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.
Thinking Through Drawing: On View through September 7, 2025
Henriette Kets de Vries is the Associate Curator and Manager of the Cunningham Study Center for Prints, Drawings and Photographs.
Student Picks: Clutter + Collage
The fun in creating this exhibition was largely in the diversity of interpretations that we can apply to collage. Across medium and aesthetic mood, these works on paper evoke stories and senses through layers, both visual and material.
An Old Man Mad About Art
The painter Hokasai was given the name Katsushika Hokusai, but repeatedly reinvented himself by taking on new names throughout his life. Each time, these rebirths were followed by a renewed artistic style and spirit.
Embracing the Enemy
Moore’s illustrations of Prometheus underscore the mythical character’s nobility and courage, rather than his suffering; he is not the tortured hero chained against the rock, but the strong hero.
On Display: Wings and Women
In nature, the animals with the brightest colors are often the most poisonous, and this is reflected in both pieces of art, as the more beautiful they are, the crueler they can be.
Student Picks: WITCHES - Allure of the Dark
Witches fascinate us. They bridge reality with imagination and their existence has been a topic of debate since the 15th century. Even now, when we no longer believe in the supernatural, we are still attracted to them.
On Display: Cultural Cannibalism
Historically, the acquisition of ancient art and artifacts has been problematic.
Xu Wenhua 徐文华
Recently, I became drawn to an artist named Xu Wenhua, whose prints are bright and reminiscent of the Cultural Revolution’s propaganda posters but possess a somewhat somber aura.
The Photographic Imaginary
What was Tappan’s interest in India and why might she have collected photographs of a country she never visited?
Allegory
A picture may seem to be about one particular subject, but when an allegorical detail is made clear, the whole meaning can change or be enhanced.
Art from Cape Dorset
The Cape Dorset printing workshop emerged from an unusual seed: a pack of cigarettes.
Paris
This was a city alive – everyone was going somewhere, doing something. Paris was the first city I fell in love with.
Student Picks: ALWAYS CONTAINER, SOMETIMES CONTAINED
Always Container, Sometimes Contained attempts to celebrate “the box” as an art piece, a stimulating and intriguing ode to something often thought of as a simple "container."
