goSmithsonian - February 2008 - (Page 10) SECOND FLOOR ” In “America’s Presidents, visit the nation’s only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House (permanent). Photographer David Scheinbaum’s 2002 image of KRS One is on view in “RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture.” THIRD FLOOR Four galleries opening onto the museum’s magnificent third-floor Great Hall showcase the major cultural, scientific and political figures of the 20th century in the exhibition “Twentieth-Century Americans” (permanent). On the third-floor mezzanine, “Bravo!” showcases portraits of performing artists from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. “Champions” salutes American sports figures whose impact has extended beyond the athletic realm and made them a part of the larger story of the nation (permanent). SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS “Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits” (closing March 2); “One Life: Kate: A Centennial Celebration” (portraits of Katharine Hepburn, closing Oct. 5); “RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture” (opening Feb. 8); “Portraits by Edward Steichen” (opening April 11); “Herblock’s Presidents: Puncturing Pomposity” (opening May 2); “Ballyhoo! Posters as Portraits” (opening May 9). The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), the nation’s first collection of American art, captures the aspirations, character and imagination of the American people from the Colonial period to today. The museum is a center for the study, enjoyment and preservation of America’s rich artistic and cultural heritage. FOR FAMILIES Go to the information desk on the third-floor mezzanine to learn about the Luce Foundation Center’s scavenger hunt. At the information desks on the main floor, ask about other free monthly programs like “SAAM I AM” family days, artist demonstrations and musical performances. FIRST FLOOR Paintings by Edward Hopper entice visitors to the “American Experience” introductory galleries near the lobby. These galleries explore the defining role of land in the American imagination, and include more than 50 images selected from photographer Lee Friedlander’s series The American Monument (1963-2001), an invaluable exploration and commemoration of the nation’s public sculpture. 10 www.goSmithsonian.com DAVID SCHEINBAUM; © DAVID SCHEINBAUM; © 2007 JENNY HOLZER/MEMBER ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NY, PHOTO: GENE YOUNG Artist Jenny Holzer’s recently created For SAAM, a column of light and text for the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). Smithsonian American Art Museum http://www.goSmithsonian.com
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