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.
Arts���������4 April � May � June 2011
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.
Arts��������� 5April � May � June 2011
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.
Arts���������6 April � May � June 2011
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.
Arts���������8 April � May � June 2011
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
Arts���������10 April � May � June 2011
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
Arts��������� 11April � May � June 2011
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
Arts���������12 April � May � June 2011
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
NO
MA
Director’s Dialogue: conversations
with america’s art museum leaDers
Arts���������14 April � May � June 2011
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.
Arts��������� 15April � May � June 2011
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
Arts���������16 April � May � June 2011
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
RTING
NO
MA
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.
Arts���������18 April � May � June 2011
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
Arts��������� 19April � May � June 2011
SUPPO
RTING
NO
MA
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
Arts���������
Recommended