SPRING 2025 / EXHIBITIONS, EVENTS & MORE
THE CAUSE OF ART IS THE CAUSE OF THE PEOPLE Those words byWilliamMorris, inscribed in stone above the museum’s front entrance, exemplify our longstandingmission to bring the power of art to the greatest possible number of people. Your support for the museum continues this important tradition of connecting art and the public. Learn more at amam.oberlin.edu/support. FROM THE DIRECTOR It is with enormous pleasure that I have returned to the Allen as interimdirector, a position I’ve held on three previous occasions since 2003. I am honored to be supporting the museum once again as we undergo a leadership transition. We all owe a debt of gratitude to former director Andria Derstine, nowDeputy Director and Chief Curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art. In every part of her life at Oberlin and the Allen, she made a difference, with her optimism, enthusiasm, and willingness to give every topic due consideration, transforming the complex into the manageable. In my role as consultant to the museum, I worked with Andria throughout her 18 years here, so I can say, without reservation, that she has prepared the museum for a bright future. As I write this, a search committee, comprising Oberlin College faculty, administrative staff, andmembers of the Allen’s Visiting Committee is hard at work on finding her successor. I must also note, with sadness, the passing this past October of Carl R. Gerber (OC 1958). A longtime supporter of the Allen, including 16 years as chair of our Visiting Committee, and a loyal alumnus of Oberlin, Carl was instrumental in ensuring the museum’s success through generous gifts of artworks, funds both to purchase artworks and for general needs, and the establishment of an endowed fund to support acquisitions of contemporary art in perpetuity. His advice and encouragement to members of our staff, and his outreach on behalf of the museum have significantly enhanced the Allen and the value of an Oberlin education. He will be greatly missed. 87 North Main Street Oberlin, Ohio 44074 440-775-8665 amam.oberlin.edu Tue–Sat / 10 am–5 pm Sun / 1–5 pm Mon / Closed Always Free Cover: Students from the Oberlin College Dance Department presented Rising Again: Re-imagining “Stop the Church” at a symposium on HIV/AIDS, Christianity, and art held in November at the Allen. Photo by Mike Crupi. TANYA ROSEN-JONES EDITOR/DESIGNER Stacie Ross, Communications Director sross3@oberlin.edu CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SamAdams, Ellen Johnson ’33 Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Emily French, InterimCurator of Academic Programs Rory Gielty (OC 2027), Communications Assistant Jill Greenwood, Eric & Jane Nord Family Curator of Education CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE ALLEN? Search the entire collection online: amam.oberlin.edu/collection Take a deep dive into highlights from the collection with the Allen App: allen.stqry.app Visit the galleries, changing exhibitions, and the Frank LloydWright house virtually with Allen Augmented Reality: amam.oberlin.edu/aar DON’T MISS A THING Follow us @allenartmuseum Sign up for our e-newsletter: amam.oberlin.edu/e-news GROUP TOURS Free guided tours are available for adults and K–12 visitors. For information, please call 440-775-8166 or email education.amam@oberlin.edu.
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 3 This spring we are delighted to present three concurrent exhibitions highlighting stunning works from the renowned collection of Driek (OC 1965) and Michael (OC 1964) Zirinsky. Both retired professors, the Zirinskys are based in Boise, Idaho and have spent decades forming an important collection of contemporary art. The dynamic selections shown here are all from an extraordinary gift to the Allen featuring a wide variety of more than 170 works from regional, national, and international artists expressing a range of processes and ideas that foster personal connections for visitors. For the last few years, the Zirinskys have focused on finding good homes for some of their holdings. In addition to Oberlin, works by British artists have gone to the Yale Center for British Art in Connecticut. TheWhatcomMuseum in Bellingham, Washington, has also received works from the Zirinskys. Their incredibly generous intention to share their artworks enriches communities across the country. In addition, the fruits of our Academic Programs department’s work can be seen in two exhibitions organized through partnerships with faculty and students taking courses in History and East Asian Studies. And, as the program calendar indicates, the activities of our Education department offer opportunities for communitywide engagement with works on view throughout the museum. This dedicated, creative team never fails to promote the experience of wonder and the power of art to transform our understanding of the world. For many years now, the Allen’s staff, the Visiting Committee, and the leadership of Oberlin College have been considering the possibility of expanding the museum’s facility. For such an undertaking, a feasibility study is often the first major step in the early museumplanning process helping to establish the conceptual parameters for design, construction, and operations. With funding generously provided by the Visiting Committee and other friends of the museum, since this past October, we have been working on such a study with Ennead Architects, a New York- based firm. Listening carefully to input from museum and college staff and stakeholders, the Ennead team has helped us define our priorities for an expansion. We look forward to receiving their report later this spring. And finally, I couldn’t be more pleased to share with you the news that, thanks to an extraordinary gift from Ted Nowick and Robert Taylor, the Allen is celebrating the creation of a new staff position: the Nowick-Taylor Deputy Director. These enlightened donors realized that with the museum’s pending expansion and its ever-increasing role at Oberlin and in the surrounding community, this position—which will be filled by the new director—is very much needed. We are truly grateful for Ted and Robert’s unwavering support. As always, we hope to welcome you to the museum in the comingmonths. Please come visit us, engage with our Oberlin-student Gallery Guides, and expand your horizons through art! Katie Solender (OC 1977) Interim John G. W. Cowles Director This early 1900s architectural rendering showcases the original plan for the Allen Memorial Art Museum, designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert and completed in 1917. Gilbert, celebrated for iconic structures like theWoolworth Building in New York and the U.S. Supreme Court building inWashington, D.C., infused the museum’s design with the grandeur of Tuscan Renaissance architecture to inspire a connection to the art of the past. In 1977, a groundbreaking addition by Robert Venturi, a pioneer of postmodern architecture, elevated the Allen as a landmark of design innovation. As the museum continues to grow and adapt, these architectural milestones underscore the ongoing need for expansion to meet the evolving needs of its visitors and collections while preserving the rich legacy of the museum and Oberlin College.
4 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU ON VIEW / THE ZIRINSKY COLLECTION EXPANDING HORIZONS IN CONTEMPORARY ART This spring, the Allen honors a landmark contribution fromOberlin alumni Driek (OC 1965) and Michael (OC 1964) Zirinsky. Over the years, the Zirinskys have donatedmore than 170 works of contemporary art, enriching the museum’s ability to share diverse perspectives and amplify the voices of artists from communities around the globe. Both retired professors, the Zirinskys began collecting contemporary art with a focus on diversity decades before it became a priority in many U.S. museums. Their approach was deliberate and thoughtful—working closely with artists, residency programs, and small galleries to ensure their acquisitions directly supported artists. The impact of their generosity is evident throughout the museum, where their gifts allow visitors to engage with a broad range of stories and cultural dialogues. The Allen is proud to celebrate the Zirinskys’ visionary contributions, which continue to shape its mission of inclusivity and artistic exploration. NORTHWEST AMBULATORY / JAN 2–JUN 15 Video Space: Omer Fast Berlin-based artist Omer Fast avails himself of the conventions of documentary filmwhile undermining its pretense of factualness. Godville features interviews Fast conducted with resident-actors in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Living and working in a town preserved as an 18th-century livingmuseum, the film’s subjects seem to have internalized their role-playing. Godville demonstrates how fictions and simulations inform contemporary notions of history and erode the stability of truth. Organized by SamAdams, Ellen Johnson ’33 Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, and Dlisah Lapidus (OC 2026) Omer Fast (Israeli, b. 1972), Godville (video still), 2005. 2023.1.87A-E. Kyohei Sakaguchi (Japanese, b. 1978), A Japanese Restaurant!?, 2006. 2023.1.29. Tomiyuki Sakuta (Japanese, b. 1960), Person 1, 2015–16. 2017.35.3. Jeffrey Gibson (Mississippi Band Choctaw/Cherokee, b. 1972), Stranger, No. 17, 2008. 2023.1.9.
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 5 ELLEN JOHNSON GALLERY / JAN 10–JUN 1 Border Crossings: ContemporaryArt fromthe Zirinsky Collection Driek Zirinsky is Dutch American and Michael Zirinsky spent part of his youth in Iran. Their longstanding interest in border crossings drew them to artworks that approach geopolitics and identity-based issues with a disarming sense of humor. The artists whose work they chose to live with— and ultimately to give to Oberlin College—shed light on marginalized experiences and reclaim agency over the ways in which such narratives are framed. Artists in the exhibition include Ghada Amer, Natalie Ball, Ambreen Butt, Raven Chacon, Enrique Chagoya, Mel Chin, Olafur Eliasson, Jeffrey Gibson, Jennie C. Jones, Roman Ondak, Jean Shin, Dayanita Singh, Stephanie Syjuco, Marie Watt, Wendy Red Star, and Dyani White Hawk. Organized by SamAdams, Ellen Johnson ’33 Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, with Dlisah Lapidus (OC 2026) STERN & RIPIN GALLERIES / JAN 31–JUN 29 Shadows of Meaning, Echoes of Memory: Works fromthe Zirinsky Collection This exhibition is divided into two parts: one in the Stern Gallery and the other in the Ripin Gallery. In Ripin, the exhibition features works by Asian and Asian American artists that explore themes of history, memory, and identity, exemplified in Dinh Q. Lê’s Russian Roulette and Xiaoze Xie’s March 2002, P. P-G. Works by Peng Hung-Chih, Xu Bing, and Haegue Yang, further explore these themes while highlighting the complexities of howwe record and transmit meaning. In the Stern Gallery, Laleh Khorramian, Tomiyuki Sakuta, and Haoyu Xu create abstract worlds where perception and imagination intermingle. Xu Bing, Zhang Yunling, and Zhi Lin revisit landscapes filtered through lenses of language, history, and cultural remembrance. Chul Soo Lee, Boonmee Sangkhum, andWal Chirachaisakul present Buddhistinflectedmeditations on mortality. Finally, Masao Yamamoto, Kyohei Sakaguchi, and Xiaoze Xie draw attention to forgotten things: photos kept in boxes, books on shelves, or even people. Organized by Kevin R. E. Greenwood, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art, with Joanne Kim (OC 2026) “ Theworks are, in some sense, ‘my children,’ so I’mhappy that they are at Oberlin. But most thrilling is the way they are used at theAllen by both faculty and students.” — Driek Zirinsky Wendy Red Star (American, Apsáalooke/Crow, b. 1981), Her Dreams are True (Julia Bad Boy), 2021. 2023.1.1. Ghada Amer (Egyptian, b. 1963), Reza Farkhondeh (Iranian, b. 1963), The Perfumed Garden, 2005. 2021.59.13. Xu Bing (Chinese, b. 1955), Landscript: Revisit, 2001. 2023.1.44. Stephanie Syjuco (Filipino-American, b. 1974), Green Ride, 2005. 2023.1.41.
ON VIEW / EAST GALLERY / ONGOING YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT (OUT OF) As the only space in the museumwhere all artwork is displayed behind glass, the East Gallery is used for receptions and a monthly “Tuesday Tea” series. Two newly installed display cases build on these themes of leisure and consumption, while also highlighting the artistic legacies of Surrealism and Pop Art. Following the atrocities of WorldWar I, artists and writers turned away from logic and sought deeper meaning in the unconscious. In one display case, the foundational Surrealists Man Ray and Jean Arp are joined by contemporary artists Betty Tompkins and Bonnie Seeman, who extend interwar engagements with the uncanny into the present. The other display case tracks art and design developments fromArt Deco to Pop Art. 1930s industrial design drew inspiration from the aerodynamic forms of trains, planes, and cars. Three decades after those designers sought to bring avant-garde design to the mass market, Pop Artists did almost the opposite by adoptingmechanical techniques to produce fine art. Art Deco designs displayed alongside objects such as Roy Lictenstein’s dinner set demonstrate the 1960’s disintegration of distinctions between highbrow and lowbrow, or fine art and popular culture. The East Gallery has servedmany functions, from a library to a display for glass goblets, but until now it has seldom featuredmodern and contemporary works from the Allen’s collection. Next time you’re enjoying refreshments in the East Gallery, these displays may cause you to think twice about what you were served out of, what you’re eating on, and how those quotidian objects contribute to the history of design. Organized by SamAdams, Ellen Johnson ’33 Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Above: Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923–1997), Place Setting, Including Dinner Plate, Soup Dish, Salad Plate, Dessert Plate, Saucer, and Tea Cup, 1966. Glazed pottery. Charles F. Olney Fund, 1966.28A-F. Below: Bonnie Seeman (American, b. 1969), Oval Dish, 2004. Porcelain. Gift of Martin Kline in honor of Andria Derstine’s 10th Anniversary as Director, 2022.46. 6 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 7 ON VIEW / RIPIN GALLERY / JAN 31–AUG 10 HOGARTH’S PROGRESS English artist WilliamHogarth (1697–1764) used his art to hold up a moralizing mirror to all levels of 18th-century society. From rakes to harlots and aristocrats to the clergy—no one was exempt from his biting yet humorous art. In 1731, Hogarth began creating a series of artworks that he termed “modern moral subjects,” which focused on the immoral nature of contemporary London while satirizing the vice and folly of his characters. This exhibition focuses on his first two series: The Harlot’s Progress, which is a narrative in six scenes, and The Rake’s Progress, which is completed in eight scenes. These sets, offered on subscription, sold out quickly because they were immensely popular with people from all walks of life in England. Hogarth’s term “progress” was inspired by the book The Pilgrim’s Progress, first published by the English author John Bunyan in 1678. However, unlike the protagonists in Bunyan’s moralizing Christian allegory, Hogarth’s “Harlot” and “Rake” do not grow or learn from life’s experiences. Instead, Hogarth’s narrative series exposes the shallowness of aristocracy, the vices and indulgences of modern London, and showcases complicated ideas in a new form of visual theater. Organized by Marlise Brown, Associate Curator of European and American Art WilliamHogarth (English, 1697-1764), The Harlot’s Progress, Plate 2. Etching and engraving. Annie A. Wager Bequest, 1975.196.
8 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU ON VIEW / RIPIN GALLERY / JAN 31–AUG 10 TRICKSTER SPIRITS: DEMONS, FOXES, AND TENGU IN JAPANESE FOLKLORE The enigmatic figures of demons, foxes, and tengu are three unique facets of Japan’s rich cultural heritage, each embodying both menace andmystique. Demons, or oni, are fearsome creatures representing chaos andmalevolence; their formidable appearance and chilling stories about them invoke awe and dread. In contrast, the fox, or kitsune, is revered for its magical shapeshifting powers and dual nature, often depicted as a benevolent guardian as well as a cunning trickster. Meanwhile, the tengu, with their birdlike features and skill with weapons, straddle the line between supernatural menace and revered protectors of the mountains. This exhibition brings together a selection of artworks that explore the legendary history of these beings. The works on view present a rich tapestry of Japanese cultural imagination as expressed in the traditional arts of painting, printmaking, and decorative arts—along with contemporary examples frompopular culture. Classic legends of demons, foxes, and tengu captivate with tales that range from terrifying to touching, from creepy to comical. But on a deeper level, this exhibition decodes the multilayered symbolism of these beings and considers how the folklore surrounding demons, foxes, and tengu may reflect traditional societal anxieties, gender dynamics, andmoral values. These trickster spirits reveal a world where the boundaries between reality andmyth blur. Organized by Mimi Montefiore (OC 2025) and Kevin R. E. Greenwood, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art. Special thanks to Max Greenwood. Above: Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳 (Japanese, 1797–1861), Itabana: Ushiwakamaru Fencing with the Tengu at Mt. Kurama, no. 15 from the series The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidō, 1852. Color woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper. Mary A. Ainsworth Bequest, 1950.602. Below: Yōshū Chikanobu 楊洲周延 (Japanese, 1838–1912), Taira no Koremochi and the Demon of Mt. Tagakushi, 1848. Color woodblock print. Allen Memorial Art Museum, 1943.299. Right: Utagawa Hiroshige I 初代目歌川広重 (Japanese, 1797–1858), Evening Bell at Ikegami, ca. 1837-38. Color woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper. Mary A. Ainsworth Bequest, 1950.1037.
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 9 ON VIEW / RIPIN GALLERY / JAN 31–AUG 10 EIGHT VIEWS: PLACE, PICTURE, AND POEM IN EAST ASIA The Eight Views tradition, originating in 11th-century China, demonstrates how East Asian artists have historically engaged with nature through art. Rather than simple landscape documentation, these works capture specific atmospheric moments—night rain, descending geese, temple bells—creating a sophisticated vocabulary of environmental and spiritual expression influenced by earlier poets like Dù Fǔ 杜甫 (712–770 CE). When Japanese artists adopted the Eight Views in the 16th century, they often situated the tradition in their local environments, particularly around Lake Biwa near Kyoto and Edo (modern Tokyo). They reinterpreted Chinese thematic elements through their own cultural lens. Through woodblock prints by artists like Hiroshige, these environmental perspectives became widely accessible. Emphasizingmultiple viewpoints, this artistic tradition offers valuable insights for contemporary environmental discourse. Artists depicted various relationships with nature, frompanoramic mountain vistas to intimate seasonal changes, suggesting a deep understanding of ecological connections. These artworks often incorporate texts— poems, place names, or poetic titles—highlighting their cultural significance. The Eight Views’s journey fromChina to Japan shows the role of the arts in transmitting knowledge and culture. Today, as regions across East Asia continue to designate their own Eight Scenic Views, these landscapes serve as cultural markers and focal points for environmental preservation. This centuries-old tradition reminds us that appreciation and stewardship of natural landscapes have long been fundamental to East Asian cultural consciousness, providing historical context for modern environmental literacy. Organized by Kevin R. E. Greenwood, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art; and Ann Sherif, Professor of Japanese; with Mei Corliss (OC 2027), Jackson Davies (OC 2026), Michelle Chen (OC 2027), Phebe Grandison (OC 2027), Thea Larks (OC 2027), Gabe Liftman (OC 2026), Greta Lee (OC 2026), Phoebe McChesney (OC 2025), Zala Mendelson (OC 2026), Julianna Reineks (OC 2026), Bangbo Sun (OC 2024), Elliot Ungar (OC 2026), and Zaden Viola (OC 2026).
10 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU ON VIEW / SOUTHWEST AMBULATORY / JAN 17–JUL 20 SCIENCE ON DISPLAY: CULTURAL EXPERIMENTS IN EARLY MODERN SCIENCE The early modern period (1500– 1800) was marked by a newfound interest in the study of the natural world. European scholars encountered, examined, and circulated familiar and novel plants alike, documenting their origins and characteristics and displaying them in print and in the first museums created from their collections. This hands-on approach was mirrored by surgeons and doctors who studied the human body in anatomy theaters and sought to lay bare its secrets. Inherited systems of classification from ancient thinkers like Aristotle, Galen, Pliny, and Dioscorides gave way to a new emphasis on empirical learning and fresh debates on the natural order of things. These developments made people reconsider not only the relationship between humans and plants but also the social hierarchies within European society. Empirical but lower-status practitioners like apothecaries, barber-surgeons, anatomists, and gardeners challenged the way that knowledge was produced and called into question previous academic authorities. In doing so, they gave themselves a place in the Scientific Revolution. This exhibition, drawn from the Allen’s collection, showcases the innovation that characterized scientific andmedical thought during the early modern period, both within the academy and the spaces of practitioners. Comparing these works offers opportunities to consider the myriad ways new knowledge was produced and displayed in this moment of change. It also makes one ask: whose contributions are seen as valid, and why? Organized by EllenWurtzel, Associate Professor of History; HannahWirta Kinney, former Curator of Academic Programs; Marlise Brown, Associate Curator of European and American Art; with assistance fromElsa Friedmann (OC 2024), and students in Of Miracles and Microscopes: A History of Science from 1200–1800 (History 208). Top: WilliamHogarth (English, 1697–1764), The Reward of Cruelty, plate 4 from the series The Four Stages of Cruelty, 1751. Etching and engraving. Annie A. Wager Bequest, 1975.232. Bottom: Italian , Faenza, Maiolica Apothecary Jars with Floral Decoration and Medallion of a Cherub and Trophies, 1569. Pottery with cream yellow glaze. Gift of Robert Lehman, 1944.39, 1944.40.
ON VIEW / EDUCATION HALLWAY / FEB 4–AUG 3 MULTIPLES AND MODES OF ACCESS Art techniques that produce multiples have been widely adopted by artists in a variety of mediums. In printmaking, Ukiyo-e woodblock prints from Japan (17th–19th centuries) were produced in the thousands, though each impression would have slight differences due to the wear of the wood over time, or variations in the application of ink. Today, digital printingmethods, at the intersection of art and technology, also come with subtle differences, from the type of printer used to how final products are manually finished. The sculptural works included in this exhibition are also multiples, as they are part of a series, created en masse, or as a set, spanning the 1100s through the present. This exhibition multiplies works of art through a variety of forms, such as braille translation, large text labels, audio descriptions, tactile graphics, and 3D prints. Emphasizing that accessibility initiatives benefit all, these multimodal recreations function as tools for learning for every visitor through sound, touch, and sight. Organized by Ellis Lane (OC 2022), Curatorial Assistant, Education Department Unrecorded artist (Tesuque Pueblo, NewMexico), Statuette of a Rain God, early 20th century. Pottery. Allen Memorial Art Museum, 1900.123C. THE WELTZHEIMER/JOHNSON HOUSE SERVES AS A SPECIAL GATHERING PLACE FOR THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY Recently, various campus groups visited the Oberlin College-ownedWeltzheimer/Johnson House designed by Frank LloydWright. In August, the Allen partnered with the Multicultural Resource Commons to facilitate a dialogue on the topic of “home,” using the house and an artwork by Faith Ringgold as the centerpieces for discussion. The house offered the perfect place for alumni working on campus to join in meaningful conversation and to share a meal on the patio. In October, Administrative and Professional Staff came together for an informational tour and light refreshments after work. Suzanne Denneen and Ann Stricklen, both members of the A&PS Social Committee, worked with Jill Greenwood to plan a relaxing evening surrounded by the changing colors of fall. Instead of Fallingwater, it was falling leaves. AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 11
12 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU HIGHLIGHT / MUSEUM SECURITY THE ART OF MUSEUM PROTECTION Standing watch over priceless masterpieces and ensuring the safety of visitors and staff alike, museum security officers play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of cultural institutions, balancing vigilance with approachability as they protect both the tangible and intangible. Frommonitoring surveillance systems to handling unpredictable challenges with calmprofessionalism, museum security keep history and creativity accessible to all. With more than 15,000 works of art in the collection, safety is a top priority at the Allen. The museum takes pride in its highly experienced team of security professionals, who work hard to protect everything the museum has to offer. The team of five has a tightknit bond and communication style that keeps everything running smoothly. Will Grantham Jerry Franciscus Devin Moon Roger Goff is an accomplished veteran, serving the New Jersey National Guard and Georgia Department of Corrections in many positions before settling down in Oberlin. He was hired as the Allen’s Manager of Property Protection in September. Goff was looking for a change after a 24-yearcareer in the military and law enforcement. He was eager to transfer some of the skills he had learned to a different environment. He draws parallels between the two fields: “In corrections, you have to make sure things are secure: inmates don’t escape and no one gets in. Here, we have to protect the collections and people. Public safety is similar.” Leondist DuVall has worked for Oberlin College for 27 years, previously as Campus Safety Supervisor. He brings this wealth of experience at the college to the Allen as Assistant Manager of Property Protection. He works in tandemwith Goff to lead the team of security officers. “I feel like I can excel here; it’s a really good challenge,” DuVall said. “Roger and I have the same vision on how to treat people. I love coming to work and being amazed by such a talented team.” Both DuVall and Goff emphasize the importance of communication within their team. “When we meet in the morning, we put together a game plan fromwhere we left off the day before. We knowwhat we have to do before it happens,” DuVall said. Officer Devin Moon says that consistency is key when it comes to museum operations and security: “We need to be consistently good people, consistently on time, and consistent in our routine as officers.” Moon is outgoing and loves to talk to guests at the Allen. He greets every student and visitor, and focuses on spreading his “positive energy.” He brings his extroverted personality to the Allen from his experience working as a resource officer in charter schools. The security team has fostered a friendly and warm environment among all its members. “The camaraderie we have, as officers, is the camaraderie we want,” Goff said. “Working together with the museum curators and other staffmembers has also been a positive experience.” “I love to pick the brains of the staff who see so many works of art,” said Moon, who dabbles in art himself. “I’m sure I ask the most questions out
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 13 of anyone, because everyone is so intelligent and you can see their passion for art come out when they talk. It’s so clear that they love what they do.” Before joining the Allen’s team, officer Will Granthamworked security at Mercy Health’s Lorain hospital for 11 years. Interacting with staffmembers and the Volunteer Guild are some of his favorite things about the position. He prefers the museum environment compared to the high-stress conditions of a medical center. “I feel like I belong here. Everyone’s always in a great mood, and we all do what we can to uplift each other,” Grantham said. “This is the first job where I can truly say I love my coworkers: we all want to make the museum a pleasant place for everyone, both staff and students.” Jerry Franciscus has worked in the security field for 31 years prior to joining the Allen’s team. Compared to his past positions at a juvenile detention center and as a guard for the city of Lakewood’s parks, he finds working at the museum is calmer. He enjoys working with students, watching them in the classroom and attending their presentations. “I haven’t had to tackle an art thief or break up any fights, but there are lots of little things you have to pay attention to,” Franciscus said. “You can tell when someone walks “ Communication goes bothways: down and up. I encourage feedback. I ask, ‘what’s working?’ or ‘what’s not working?’We sync our priorities, from howmany classeswe have coming in, to what doorswe need to open.We all need to be on the same page.” — Roger Goff, Manager of Property Protection Roger Goff and Leondist DuVall through a certain gallery by the specific way the floor creaks.” The officers have developed an interest in the art. DuVall enjoys learning about artworks from the curators. Goff is fascinated by the older objects in collections. Grantham loves howmuch he’s learned about different art movements and styles since starting work here. “Anything and everything could be considered art. I didn’t consider the diversity of art until I began working here,” Franciscus said. His favorite object in the Allen’s collection is a painting of Saint Sebastian because of its rich symbolism: “It unfortunately reflects the world today just as much as it did back then. People are victimized for their beliefs, who they are, and what they stand for. We’re caught in the same cycle we were thousands of years ago.” The Allen’s security team safeguards artworks, staff, and guests—but that’s not all. Individual officers are friendly and knowledgeable faces working to promote a welcomingmuseum environment. Together, the officers’ synergy, stellar communication, and commitment to surveillance make the Allen as secure as possible. MIKE CRUPI
14 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU Emily French and students from an opera class discuss an artwork from 15th to 16th-century Sierra Leone, West Africa. Opera students studyWhitfield Lovell’s Monde (2007).
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 15 HIGHLIGHT / ACADEMICS THE ALLEN AS A CATALYST FOR CRITICAL THINKING AND CREATIVITY The Allen Memorial Art Museumplays a crucial role as a teaching space at Oberlin College, offering students and faculty opportunities to engage deeply with original works of art in ways that enrich interdisciplinary learning. This was exemplified in its recent collaboration with the Oberlin College Conservatory on programming related to the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar. Building on recent academic engagements using artworks in the Allen’s collection to informOberlin opera performances, the Allen partnered with the conservatory on programming related to the opera Omar, written by Rhiannon Giddens (OC 2000) and Michael Abels. A concert performance of the opera in Finney Chapel on December 6 featured Giddens and other Oberlin alumni soloists backed by the Oberlin College Orchestra and choral ensembles. The opera is based on the story of Omar ibn Said, an Islamic scholar fromWest Africa enslaved for decades in the United States. Said documented his life in the only known memoir written in Arabic by an enslaved person. The first part of the collaboration was a series of museum visits in November by three opera classes taught by professors Stephanie Havey and Cara Consilvio (Opera Theatre 202, 305, and 404). Many of the students in the classes were involved in the opera performances. The classes studied artworks that engage with the opera’s themes, including two historical works related to enslavement and Islamic education inWest Africa and six contemporary works that deal with pan-African and Arab identity, translation, and enslavement. Students discussed the works, thinking about ways they resonate with the opera, questions they raise, and ways historical moments and ideals of revolution, resilience, and emancipation are interpreted and still impactful today. Two of the Allen’s Gallery Guides, AudieWilson (OC 2026) and Anka Chiorini (OC 2027), attended the classes to learn with the opera students and see what insights arose from their perspectives. The second part of the collaboration took place on December 7 as part of the college-wide “Omar Day.” Performances, panel discussions, and library exhibitions across campus created opportunities for college and community audiences to delve further into the opera. The Allen offered a pair of object talks byWilson and Chiorini on two of the artworks that the opera classes studied. Wilson and Chiorini led deeply engaging discussions with community members, college staff, and students on Kara Elizabeth Walker’s No world (2010) and Annabel Daou’s Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death (2005). Both works inspired a multitude of interpretations; Wilson and Chiorini discussed reflections from the student performers as well as their own interpretations after seeing the opera, and the Object Talk participants brought out further insights. The rich conversations are a testament to the ways in which the Allen and the conservatory have been joining forces to offer interdisciplinary frameworks for students to explore the relationships between the visual and performing arts. John Kennedy (OC 1982) conducts a live performance of Omar in Finney Chapel. Soloists pictured are (left to right) Krysty Swann, Rhiannon Giddens (OC 2000), and Limmie Pulliam (OC 1998), joined by the Oberlin Orchestra. PHOTOS: MIKE CRUPI, JOHN SEYFRIED
16 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU GATHERING FOR LOVE, GRIEF, AND HEALING During its year-long run, the exhibition The Body, the Host: HIV/AIDS and Christianity was used in teaching by more than two dozen Oberlin professors across the humanities, social sciences, hard sciences, music, theater, and dance. It also brought faith leaders, AIDS activists, students, and community members together through a robust slate of performances, film screenings, talks, and public programs. It was named 2024 “Best in Visual Arts” by POZ Magazine and was featured in TheBody, a platform for HIV awareness, among other press outlets. The exhibition highlighted Oberlin’s dual histories of theological scholarship and AIDS activism as well as the strong representation of Latin American and LGBTQ+ artists in the Allen’s collection. At the same time, the exhibition’s reliance on the museum’s permanent collection risked reproducing the exclusion of trans, Black, and brown artists and leaders from canonical histories of AIDS and the Church. Leading up toWorld AIDS Day, which is observed annually on December 1, the Allen hosted a major symposium addressing these issues. The event ran from November 15 to 16, with additional collateral events throughout the week. Coming on the heels of a fraught presidential election, emotions were high on Oberlin’s campus and among the Allen’s wider visitorship, which spans the political spectrum. The symposium created space for visitors to move through powerful feelings of pain, loss, resilience, and solidarity. Hearing directly fromHIV-positive artists and activists, particularly those who are trans and people of color, was a reminder of the importance of building coalitions, resisting forces of oppression, and finding ways to care for oneself in the face of hardship and cruelty. The keynote lecture was delivered by the Atlanta-based HIV and trans-rights activist Dee Dee Ngozi Chamblee, who the Allen’s visitors know through a portrait by Jess Dugan. Chamblee kicked off the event with a private fellowship dinner at First Church in Oberlin hosted by Reverend David Hill. Throughout the evening, trans and gender nonconforming students of color as well as students from various faith backgrounds approached Chamblee and shared their stories, thanking her for trailblazing a path in which they can grow and thrive. Chamblee spoke about how prayer and the Bible helped her to love herself and to understand that God loves her too. While her message was unconventional for a secular space of art and culture, it resonated with attendees and offered context for the exhibition—namely that love, spirituality, and faith can coexist with art, politics, and activism. Oberlin College dance students perform in the gallery.
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 17 Opening the second day of the symposium, Jessica Beck, a longtime curator at the AndyWarhol Museum, spoke on Warhol’s complicated handling of his partner’s AIDS-related death, as inflected by his Christian upbringing. The audience also heard fromAMAM-collection artist Creighton Baxter, whose portrait in the exhibition depicts the moment she felt the first effects of seroconversion, or the presence of HIV antibodies in her blood. Baxter offered a performative retelling of foundational traumas relating to her development as an artist and an HIV-positive trans woman. As attendees packed into the Ellen Johnson Gallery, some of the visitors milling about were in fact Oberlin College dance students who worked intensively over the previous two days with the Chicago-based artist and choreographer Brendan Fernandes. On command, they began dancing exuberantly and then collapsed on the floor, lying lifelessly before slowly helping one another back to their feet. They repeated these gestures of falling, rising, and supporting several times—from life to death to resurrection—against the backdrop of writhing bodies in works by DavidWojnarowicz, Keith Haring, Emma Amos, and others. At times they mimicked the limp, crossed legs of a 16th-century wooden Italian sculpture of Saint Sebastian in the center of the gallery. The performance ended with the dancers forming a human chain and guiding one another out of the gallery. Fernandes based the piece, Rising Again: Re-imagining “Stop the Church,” on a 1989 ACT UP demonstration and die-in at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, which occurred exactly 35 years prior to the performance. Peter Staley (OC 1983) delivered the final presentation. Staley was a foundingmember of ACT UP (the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) and has ledmany campaigns to counter the high price of AIDS medications and offer vital treatment information. He spoke about the role of Oberlin in motivating his life of activism. A concluding roundtable discussion covered strategies for reclaiming the contributions of overlooked Black and trans activists and the ways artists enact social and political change through their work. The speakers shared how the outbreak of AIDS, and the effectiveness of artists in responding, offered a blueprint for confronting future viral outbreaks andmass crises more broadly. Among the themes connecting AIDS and Christianity, judgment, guilt, shame, and redemption are core to queer experiences, as well as to the story of Christ, and to terminal illness. Plague, punishment, and wounded bodies as sacred bodies are central to the rhetoric of AIDS and to the New Testament. There is a lot of pressure on art to uplift and offer beauty, but this event demonstrated how art has been crucial in giving people permission to experience sadness and vulnerability. Visitors walked away with enduring models of how to cope creatively and productively with those heavy feelings. This event was co-sponsored with the generous support of the Art History Department’s Baldwin Lectures Endowment, with additional support from the Dance Department, the Office of Alumni Engagement, the Office of Gender & Attraction Initiatives (GAI), and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. The Allen is also grateful for generous support from the John H. ’29 and Marjorie Fox ’29Wieland Current-Use AMAM Support Fund. Recordings of the presentations are available online at amam.oberlin.edu/body-host. Brendan Fernandes Dee Dee Ngozi Chamblee takes a selfie with students and exhibition curator Sam Adams. Creighton Baxter MIKE CRUPI
18 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU HIGHLIGHT / GALLERY GUIDES CULTIVATING CAREERS After completing the Practicum in MuseumEducation, there are many paths Oberlin students can take as Gallery Guides. Two Guides, Edie Carey and Anka Chiorini, are interested in continuing their museum education experience—both at the Allen and beyond. Between the fall and spring semesters, Oberlin College has an academic period calledWinter Term, during which students have the opportunity to pursue their personal, academic, and professional interests through projects and intensive courses. Each January, 14 students participate in the Allen’sWinter Term course called Practicum in MuseumEducation. Taught by Jill Greenwood, Practicum students learn about the Allen and museumpedagogy in an experience unique to Oberlin College. Upon completion of the course, students can become paid employees of the museum as Gallery Guides. Anka Chiorini and Edie Carey (both OC 2027) took the course last year and have been increasingly involved in museumwork since becoming guides. “Museums were a big part of my childhood and education,” Carey, from Washington, D.C. said. “When I visited Oberlin before committing, I came to the Allen and thought, ‘I need to work here.’ It’s not common for a college, as opposed to a university, to have a museum as amazing as this one.” Chiorini also knew about the Allen and the Practicumbefore enrolling at the college. It appealed to her because she grew up living in central New York, without much exposure to art museums. “I wanted to get involved in public humanities andmuseums, so I applied for theWinter Term course. I became a Gallery Guide right after.” Carey recommends the Allen’s Winter Term to other students looking for a museum crash course: “I loved the pedagogy aspect of the Practicum, and seeing the behind-the-scenes jobs inside museums. I can now engage with art on a much deeper level.” Recently, the two Gallery Guides have been given roles creating content for the Allen’s social media accounts, supervised by the Education Department. “Being Gen Z, social media is just familiar,” Chiorini said. “Last spring, Edie and I made a social media post for the solar eclipse, writing image descriptions for some of the objects here. I enjoy it, and it’s a good skill to have.” Chiorini and Carey made a TikTok video promoting the Art Rental Program last September, and are thinking of more video ideas to garner a younger audience online. They are excited to continue sharing the things they love about the museum. “I want to find newways to showcase our digital archive to a wider audience on social media,” Carey said. “We have these extensive collections, and not a lot of people outside of the museum know about them.” Gallery Guides at the Allen have many other responsibilities and projects in addition to working at the front desk. Chiorini has given presentations at local schools and assists with cataloging and organizing materials for tours. Both Carey and Chiorini have given Object Talks, leading brief discussions on objects in the Allen’s collections that they have researched. “This experience has been amazing, and working here has given me direction,” Chiorini said. “I’m thinking about museum education as a career and continuing on this path.” Above: Edie Carey discusses Michael Boyd Roman’s The Smallest Giant Makes for an Easy Target (2023) with a visitor. Below: Carey records Anka Chiorini talking about Martine Gutierrez’s Queer Rage, Don’t touch the art, p. 68 from Indigenous Woman (2018) for use on social media. MIKE CRUPI
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 19 HIGHLIGHT / OUTREACH FOSTERING COMMUNITY THROUGH ART: THE ALLEN’S GROWING NETWORK OF COLLABORATION The Allen is expanding its outreach to partner withmore local organizations— like Oberlin Kids—that connect the museum to a collaborative network across the community. Since the creation of the new position of Coordinator of Student and Community Connection as part of the museum’s strategic plan, Alyssa Traster has helped organize events and initiatives to educate, connect, and give back to those in and around Oberlin. CommunityDay The Allen’s most recent Community Day had the highest attendance yet thanks to these new partnerships. During this event, guests of all ages enjoyed 3D printing with the college’s Micro Makerspace, and contributed to a community art project with the Oberlin Public Library. Non-perishable goods were collected for Oberlin Community Services at the door. SymposiumFellowshipDinner The Body, the Host: HIV/AIDS and Christianity exhibition offered a unique opportunity to connect with LGBTQ+ and Christian organizations across the community and college. At the beginning of the exhibition, the museum invited local faith leaders to tour and share their insights. Pastor David Hill fromFirst Church, Father Andy McQuery of Christ Episcopal Church, andmembers of the college’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL) engaged in meaningful discussions with curator SamAdams and Alyssa Traster. The recent symposium on HIV/AIDS and Christianity kicked off with a fellowship dinner at First Church to celebrate keynote speaker Dee Dee Ngozi Chamblee. Attendees included community congregants and students and staff from the Allen, ORSL, and the college’s Office of Gender and Attraction Initiatives (GAI). These partnerships continue to grow and offer new opportunities for connecting. School Supplies Drive In collaboration with UnitedWay of Lorain County, the Allen organized a school supply donation drive for K-12 students across Lorain County. “ We’re listening and responding to the needs of Oberlin and greater Lorain County. TheAllen wants to provide for the broadest community possible.” — Alyssa Traster, Coordinator of Student and Community Connection Alyssa Traster talks about the newly-conserved bronze dragon at Community Day with museumguests. Symposium speakers, students, and community members enjoy a fellowship dinner at First Church. ISABELLA MOSS
20 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU INSIDETHE ALLEN A CLASSY ADDITION The recently aquired artwork TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS by Jeffrey Gibson (Mississippi Band Choctaw/Cherokee) has quickly become a favorite at the museum, especially wtih K–12 tours. Here, Gallery Guide Callan Engstrom (OC 2025) leads a class of Oberlin Elementary School fifth graders who visited the museum for their unit on the Western Hemisphere, including Pan American and Indigenous art. GAME DESIGN MEETS ART For the past three semesters, students in Oberlin’s Computer Science 361: Game Design course have turned to the Allen for creative inspiration. Drawing from the museum’s diverse collection, they have designed games that bring artworks to life in interactive ways. Here, students playtest a game in the gallery, right in front of the still life that sparked its creation. Their innovative projects will be showcased during a special Tuesday Tea event on March 11. For more details, see page 22. ART FOR THE AGES A group of youngsters takes a break to watch Yáng Yǒngliáng’s video, Five Dragons (2020). The curators at the Allen take great pride in planning exhibitions that engage all audiences. Kevin Greenwood’s recent installation Rebirth of the Dragon: Celebrating the Restoration of the Allen’s Coiling Dragon was especially popular with young and old alike. ISABELLA MOSS
AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 21 STUDENTS EXPLORE DÜRER’S MASTERY UP CLOSE In conjunction with the recent exhibition on Albrecht Dürer, Professor Erik Inglis taught his class in the museum, offering an in-depth exploration of the artist’s work. Office hours held in the Ripin Gallery gave students direct access to the Allen’s collection of Dürer prints, allowing them to observe the subtle variations that make each impression unique. As a printmaker, Dürer achieved fame and fortune by creatingmultiples from a single copper plate or woodblock. Yet, the individuality of each print—shaped by differences in inking, pressure, and wear—offered students an unparalleled opportunity to study the nuances of this celebratedmedium. AU REVOIR ET BONNE CHANCE The staff of the Allen presented Andria Derstine with a one-of-a-kind silk scarf of Claude Monet’s Garden of the Princess, Louvre (1867), a favorite of the former director. We wish Andria the best of luck in her new position at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and we look forward to partnering with her on future projects. QUESTIONING “BAD” ART IN THE BEST WAY At Oberlin College, students Fiona Giménez-Collins (OC 2025) and Audie Wilson (OC 2026) are leading a fresh perspective on art through the studentrun course, Bad Art ExCo. The class encourages students to dive into a world of “bad” art—frompoorly executed paintings to controversial performance pieces and even gratingmusic. The hope? That students will become more thoughtful, well-rounded art consumers rather than blindly accepting cultural norms about “good” and “bad” expression. Recently, the class explored works in the Allen’s collection including Mary Miss’s sculpture Untitled (1975) which is installed on the north lawn. The piece, which resembles a trap and is meant to be encountered without warning, is steeped in campus lore andmystery. Usually covered due to safety concerns, the class requested the work be uncovered for a discussion. This unique opportunity brought together current and former students, faculty, museum staff, and student assistants for a lively discussion on the piece’s history, its artistic significance, and its place in Oberlin’s evolving narrative. Thismuseum is part of the fabric of who I amand taughtme the foundations of everything I use in my professional life. Forever in awe and indebted to you. — Aditi Gupta (OC 2017) Noted in the Allen’s visitor book
22 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU FEB 6 / 5:30 PM ALLEN AFTER HOURS / EIGHT VIEWS AND SEEING THE BIG PICTURE Bird’s-eye view. Scenic overlook. A roomwith a view. Panoramic views. How do we construct views, and how do views construct us in our age of heightened ecological concern? De-nin Lee, Professor of Art History at Emerson College, begins with a journey to Mount Hua, one of the Five Sacred Mountains of China. A geological feature called the Immortal’s Palm is prominently depicted in one of eight landscapes that make up the Eight Views of Guanzhong by late 19th-century painter Wǔ Tinggui. This work is now preserved as a set of rubbings in the Allen’s collection. Through the selection of places, the conventions of picturing, and the addition of poems, Wǔ imprints human concerns onto his landscapes. This talk suggests the importance of a planetary perspective to understand the geological conditions and ecological circumstances that figure inWǔ’s art. FEB 11 / 3 PM TUESDAY TEA / IMPERIALISM, ARCHITECTURE, AND OBERLIN: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE “GOLDEN TEMPLE” Join Kevin Greenwood, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art, for a brief presentation exploring the intriguing history of the “Golden Temple,” a structure that remained in storage at Oberlin College for several decades. The temple’s origins trace back to the Wanfaguiyi Pavilion, an ornate hall constructed within a scaled replica of the Dalai Lama’s Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This architectural marvel was recreated in northern China for the 18th-century Chinese imperial court. The pavilion was itself recreated and exhibited at the 1933 Chicago Century of Progress exposition, after which it was disassembled and stored in Oberlin before being transported to Sweden in 1986. This raises several questions: Why Sweden?Why Oberlin? And why Tibet? Understanding the answers involves examining the concept of architectural reproduction as a microcosm, serving as a tool of imperialist ideology in both 18th-century Qing China and early 20thcentury Europe and North America. MAR 6 / 5:30 PM ALLEN AFTER HOURS / ENRIQUE CHAGOYA: ENCOUNTER AT THE BORDER OF LANGUAGE Enrique Chagoya, professor of art at Stanford University, will talk about his different bodies of work (paintings, drawings, prints, andmultiples) that critically comment on the changing nature of culture. Chagoya frequently uses satirical imagery, appropriations of Western art, and Mesoamerican icons to convey multiple narratives in his art. He addresses historical issues of immigration and colonialist ideology in what he humorously calls “Reverse Anthropology” and “Reverse Modernism.” MAR 8 / 11 AM–3 PM COMMUNITY DAY The Allen presents an afternoon of activities for art lovers of all ages. Explore the exhibition Science on Display to get inspiration for a craft assisted by the museum’s Gallery Guides. Drop in anytime during this free family- and student-friendly event! MAR 11 / 3 PM TUESDAY TEA / DATING, FIGHTING, AND DECEIVING IN THE MUSEUM?! DESIGNING GAMES INSPIRED BY THE ALLEN For three semesters, students in Computer Science 361: Game Design have created a range of innovative and exciting games centered around the Allen and its collection. Join Professor EmilyWang and game design students to learn about how the teams brainstormed, prototyped, and playtestedmuseumgames. Throughout the process students were empowered to invent new participatory frameworks, while inviting curators to rethink the museum, its collections, and how to engage audiences.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTczNTM=