goSmithsonian - February 2009 - (Page 11) D O N A L D W. R E Y N O L DS C E N T E R F O R A M E R I C A N A R T A N D P O R T R A I T U R E filled with 19th-century paintings and modern sculpture, 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. In the adjoining “Folk Art” galleries, is James Hampton’s The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly, a visionary and intensely religious work made from salvaged furniture and other found materials, including cardboard and old light bulbs, and covered in gold and silver foil. SECOND FLOOR “American Art Through 1940” links artworks, such as Frederic Auguste Bartholdi’s model for the Statue of Liberty and John Singer Sargent’s Gilded Age portraits, to American historical periods, dating from the founding of the Colonies to the New Deal era. In the south lobby is David Beck’s MVSEVM, a playful sculpture commissioned by the museum and inspired by the Neoclassical architecture of the building. Once opened, the model reveals tiny artifacts and artworks that reference the history and collections of both the Portrait Gallery and the American Art museum. THIRD FLOOR Modern and contemporary artworks are located on the top floor. Visit the “Lincoln Gallery,” where several powerful works are installed, including Jenny Holzer’s stunning column of light and text entitled For SAAM. See also: David Hockney’s Snails Space With V ari-Lites, “Painting as Performance” and Nam June Paik’s Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii. SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS “1934: A New Deal for Artists” (closes Jan. 3, 2010) “Graphic Masters I: Highlights From the Smithsonian American Art Museum” (closes May 25) “Accommodating Nature: The Photographs of Frank Gohlke” (closes March 3) “Jean Shin: Common Threads” (Opens May 1) Manhattan by Georgia O’Keeffe (1932) is on view on the first floor in the south wing of the American Art Museum. LINCOLN AT THE SMITHSONIAN GOSMITHSONIAN.COM/LINCOLN “The Honor of Your Company is Requested: President Lincoln’s Inaugural Ball” The museum celebrates the 16th president’s second inaugural ball, which was March 6, 1865, in what is now the museum’s historic home, with ephemera from the event, including an invitation, a menu and other artifacts. Fun for students: goSmithsonian.com/SIConnections DSMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM goSmithsonian.com 11 http://www.gosmithsonian.com/lincoln http://www.gosmithsonian.com/lincoln http://www.goSmithsonian.com/SIConnections http://www.goSmithsonian.com
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