When: through February 28, 2017
In honor of the opening of the African American museum, the SAAM is promoting its collection of art by African-Americans. You pick up a brochure at the information desk and make your way around the museum, picking out the works described. It can be challenging, as you don't get a photo of each work, and not all of them are on display at any one time.
My personal favorite work by an African-American (in fact, my favorite thing at any Smithsonian Museum) is the tin foil sculpture pictured above. It has a new display area, which I like very much. Its message, "Fear Not" is one we can all relate to from time to time.
When I went treasure-hunting for the featured works, I also walked through the Hall of Presidents, which will shortly close for refurbishment. I'll be sure to report on what the new display looks like when it re-opens.
I also took a quick look at the Trump portrait. He's tossing an apple, which I think is both a nod to Magritte's famous work, and to Trump's success in Manhattan real estate. In my opinion, it's also a representation of his own character - a rotten apple, indeed.
Verdict: I like the idea of pointing out works by African-Americans to visitors, but a more detailed brochure would have made finding the pieces easier.
No comments:
Post a Comment