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January25,2021
TheSniteMuseumofArtacquiresaworkbyMagnumPhotographerAlexMajolifromTheEyeoftheStormseries
NotreDame,IN:TheSniteMuseumofArtattheUniversityofNotreDamehasaddedanimportantphotographbyMagnumphotographerAlexMajolifromhisTheEyeoftheStormseries.ShotinNovara,Italy,in2020duringtheCOVID-19pandemic,Scene#2756,Novara,Italy,2020,capturesthemomentwhenapriestblessescoffinsthathavejustarrivedatthecemeterybyItalianArmytrucksfromnearbyBergamo.ThisimagebringsintosharpfocusthepainfulandtragicextentthatnorthernItalysufferedduringthefirstoutbreakoftheCOVID-19pandemic.Italy’sdeathtollwasthehighestinEuropeduringthefirstmonthsoftheoutbreak,andthecountrycouldbarelykeepupwiththetransportationofcoffinsforburial.ThephotographwasanacquisitionproposedbytheMuseum’sPhotoFutures,astudentseminarledbytheCuratorofAcademicProgramsandCuratorofPhotographs.Designedforstudentsofanymajor,thisco-curricularprogramaddressesissuesrelatedtomuseum-collecting,contemporaryphotography,andsociallyengagedartisticpractice.Studentscritiqueindividualphotographsandevaluateartists'portfolioswhileengagingincriticaldiscussionswiththeartists,Museumcurators,andselectfaculty.Thisfall,studentshadtheuniquechallengeofacquiringaphotographthataddressesourcurrenthistoricalmoment.Theystate:
Thisphotographincludesmanyofthehallmarkelementsofdailylifeundertheconditionsofthepandemic.Theprieststandsaloneinamask,evendistancedfromthecoffinswhichcontaintheCOVID-19victims.Thehauntinglonelinessofthepieceandthesolitaryfigurerelatetothecontextoflockdownsandquarantineperiods,whichalterednormaleverydayactivitiesandtransformedbustlingpublicplacesandcitystreetsintoghosttownsovernight.Theartist’schoiceofblackandwhiteaddstothemelancholytonewhilealsoeliminatinganysenseofthetimeofday,whichrecallsthedisorientationoflifeunderlockdown....
[Majoli’sphotograph]bringstomindoursharedhumanityincontrastwiththemechanizedanddehumanizedprocessofhandlingthehighvolumeofCOVID-19victims.Thepresenceofreligionalsoevokesathemeofgriefandthewaysinwhichhumanbeingsfindcomfortwhenconfrontedwithloss.Althoughtheconditionsofthepandemicprecludedfuneralsandreligiousservicesfromtakingplace,thepriestpreservessomemeasureofhumandignity,evenindeath,throughhisactofblessingthesecoffins....
AlexMajoli,Scene#2756,Novara,Italy,2020,archivalpigmentprint.SniteMuseumofArt,UniversityofNotreDame.MillyandFritzKaeserEndowmentforPhotography,2020.024AlexMajoli(b.1971,Ravenna,Italy)isaphotographerwhosedramaticblack-and-whitephotographsfocusonthehumanconditionandthenarrativesofourdailylives.Knownfordocumentingconflictsworldwide,hehascoveredthefalloftheTalibanregimeinAfghanistanandtheinvasionofIraq.HehascontributedtoNewsweek,TheNewYorkTimesMagazine,Granta,andNationalGeographic,amongotherpublications.Majoliistherecipientofmanyawards,includingtheGuggenheimFellowship(2015),theEugeneSmithGrant(2017),theGettyImagesGrantforEditorialPhotography(2009),andtheInfinityAwardforPhotojournalism(2003).AmemberofMagnumPhotossince2001,hesplitshistimebetweenNewYorkandSicily.
MEDIACONTACT:Ifyouwouldlikehigh-resolutionimagesorin-depthinformation,pleasecontactGinaCosta,MarketingandPublicRelationsProgramManager,(574)631-4720,[email protected],UniversityofNotreDameConsideredoneoftheleadinguniversityartmuseumsinAmerica,theSniteMuseum'spermanentcollectioncontains30,000worksthatrepresentmanyculturesandperiodsofworldarthistory.ExceptionalholdingsincludetheJackandAlfriedaFeddersenCollectionofRembrandtEtchings,theNoahL.andMurielS.ButkinCollectionof19th-CenturyFrenchArt,theJohnD.ReillyCollectionofOldMasterand19th-CenturyDrawings,theJanosScholzCollectionof19th-CenturyEuropeanPhotographs,theMr.andMrs.RussellG.AshbaughJr.CollectionofMeštrovićSculptureandDrawings,theGeorgeRickeySculptureArchive,andtheVirginiaA.MartenCollectionof18th-CenturyDecorativeArts.OthercollectionstrengthsincludeOlmecandMesoamericanart,20th-centuryart,andNativeAmericanart.SculptureisdisplayedintheMaryLorettoandTerrenceJ.DillonCourtyardandinTheCharlesB.HayesFamilySculpturePark.SniteMuseumofArt Hours:TheUniversityofNotreDame DuetorestrictionsbytheUniversityof100MooseKrauseCircle NotreDameduringtheCOVID-19NotreDame,IN46556 pandemic,theSniteMuseumofArtisPhone:(574)631-5466 currentlyopenonlytoUniversityofFax:(574)631-8501 NotreDame,SaintMary’sCollege,[email protected] HolyCrossCollegestudents,staff,andsniteartmuseum.nd.edu faculty.Directions:nd.edu/visitors/directions Admissionisfree.
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