then of course,

there was the Kiam moment.

New Orleans African art dealers, primarily the

Davis Gallery, cultivated the community and

developed major collectors who have since donated

many fine objects to the museum. We also have three

local universities that have offered courses in the

history of the sub-Saharan art of Africa: Southern

University, University of New Orleans, and Tulane

University. And finally, we have the Frere Josef

Cornet Field Archives at Loyola University. Cornet

was one of the great scholars working for many

years in the Democratic Republic of Congo,

particularly with the Kuba peoples.

All in all, I think what has made our museum

collection a success is the fact we had curators,

dealers, collectors, and university professors who are

all active participants. We’ve had a divergence of

approaches to the subject of African art.

CD: Surely another pivotal moment for the collection

and for you was the establishment of the Françoise

Billion Richardson curatorial chair.

BF: Françoise underwrote the funds for the

curatorship of African art. It was kind of a validation

of everything we were doing here. It gave concrete

solidity to the program. She also provided the funds,

in memory of her parents, for the building of the

new African galleries when the museum expanded

in 1993. That’s not the only thing she’s done, by far.

She’s been extremely generous over the years in the

donation of important artworks to the collection. She

also created a special fund, the Richardson fund, for

African art purchases, which we rely on from time to

time to buy important objects for the collection.

CD: Don’t you also have an endowment from [artist]

Robert Gordy?

BF: Yes, we do. Bob was passionate about African

art, and it had a definite influence on his own work.

With those two endowments, we have been able to

fill gaps in the foundation established by the Kiam

collection.

FEA

TURE

4. Standing Female Figure, Mende or SherbroPeoples, Sierra Leone, wood, iron, Bequest of Victor K. Kiam, 77.153.


KD: Bill, what is your favorite work in the collection?

BF: They’re all my children, so how do you say which

child you like more? But I will! [laughter] There are

some pieces that I just love regardless of monetary

value or rarity. To me, they are sublime sculptures

aesthetically. One is that very abstracted Mende

figure (see figure 4)—it is one of a kind and a tour de

force. And then I’m in love with that little Luba ivory

amulet. It’s such a gorgeous little piece. I also like the

Bamana bolis; that little bovine animal is not of any

significant value, but it’s just a charmer.

KD: Our last question is probably the most important.

What do you envision for the collection that, thanks

to you, has greatly outgrown its present space?

BF: Continue growing.

KD: Where? How?

BF: We’re going to continue our pursuit of objects that

are needed for the collection. As a matter of fact, we

have a few cards up our sleeve for the November

2011 exhibition planned to celebrate the gifts given to

NOMA for its centennial [Future Present (working

title)]. Thus far we have four major African gifts

which will be great additions to our holdings.

Also, I don’t think it’s too soon to start talking

about expansion of gallery spaces. I’ve been accused,

and I admit my guilt, of cramming too much into the

galleries, but I just love all that stuff, and I think

people need to see it [laughs]. It’s very hard for me to

take something off view.

Ancestors of Congo Square is on view in the Ella

West Freeman Galleries May 13-July 17, 2011. NOMA

will welcome several distinguished speakers in conjunction

with the exhibition. Please see the AQ calendar for

program details.

The full text of this interview is available online at

www.noma.org. Thanks to NOMA intern Elizabeth

Soland for her editorial assistance with this article.

FEATU

RE

THE BOOK THATINSPIRED IT ALL

Museum exhibitions usually give rise toaccompanying books, not the other wayaround. In the case of Ancestors ofCongo Square, however, acomprehensive book about the museum’scollection inspired the show. Edited bycurator William Fagaly and published byScala Publishers, the 376-page bookfeatures forty-eight contributors, includingtop scholars in the field of African artfrom North America, Europe, and Africa.Fagaly has been at work on the book foryears, and its publication—just in time forthe exhibition—will make available to thepublic the most up-to-date informationabout hundreds of important artworks inNOMA’s collection.


EXHIBIT IONS

Atraveling exhibition of pins from the personal

collection of Madeleine Albright, former U.S.

Secretary of State, is coming to the New Orleans

Museum of Art this summer. Organized by the

Museum of Arts and Design in New York, Read My

Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection features more

than 200 pins, many of which Secretary Albright

wore to communicate a message during her

diplomatic tenure. The exhibition examines the

collection for its historic significance as well as the

expressive power of jewelry and its ability to

communicate through a style and language of its

own.

In 1997, Albright was named the first female

Secretary of State and became, at that time, the

highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S.

government. While serving under President Bill

Clinton, Albright became known for wearing

brooches that purposefully conveyed her views

about the situation at hand. “I found that jewelry had

become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal,”

Albright has said. “While President George H. W.

Bush had been known for saying ‘Read my lips,’ I

began urging colleagues and reporters to ‘Read my

pins.’”

The collection that Secretary Albright cultivated

is distinctive and democratic, spanning more than a

century of jewelry design and including fascinating

pieces from across the globe. The works on view are

chosen for their symbolic value, and while some are

Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright CollectionExplores Jewelry as a Diplomatic Tool

Katrina Pin, 1994, designer unknown (USA).Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor.

fine antiques, many are costume jewelry. The

exhibition explores the stories behind these works

and their historical and artistic significance, and is

accompanied by a book, Read My Pins: Stories from a

Diplomat’s Jewel Box (2009), published by

HarperCollins, which also serves as the catalogue for

the show.

Over the years, Albright’s pins became a part of

her public persona, and they chart the course of an

extraordinary journey, carving out a visual path

through international and cultural diplomacy. A

highlight of the exhibition will be the brooch that

initiated her unusual use of pins as a diplomatic tool.

After Saddam Hussein’s press referred to her as an

“unparalleled serpent,” Albright wore a golden snake

brooch pinned to her suit for her next meeting on

Iraq. Read My Pins will feature the famous brooch

among many other pins with similar stories—some

associated with important world events, others gifts

from international leaders or close friends.

The exhibition will also showcase a group of

Americana pins, which is at the center of the

Madeleine Albright collection. One of her most

original pieces is a silver brooch that shows the head

of Lady Liberty with two watch faces for eyes, one of

which is upside down—allowing both her and her

visitor to see when it is time for an appointment to

end. Another piece, the most poignant in the

collection, will be of particular interest to local

viewers. Albright refers to it as the “Katrina Pin,” and

it was given to her by a man in 2006 after a speech

she gave at the National World War II Museum in

New Orleans. He said the pin, which is made of

amethysts and diamonds, had been a sixtieth

wedding anniversary gift to his mother from his

father, a veteran who was awarded two purple

hearts. His mother, who died as a result of Katrina,

had greatly admired Albright and her family believed

she would have wanted Albright to have the pin.

Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection

will be on view at NOMA in the second-floor

Louisiana Galleries from May 24 through August 14,

2011.

up Next...

MAY: Modern and contemporary collectionAlphabet Fetish for Setchie Sino, 1995, by

Jeffrey Cook (American, 1961-2009)

juNe: decorative Arts collectionStomacher, circa 1760-1780, by unknown

maker (Spain or France)

*Kangxi era 1661-1722; Porcelain, with underglaze blue decoration; Bequest of Dorothy and Robert C. Hills, 2001.253.380. Photograph by Judy Cooper.

C O L L E C T I O N S P O T L I G H T

Blue-and-White Month Cup, china, Qing dynasty, 1644-1911*

This delicately potted and decorated porcelain cup isone of a set of twelve commissioned by the second Qingemperor Kangxi (reigned 1661-1722). Known as"month cups," these small vessels were created for useby the emperor, who would use only the relevant cupduring the corresponding month of the year. Created inboth blue-and-white and enameled versions, each cuphas a specific floral decoration, accompanied by aseasonal couplet from a Tang poet. This cup, featuringflowering orchids growing from the banks of a stream,symbolizes the tenth month. NOMA's permanentcollection includes nine month cups from an original setof twelve.

April FeAtured Object

See a different object from NOMA’s permanentcollection on view each month in the Great Hall.From seldom-viewed works to new acquisitions, thisspecial focus highlights the depth and breadth ofthe museum’s collection.


This summer the New Orleans Museum of Art is

proud to present a new, large-scale installation

by the internationally renowned artist Swoon.

Based in New York, Swoon (born 1977, Daytona

Beach) is recognized for her large-scale paper cut-

outs wheat-pasted on the exteriors of buildings. Her

work often depicts portraits of families, friends, and

neighborhood locals performing everyday activities,

such as building, bicycling, or sitting on stoops. The

evocative nature of their gaze and stance, however,

elevates them to a mythical, almost transcendent

status. As an artist working extensively in prints and

cutouts, Swoon takes inspiration from the German

Expressionists of the early twentieth century as well

as Indonesian shadow puppetry. She began her

career as a street artist in 1999 after graduating from

Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. In 2005 she exhibited her

work at Deitch Projects, New York. Over the

following six years, Swoon transitioned into

displaying her work in gallery and museum settings,

while continuing her outdoor practice. Today her

work is in collections including the Museum of

Modern Art, New York and the Institute of

Contemporary Art in Boston. Many of Swoon’s

projects are motivated by a strong sense of social

justice, addressing issues such as the unsolved

murders of women in Juarez, and the devastation

caused by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

During the past three years Swoon has

developed a close relationship to the city of New

Orleans and a number of artists based here. In 2008

she began wheat-pasting cutouts in the streets of the

Bywater. Since then she has committed to an ongoing

collaboration with the New Orleans Airlift (an

Swoon’s Thalassa to Transform NOMA’s Great Hall

Miranda Lash, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

(Example previous work bySwoon) Irinia, 2006, Bilbao.Courtesy of the Artist.

EXH

IBIT

ION

organization dedicated to the cross-pollination of

artistic ideas between New Orleans and other

countries) on the creation of a musical arts venue and

house in the Bywater, titled Dithyrambalina.

For her installation in NOMA’s Great Hall,

Swoon was inspired by our city’s ties to the sea, as

we dearly depend on water for commerce,

transportation, energy, and food. Her installation

Thalassa is named after the Greek goddess revered as

the mother of all sea creatures. The twenty-foot tall

piece will depict a towering female deity with

extended tentacles. The octopus-design of Thalassa

also echoes nineteenth-century depictions of New

Orleans women who worked in Storyville’s red-light

district.1 Newspaper caricatures depicted these

“loose” women as ensnaring men, women, and

children. The piece thus connects to both New

Orleans’s past and present, and its complex and deep

history as a port city.

Thalassa will be on view in the Great Hall from June

8-September 25, 2011. The artist will give a lecture in the

Stern Auditorium on Friday, June 10, at 6 p.m.

A closing party for Thalassa will take place on

Friday, September 16, starting at 5 p.m.

1. See Al Rose, Storyville New Orleans: Being an Authentic, Illustrated

Account of the Notorious Redlight District, Alabama: University of

Alabama Press, 1974.

EXHIBITIO

NS

TO DEVELOP THE DESIGN forThalassa, Swoon began by carefullyexamining NOMA’s Great Hall during hervisits to New Orleans. She createdsketches of the installation in ink,superimposed on photographs of thespace. These drawings will provide theconceptual basis for her block prints andpaper cut-outs. Once the face of Thalassais printed and wheat-pasted onto astructure, the body of the sculpture itselfwill be made from a combination of foundmaterials, fabric, and paper. As in all herwork (including street art), Swoon createsprints and paper cut-outs in advance andthen brings them with her to the site of herartwork (they are relatively light andcompact to transport).

Over the course of a few weeks,Thalassa will be built and tested in an off-site location in New Orleans, thentransported to NOMA. The twenty-foot tallstructure will be the first work of art ever tobe suspended in NOMA’s Great Hall.With her tentacles extended in mid-air,Thalassa will strike an imposing and awe-inspiring pose.—M.L.

The Making of Thalassa


CENTENNIAL NEWS

On hiatus since 2005, the NVC Home and Art

Tour is back for the museum’s centennial year!

Saturday, April 16, put on your walking shoes and

tour six historic homes in the vicinity of St. Charles

Avenue and State Street. Participants are free to

follow their own schedules, visiting the featured

homes between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. NVC

volunteers will greet participants at each home and

provide historical information. At the mansion of

John Houghtaling, which has never before been open

to a public tour, visitors will enjoy refreshments and

an NVC centennial boutique showcasing the

centennial reprint of the NOMA Cookbook.

Event co-chairs Carol Hall and JoAnn

Christopher promise a wide-ranging tour, with

architectural styles including Southern Colonial,

Neoclassical, Georgian, Mediterranean, and Tudor-

inspired. The art collections promise to be as eclectic

as the homes. The gracious homeowners and hosts

are: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Currence, 17 Rosa Park;

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Friedler III, 3 Everett Place; Mr.

John Houghtaling, 4717 St. Charles; Mr. and Mrs.

Gordon Kolb, 1640 State; Mr. and Mrs. Adam

Marcus, 1931 State; and Mr. and Mrs. Poco Sloss,

1804 State.

Don’t want to wait in line? Patron tickets are $75,

which includes priority admission and a centennial

plaque. Regular ticket prices in advance are $25 for

members, $30 for non-members. Day of tour tickets

are $35. Tickets may be purchased by calling the

NVC office at (504) 658-4121 or online at

www.noma.org/homearttour.

NVC Home and Art Tour

Returns for Centennial YearLaura Carman, NVC Publications Co-Chair

17 Rosa Park3 Everett Place 4717 St. Charles Avenue

1640 State Street 1931 State Street 1804 State Street


Great Collectors / Great Donors: The Making of the

New Orleans Museum of Art, 1910-2010,

November 13, 2010-January 23, 2011

The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel

Great Collectors / Great Donors Video

E. Alexandra Stafford & Raymond Rathle, Jr., and Mr.

and Mrs. John F. Stafford

Centennial Year Kickoff Party, January 8, 2011

JPMorgan Chase and Bellwether Technology

Corporation

Director’s Dialogue Series, January-November 2011

J.P. Morgan, Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann L.L.C.,

Postlethwaite & Netterville C.P.A., and Adler’s

Copley to Warhol: 200 Years of American Art

Celebrating the Centennial of the New Orleans

Museum of Art, February-December 2011

Chevron with additional support from the following

State Advisory Council Members:

Adele Adatto, Katie Arimura, Janet Blocker, June

Brandt, Scott Chotin, Kent Davis, John W. Deming

and Bertie Murphy Deming Foundation, Joy Hodges,

John Lolley, Valerie Marcus, Brenda Moffitt, Peter

Monrose, Mary Morse, Andrée Moss, Carolyn

Nelson, Edward Renwick, Peggy Selber, Aimee

Siegel, Jude Swenson, Catherine Burns Tremaine,

Fran Villere

Art in Bloom, March 30, 2011

Whitney Bank

Fabergé Egg Hunt, April 10, 2011

Catherine Burns Tremaine

100 Masterworks for the Next 100 Years: Celebrating

the Centennial of the New Orleans Museum of Art,

November 12, 2011-February 19, 2012

Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation and

Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere and

Denegre

Centennial Birthday Party, December 16-18, 2011

Lakeside Shopping Center and the Feil Family

Foundation

Centennial Year Public Relations and Marketing

Sponsors

The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and New Orleans

Tourism and Marketing Corporation

Centennial Sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors for their generous support of NOMA’s

centennial exhibitions, programs, and festivities.

Suppor t NOMA During OurCentennial Year!

To ensure NOMA's success for the next100 years, we invite you to donate to our:

• Endowment—support educational programs, exhibitions, and publications.

• Centennial Event Sponsorships—support educational activities and family fun.

• John Bullard’s Retirement Gift Fund—purchase a piece of art in honor of John Bullard’s thirty-seven years of service as director of the New Orleans Museum of Art.

To donate: Call (504) 658-4107, email:[email protected], or give online atwww.noma.org.

CEN

TENNIA

L NEW

S


EXPERIENCING NOMA

New Orleans is a city of traditions. Join a

second line parade on Sundays, eat red beans

and rice on Mondays, dance to Rebirth Brass Band

uptown on Tuesdays, catch Irvin Mayfield in his

downtown jazz club on Wednesdays, and on

Thursdays, count on Kermit Ruffins in the Bywater.

On Fridays, NOMA is launching a new tradition:

innovative programming called “Where Y’Art?”

Every Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., live music fills the

Great Hall, families enjoy art-making activities, and a

variety of events unfold around the museum. From

film screenings and lectures in the Stern Auditorium

to artist demonstrations and walk-throughs in the

galleries, NOMA is the place to get your weekend

started.

Initially conceived as a night that would attract

young professionals, Where Y’Art has proven

appealing to all different audiences. Couples look at

art arm in arm, groups gather to drink wine and

socialize, and parents bring their children to create

their own artworks.

"One of the most satisfying aspects of Where

Y'Art has been seeing so many families coming to

NOMA after-hours," said Director Susan M. Taylor.

"During the week, it's hard for families to break their

school routines, but Fridays have been a perfect night

for parents to bring their children to the museum. We

offer family-friendly activities, and each week the

diverse programming features something for every

age, every interest."

Where Y’Art Happy Hour Shakes Up Fridays at the MuseumGrace Wilson, Director of Communications and Marketing

Clockwise from left: Music by Luke Winslow King; The Sound of One Hand exhibition; Kaminari Taiko drummers; Buddah Boards™; Mardi Gras coconut decorating. Photography by Grace Wilson.

©Terri Glanger

DON’T MISS the spring edition of our Director’s Dialogue series. The program, which brings museumleaders from across the country to New Orleans to discuss innovations in practice, will address topicssuch as diversity, technology, education, permanent collections, and new audience development. NOMADirector Susan M. Taylor will moderate these illuminating discussions.

Friday, April 1, 2011, 6-7 p.m.maxwell l. anderson

Director, indianapolis museum of art

Anderson has been a leader in introducingnew technologies to art museums,expanding museum audiences to the WorldWide Web and beyond.

Friday, May 20, 2011, 6-7 p.m.Bonnie Pitman

Director, Dallas museum of art

Pitman has devoted her career todeveloping education programs for artmuseums, making them more welcomingand relevant to visitors of all ages.

The series takes place in the Stern Auditorium, New Orleans Museum of Art.

NOMA has found Where Y’Art visitors taking

advantage of the extended hours to spend more time

in the Great Hall and the galleries. Instead of coming

to see a special exhibition and then leaving, visitors

are exploring the second and third floors or taking

time to listen to a music set (or two) in the Great Hall.

“We are presenting art while stimulating the

senses with music, food, and drink, giving the

opportunity for the viewer to unwind and take it in,”

said Rebecca Thomason, Public Programs

Coordinator. “We are using Where Y'Art as a way to

show people that museums are for everyone and a

vibrant part of our community.”

Ralph Brennan’s Courtyard Café stays open

during Where Y’Art so patrons can catch an early

dinner or enjoy cheese selections from St. James

Cheese Company. The Café offers soups, tapas, wine,

and beer. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture

Garden is also open late on Fridays, until 8:45 p.m.

Warm weather will bring programming outside; look

for Shakespeare in the Garden and outdoor film

screenings in the spring.

“I can’t wait for the energy of Where Y’Art to

liven up our garden on Friday evenings,” said

Pamela Buckman, Sculpture Garden Manager. “It

really is a great way to get to know like-minded

people and start off an evening. You can come to

NOMA early and still attend nighttime theater and

music shows.”

It’s true! You can attend Where Y’Art early on

Friday evenings and still catch late night music acts

and theatrical performances. There’s always

something happening in New Orleans!

EXPERIENC

ING

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Director’s Dialogue: conversations

with america’s art museum leaDers


NOMA AND THE COMMUNITY

To many of us, the New Orleans Museum of Art

is like a second home, full of familiar objects and

faces that we have come to know and feel

comfortable with over the years. But imagine being a

high school student visiting the museum for the very

first time. Wouldn’t it be great to have a friend by

your side to introduce you to some of the strange and

wonderful things you’ll encounter once you come

inside?

That’s the idea behind a unique collaboration

between NOMA’s Education Department and a team

from the Jefferson Parish Public School System

(JPPSS). Led by West Jefferson High School teacher

Valerie Burton, and coordinated by members of the

JPPSS technology team, a class of ninth grade

English/Language Arts students recently worked

together to research and produce a series of podcast

audio tours exploring selected works in NOMA’s

permanent collection. The podcasts are available for

members of the public to listen to during their visits

to the museum, and are also available for free

download online.

The project began in January when Ms. Burton

and her class from West Jefferson High School visited

the museum for guided tours. For many of the

students, it was their first time inside NOMA. Led by

museum docents, students were divided into small

groups and introduced to selected masterworks from

the permanent collection. After “meeting” these

works of art in an intimate, casual setting, students

picked their favorites and decided for themselves

which works they would research for their

individual podcast presentations.

Back at school, students began to record their

podcasts with the assistance of technology consultant

Sarah Rosedahl, who has worked on similar projects

Student Podcasts Offer Fresh Views of NOMAJohn d’Addario, Associate Curator for Education

West Jefferson High School students tour NOMA’s collection, gathering information for podcast tours. Photography by Sarah Rosedahl.


with other New Orleans cultural institutions

including the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and

the Louisiana State Museum. "The podcast audio

tour project is an exciting and innovative way to

create an authentic learning experience for students

that promotes twenty-first century skills,” she said.

In addition to learning about art and art history,

students who participated in the podcast program

exercised their reading, writing, performance, and

computer software skills—all of which illustrate

NOMA’s commitment to making the museum a

cross-disciplinary educational resource.

The project has allowed students to develop and

learn in other significant ways as well, says teacher

Valerie Burton. “My students were given a once-in-a-

lifetime opportunity to help the museum provide a

personal experience for its visitors,” she says. “It is

amazing how a 90-second voice clip can help change

and empower the life of a 14 year old. Those students

who [were involved with the] podcasting project

have grown and matured in ways that I hadn't

imagined.”

The West Jefferson High School student podcasts

include some of the most popular and best-loved

works in the museum’s collection, including the

Master of Calamarca’s Archangel with a Matlock Gun

and Mary Cassatt’s Mother and Child in the

Conservatory. Visitors to the museum can access these

audio tours free of charge on their cellphones and

gain fresh insight on the artworks from the students’

points of view.

NOMA celebrated the launch of the West

Jefferson High School podcast audio tours with a

gala event at the museum in March to which

students brought their families and friends. Next

time you’re at the museum, don’t forget to look for

the special wall labels indicating available student-

produced podcast audio tours for some of your

favorite works of art. You just might learn something

new—and make a new friend in the process.

NOMA WELCOMES 2011 NVC CHAIR KIMBERLY ZIB I L ICH

THE NOMA VOLUNTEERCOMMITTEE (NVC) and themuseum are proud to welcomeKimberly Zibilich as 2011 NVCChair. Founded in 1965, the NVCsupports the museum in a variety ofways, from organizing major fund-raising events such as OdysseyBall, to arranging flowers in theGreat Hall and acting as artambassadors in the community.

A licensed real estate agentand associate with Event Specialistsof New Orleans, Zibilich has anextensive background in communityservice. She began her NVC chair

duties with gusto, helping toorchestrate NOMA’s hugelysuccessful centennial celebrationand planning a full NVC calendar,including the Home and Art Touron April 16. In addition, Zibilichhas redesigned the NVCnewsletter and directory and isworking to create new activities forthe organization’s nearly 400members.

The NVC and NOMA aregrateful to Zibilich for bringing herenergy and vision to the museum’scentennial year!—Virginia Panno,NVC Correspondent

NOMA AND TH

E COMMUNITY


SUPPORTING NOMA

PresideNt’s CirCle

Mr. and Mrs. John D. Bertuzzi

Mr. and Mrs. Sydney J. Besthoff III

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph O. Brennan

Collins C. Diboll Private Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. David F. Edwards

Dr. and Mrs. Ludovico Feoli

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Hansel

Ms. Adrea D. Heebe and

Mr. Dominick A. Russo, Jr.

Helis Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. David A. Kerstein

Mr. Paul J. Leaman, Jr.

Mrs. Paula L. Maher

Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Mayer

Mrs. Robert Nims

Mrs. Charles S. Reily, Jr.

Mrs. Françoise B. Richardson

Jolie and Robert Shelton

Mrs. Patrick F. Taylor

Zemurray Foundation

direCtOr’s CirCle

Mrs. Jack R. Aron

Mr. and Mrs. F. Macnaughton Ball, Jr.

The Booth-Bricker Fund

Mrs. Lawrence D. Garvey

Mrs. JoAnn Flom Greenberg

Mr. Jerry Heymann

Mr. and Mrs. Erik F. Johnsen

Mr. and Mrs. Peter R. Monrose, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Patrick

Mr. and Mrs. George Rodrigue

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Rodriguez, Jr.

Ms. Debra B. Shriver

Margaret B. and Joel J. Soniat

Dr. and Mrs. Richard L. Strub

PAtrON’s CirCle

Dr. Ronald G. Amedee and

Dr. Elisabeth H. Rareshide

Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Boh

Mr. E. John Bullard III

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Carey

Dr. and Mrs. Isidore Cohn, Jr.

Mrs. John J. Colomb, Jr.

Mr. Leonard A. Davis

Mr. and Mrs. Prescott N. Dunbar

Ms. Mignon Faget

Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Favrot, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. James J. Frischhertz

Mr. and Mrs. Edward N. George

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Heebe

Mrs. Gloria S. Kabacoff

Mr. Henry M. Lambert and

Mr. R. Carey Bond

Mr. and Mrs. H. Merritt Lane III

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Lemann

Dr. Edward D. Levy, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Thomas Lewis

Dr. and Mrs. E. Ralph Lupin

Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Masinter

Mr. Edward C. Mathes

Ms. Kay McArdle

Mr. and Mrs. R. King Milling

Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Moffitt

Robert and Myrtis Nims Foundation

Dr. Andrew Orestano

Dr. Howard and Dr. Joy D. Osofsky

Dr. and Mrs. James F. Pierce

Mr. and Mrs. James J. Reiss, Jr.

Dr. and Mrs. Edward F. Renwick

Mr. and Mrs. R. Randolph Richmond, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin M. Rosen

Mr. and Mrs. Brian A. Schneider

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Shearer

Mr. and Mrs. Lynes R. Sloss

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce L. Soltis

Ms. E. Alexandra Stafford and

Mr. Raymond M. Rathle, Jr.

Mrs. Frederick M. Stafford

Mrs. Harold H. Stream, Jr.

Mr. Stephen Stumpf

Mr. and Mrs. James L. Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. David S. Thomas, Jr.

Mrs. Hendrik Willem van Voorthuysen

Mrs. John N. Weinstock

Mrs. Henry H. Weldon

We appreciate the generous and continuing support of our Circle members.

Circles of the New Orleans Museum of Art

The NOMA Board of Trustees cordially invites you to join the Circles, the museum’s most prestigious membership group.

President’s Circle: $20,000

Director’s Circle: $10,000

Patron’s Circle: $5,000

UP G R A D E YO U R SU P P O RT O F NOMA

For more information, please call (504) 658-4107.

$100,000+the Helis Foundation

– Free Wednesdays for Louisianaresidents

save america’s treasures– Permanent collectionconservation

Zemurray Foundation– General operating support

$99,999 - $50,000the selley Foundation

– Art storage building renovationand website re-launch

$49,999 - $20,000 Heebe-russo Family

– Odyssey Ballrobert Lehman Foundation

– Ancestors of Congo Squarecatalogue

Luce Foundation– Kuntz Galleries renovation

the Lupin Foundation– Odyssey Ball

national endowment for thearts – Art storage building

renovationthe rosaMary Foundation

– General operating support

andy Warhol Foundation– Curatorial research

Whitney national bank–Art in Bloom

$19,999 - $10,000Garden study Club

– Centennial beautificationGoldring Family Foundation

– Odyssey BallJohn burton Harter Foundation

– Odyssey BallLouisiana endowment for

the arts – General operatingsupport

Morris G. and Paula L. MaherFoundation – Odyssey Ball

Jolie and robert shelton– Odyssey Ball

Mrs. Frederick M. stafford– Odyssey Ball

ruby K. Woerner Foundation– Programming

dathel and tommy Coleman – Art in BloomGeorges enterprises – Art in Bloomentergy – Art in Bloomeugenie and Joseph JonesFamily Foundation

– Art in Bloom

NOMA’s exhibitions and special programs are made possiblethrough the generosity of our sponsors. We are deeply gratefulto these friends for their continued commitment. If you wouldlike additional information on sponsorship, please contact themuseum’s Development Department at (504) 658-4107.

Program sponsors SUPPO

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PatronThe Sydney and Walda Besthoff Foundation

MasterChristie’s Fine Art AuctioneersDooky Chase’s RestaurantThe Schon Charitable Foundation

LeaderBoh Bros. Construction Co., L.L.C.Bolton FordHotel MonteleoneLaitram, L.L.C.New Orleans SilversmithsRathborne Companies East, L.L.C.The Times-Picayune

assoCiateBowie Lumber AssociatesM. S. Rau Antiques, L.L.C. Neal Auction Company, Inc.

ContributorA. L. Lowe Picture Framing Company As You Like It Silver ShopCoffee Roasters of New Orleans Gulf Coast BankHirsch Investment Management, L.L.C.Kentwood Spring Water, Inc. Mignon Faget, Ltd. Mudbug Media, Inc. Sisung Securities Corporation Wirthmore Antiques, Ltd.

The following corporate members make itpossible for NOMA to serve the public.

Corporate Membership

V O L U N T E E R S H O N O R E D AT

A N N U A L L U N C H E O N

ON JANUARY 30, 2011,NOMA celebrated our outstandingvolunteers with an awards ceremony andluncheon. Museum staff “volunteered” atthe event to serve the honorees – passingfood, bartending, and clearing plates.Local vendors generously donated waresand gift certificates for awards.

Docents, chamberlains, NVCmembers, and youth volunteers receivedawards in various categories, including“most hours” and “special recognition.”

This year’s Volunteer of the Year awardwent to Kay McCardle. “She’s doneeverything from working blockbusterexhibitions to chairing the NVC to servingon the Board of Trustees,” said KristenJochem, Development Associate for NVCFund-Raising. “Kay is dependable anddedicated,” added Brad J. Caldwell,Volunteer Coordinator. “She always goesabove and beyond.”

Thanks to all of our volunteers for theirvaluable contributions to NOMA.Volunteer of the Year Kay McArdle (front row

center) and family. Photography by Judy Cooper.


NOMA kicked off its centennial celebration

on January 8, 2011, with a jam-packed day

of free festivities. Attended by more than 1,500

people, the party started with the St. Aug

Marching 100, parading down Lelong Drive to the

steps of the museum. Dance, opera and other fine

arts performances, family art activities, face

painting, photographs by Dear World, delicious

BBQ by Ralph Brennan’s Courtyard Café and

birthday cake were all part of the fun.

On January 29, NOMA paid tribute to

Director Emeritus E. John Bullard, who is retiring

after thirty-seven years. The gala event saw a

receiving line of well-wishers snaking down the

red carpet and out the front steps of the museum.

Mayors Mitch Landrieu and Moon Landrieu were

among the more than 600 guests. Joe Simon Jazz

filled the Great Hall with classic jazz while party-

goers mingled, brandishing masks with Bullard’s

likeness. Thanks to Honorary Life Trustee Sandra

Draughn Freeman for chairing the organizing

committee for this fabulous celebration.

Centennial Kickoff

and Bullard Bash

Draw Crowds to NOMA

Photography © www.alokhin.com and ©www.dearworld.me


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John Bullard’s Retirement: 5. Lee Morais, Simon Gunning, Robert Tannen; 6. (Seated, left to right) Sandra Winns, VanessaSmith, Tameka Reynolds, Arcola Sutton, (Standing, left to right) Jermaine Reynolds, Byron Winbush, Roy Harrison; 7. CouncilmemberSusan G. Guidry, Bullard, Councilmember Jackie Clarkson; 8. Jean Taylor, Bullard, Sandra Draughn Freeman; 9. Bullard andNOMA Director Susan M. Taylor; 10. Verna Landrieu, Bullard, Moon Landrieu; 11. Robert Shelton, Bullard, Jolie Shelton;12. Walda Besthoff, Bullard, Sydney Besthoff; 13. Cheryl Landrieu, Bullard, Mayor Mitch Landrieu; 14. Judy Chicago and Bullard.Photographs by Judy Cooper.

5 6 7

8 9

10 11 12

13 14

NOMA FAMILY

February 28, 2011, was a

day of tears, laughter,

and fond reminiscing at

NOMA as friends and

colleagues gathered to

celebrate the life of longtime

decorative arts curator John

Webster Keefe (1941-2011).

His impeccable taste, prolific

scholarly production, and

larger-than-life personality

were recalled as a series of

speakers reflected on his

tremendous contribution to

the museum community.

“I called him the grand acquisitor,” said Director

Emeritus John Bullard, describing Keefe’s dedication

to building the decorative arts collection at NOMA.

A leading authority on Fabergé and Paris porcelain,

Keefe possessed vast art historical knowledge and a

keen eye for objects others might overlook. “He

could go into a flea market or an antique store and

find the one item that had real value and quality,”

Bullard said. Keefe’s passion and charisma helped

him build relationships with collectors, who, in turn,

were willing to trust their collections with NOMA.

Since joining the museum staff in 1983, Keefe

curated 112 exhibitions and contributed hundreds of

articles to Arts Quarterly and national publications

including The Magazine Antiques, Verandah, and

Southern Living. He also authored scores of museum

catalogues. All of these works were composed

longhand, on his signature yellow legal tablets. “No

one was a more gifted writer than John,” said Wanda

O’Shello, retired Publications Coordinator and Arts

Quarterly Editor. “Brilliance sprang from the pages of

those yellow tablets. And he never met a deadline he

couldn’t miss.”

Whether in writing or in person, sharing his

knowledge was another passion of Keefe’s. “John

was a born teacher. He shared his enthusiasm and

love of objects with everyone he met,” said Lisa

Rotondo-McCord, Assistant Director for Art at

NOMA. Sara Anderson, Keefe’s goddaughter,

described a dynamic, generous, and funny mentor,

always game for a children’s tea party or a play, who

began offering her tutorials in art when she was a

very young child: “Rococo is the flowers, and

Baroque is the angels.”

Others recalled fondly Keefe’s penchant for

storytelling, his irreverence, and his general zest for

life. “He never left his listener bereft,” said Stephen

Harrison, Curator of Decorative Art and Design at

the Cleveland Museum of Art. “John was a party

waiting to happen,” O’Shello said. “He never lost his

youthful exuberance.” “He had an infectious smile,”

recalled collector Jolie Shelton. In the final days of his

life, she added, she had never seen him so happy.

“All of you have wonderful memories of John,”

concluded Bullard. “The great thing is we can go

upstairs to the galleries and see his taste and his eye,

so he really will live forever here at the New Orleans

Museum of Art.”

Contributions in John’s honor may be made to the

John W. Keefe Memorial Fund at the New Orleans

Museum of Art.

Remembering John Webster Keefe

CHARITABLE GIFTSto NOMA

Make a lasting contribution to the museum witha gift of cash, stock, real estate, or otherassets. Such gifts may allow for significant taxsavings. For more information, please call(504) 658-4107.

April � May � June 201120 Arts��

Board of TRUSTEES (as of Februar y 2011)

Nat ional TRUSTEES

Stephen A. HanselAdrea D. HeebeMs. Allison KendrickSubhash KulkarniHenry LambertMayor Mitch LandrieuMrs. Merritt LanePaul J. MasinterMs. Kay McArdleAlvin Merlin, M.D.Mrs. R. King MillingMrs. Michael D. MoffittHoward J. Osofsky, M.D.,

Ph.D.Mrs. Robert J. PatrickMrs. James J. Reiss, Jr.Mrs. George RodrigueBrian SchneiderMrs. Jolie L. SheltonMrs. Lynes SlossE. Alexandra StaffordMrs. Richard L. StrubMrs. Kimberly Zibilich

Mrs. Charles B. Mayer,President

Mrs. James J. Frischhertz, Vice-President

E. Ralph Lupin, M.D., Vice-President

Phyllis M. Taylor, Vice-President

Timothy Francis, Treasurer Michael D. Moffitt, Secretary William D. Aaron, Jr. Mrs. John BertuzziMrs. Mark CareyEdgar L. Chase IIILeonard DavisDavid F. EdwardsH. M. “Tim” Favrot, Jr.Mrs. Ludovico FeoliJulie Livaudais GeorgeSusan G. Guidry, Council-

member District “A”Terence HallLee Hampton

H. Russell Albright, M.D.Mrs. Jack R. AronMrs. Edgar L. Chase, Jr.Isidore Cohn, Jr., M.D.Prescott N. DunbarS. Stewart FarnetSandra Draughn FreemanKurt A. Gitter, M.D.Mrs. H. Lloyd HawkinsMrs. Killian HugerMrs. Erik JohnsenRichard W. Levy, M.D.J. Thomas Lewis

Mrs. Paula L. MaherMrs. Frederick Muller, Jr.Mrs. Robert NimsMrs. Charles S. Reily, Jr.Mrs. Françoise Billion

RichardsonR. Randolph Richmond, Jr.Mrs. Frederick M. StaffordHarry C. StahelMrs. Moise S. Steeg, Jr.Mrs. Harold H. StreamMrs. James L. TaylorMrs. John N. Weinstock

Joseph BaillioMrs. Carmel CohenMrs. Mason GrangerJerry HeymannHerbert Kaufman, M.D.

Mrs. James PierceMs. Debra B. ShriverMrs. Billie Milam WeismanMrs. Henry H. Weldon

ED ITOR: Caroline GoyetteART D IRECTOR: Aisha ChampagnePR INT ING: DocuMart

Arts Quarterly (ISSN 0740-9214) is published by the New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA 70124.

© 2011, New Orleans Museum of Art. All rightsreserved. No part of this magazine may bereproduced or reprinted without permission of thepublisher.

SUPPORT ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The programs of the New Orleans Museum of Art aresupported by grants from the Louisiana State ArtsCouncil through the Louisiana Division of the Arts,the Arts Council of New Orleans, the New OrleansJazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation, theNational Endowment for the Arts, and the AmericanRecovery and Reinvestment Act.

MUSEUM HOURS

The museum is open Tuesday through

Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.,

and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed Monday and all legal holidays.

The Besthoff Sculpture Garden is open every day,

10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., except Fridays, when it is open

until 8:45 p.m. For information on upcoming

exhibitions and events at NOMA, please call

(504) 658-4100 or visit our website at www.noma.org.

Honorar y L i fe TRUSTEES

P. O. Box 19123New Orleans, LA 70179-0123

NON-PROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE

PAIDNEW ORLEANS

PERMIT #108

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