SCMAinsider
SCMAinsider offers dynamic perspectives on the diverse collections and visions that shape the
Smith College Museum of Art.
We welcome contributions from all members of our community and seek to cultivate a range of
voices and experiences. If you want to contribute to the blog, please contact us at scmacuratorial@smith.edu.
Outside the Box: Frames to Focus on During Your Next SCMA Visit
Kay Horak ‘24 is a self-designed Art Conservation Major with a Mathematical Sciences Minor and Museums Concentration.
Leonard Baskin and Barry Moser
SCMA recently acquired 91 works by Barry Moser, a printmaker at Smith professor. Here, Renee Klann discusses the influence of Leonard Baskin on Moser's work.
Student Picks Sweepstakes--Through September 24!
Every year, six Smith students get the chance to curate a one-day show at the Museum, using works from our very own Works on Paper collection. No application necessary--just fill out a ballot and you're good to go.
Aaron Siskind and Abstract Expressionist Photography
While Kline and other painters were able to create their own composition, Siskind limited himself to what he found. Yet the way he framed his shots emphasized the smaller markings of an ordinary object, lending an entirely new and decidedly expressionist perspective.
August Sander
Known for photographing people from all social and economic circles during the interwar period, Sander worked with his sitters to create an original, iconic image of the person.
Alice and Dorothy in Illustration
Moser saw numerous elements of the stories that mirrored each other, primarily the heroines themselves. Both Alice and Dorothy are kind, sensible young girls caught in strange places and trying to find a way home.
Luxury Objects in the Age of Marie Antoinette: Lace and Porcelain
During the eighteenth century lace adorned almost every ensemble worn by the French aristocracy and the wealthy bourgeoisie.
Luxury Objects in the Age of Marie Antoinette: Writing Utensils
Writing played an important role in eighteenth-century French society. The daily act of corresponding with friends and acquaintances created social and business bonds as well as helped shape the personal identity of the writers.
Drawing Dance
Can the auditory be shared visually? Can an expression of motion be rendered in static form?
The Viewer as Voyeur
Ironically, the strictures that limited the way in which the female body could be shown also offered voyeuristic, titillating opportunities for the (presumably) male artist to exploit for the (presumably) male viewer.
Making Space to Talk Back
The new “Talk Back: Art in Conversation” space features a rotating work of art accompanied by a question, inviting people of all ages to post a response on the adjacent wall.
Reunion Class Gifts
Welcome back, reunion classes!
The Academic French Nude
In French academic art, female nudity was permissible within the context of an imaginary fantasy landscape or a mythical or biblical setting.