Crystal Bridges art themes explained at tourism conference (updated)

Editor’s note: The themes described below ARE NOT how the art will be displayed or formally categorized at the museum. They are merely an observation about the themes that emerged as the art has been collected.

More than 500 tourism business owners and promoters listened to Don Bacigalupi outline the four themes of art to be on display when Crystal Bridges opens later this year in Bentonville.

The more than $50 million art museum is scheduled to open Nov. 11, 2011, and is funded primarily by Alice Walton, daughter of Wal-Mart Stores founders Helen and Sam Walton. It is estimated that 250,000 people a year with visit the museum.

According to the Crystal Bridges website, the more than 100-acre park and facility “is envisioned as a premier national art institution dedicated to American art and artists, learning and community gatherings.”

The buildings will include 100,000 square feet of gallery, library, meeting, and office space, a 250-seat indoor auditorium, areas for outdoor concerts and public events, gallery rooms suitable for large receptions, as well as sculpture gardens and walking trails.

“The museum will house a permanent collection of masterworks from American artists along with galleries dedicated to Native American and regional art and artists,” according to the museum website. “The permanent collection is composed of paintings and sculptures by American artists from the Colonial period through the modern era. In addition to the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions drawn from national institutions will be displayed in the museum.”

According to Bacigalupi, the museum’s executive director who spoke Tuesday (Mar. 8) in Little Rock during a luncheon at the Arkansas Governor’s Conference, four basic themes emerged during the collection of art that spans the 17th century to today.

• The Artist and Nature
Bacigalupi said this was an “obvious choice” for a theme because humans have for thousands of years sought to illustrate “their interaction with nature.” Think cave art, Bacigalupi noted.

In this theme is “Kindred Spirits,” an 1849 piece by Asher Durand. It is one of the more expensive paintings Alice Walton purchased for the museum.

• The Artist Innovator
Bacigalupi noted that artists are often at the forefront of society with respect to new technology, social issues, philosophy and other matters. He said the collection of art for Crystal Bridges reinforced that concept.

“There is an old line about artists being the canaries in the coal mine,” Bacigalupi said.

The 1874 painting of Professor Benjamin Howard Rand by Thomas Eakins is an example of art the museum will exhibit under this theme, Bacigalupi said.

Also under the artist as innovator is a 2005 piece by Devorah Sperber, “After The Last Supper.” Sperber used 20,736 spools of thread to create an upside down replica of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” When viewed through a certain lens, the image is seen in the correct position.

• Women in Art
Bacigalupi told the crowd that women are also great artists, but that society didn’t accept their contributions until the 20th and 21st centuries.

Art in this theme range from “A portrait of a girl and her dog,” by Susan Waters, and “Rosie the Riveter” by Norman Rockwell.

The theme also includes unique work from Karen LaMonte who uses a private process to great glass art of dresses and other clothing.

• American Artist on the Global Stage
This is a broad area, Bacigalupi said, that uses art to show how U.S. artists and art philosophy became more accepted globally as the country grew.

“Cupid and Psyche,” an 1808 piece by Benjamin West is one of the more prestigious works Crystal Bridges will showcase in this theme.

Bacigalupi said progress on the museum is on track, but it will be “a very tight race” to have it ready by the Nov. 11 target date.