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.

head and shoulders of young man with short hair in open neck shirt looking slightly downward; portrait; man

John Wilson at SCMA (including a New Acquisition)

Danielle Carrabino is the Curator of Painting and Sculpture at SCMA. 

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.
A large reddish-brown Mt Fuji against a blue sky with clouds

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.
Two gold figures looking at a slender, green statue.

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.
portrait of a woman wearing a white dress, sitting under treetops with a lion and a kitten near her lap

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
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