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.

January at SCMA: Museums and Meditation at MacLeish

Anna Ziegler is a senior Art History major and works at the Cunningham Center at SCMA.

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.
Seated figure with a floating hollow orb above him and a solid dark orb next to him

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.
close-up of stern young woman wearing white shirt and red scarf, background drawing of Chinese men and woman walking at left and section of a building at right, text across bottom printed in Chinese characters

The Photographic Imaginary

What was Tappan’s interest in India and why might she have collected photographs of a country she never visited?
black and white image of three large mountains, with a body of water in the center

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.
circular image of woman's face framed by leaves

Art from Cape Dorset

The Cape Dorset printing workshop emerged from an unusual seed: a pack of cigarettes.
Figure in canoe being chased by a monster in the water. Block of text under the image.

Paris

This was a city alive – everyone was going somewhere, doing something. Paris was the first city I fell in love with.
grey table top with white used coffee cup and saucer, used spoon and open black and white checked sugar packet

Arise Ye Dead

Ann Parker and Avon Neal captured dozens of these unique gravestones from all around New England through stone rubbings.
figure with wings and round face, surrounded by floral designs. text above figure's head reads "memento mori"
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