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

April 2, 2024

Kay Horak ‘24 is a self-designed Art Conservation Major with a Mathematical Sciences Minor and Museums Concentration.

Collecting for the future: Amanda Williams’ Matterful Black Lives Tea Set

Emma Chubb, Charlotte Feng Ford ’83 Curator of Contemporary Art, introduces a new work by Amanda Williams, part of her 2020-22 commission for SCMA entitled An Imposing Number of Times.

handmade tea set comprised of 6 cups (with three different shapes), tea pot with two handles, creamer and sugar dish with lid in black glazed and/or black clay; nside of cups is painted by hand in black, white, and greyscale colors inspired by the Black Lives Matter banners on Smith campus houses, as part of the commission "An Imposing Number of Times" (2020-22)

Andrea Chung Joins the SCMA Collection

Mosa Molapo ‘22 graduated from Smith in May with a double major in Art History and African Studies. Mosa also served as the 2021-2022 Kennedy Museum Research Fellow in Art History at SCMA.

Over the course of the academic year, I worked with the Baio collection, a group of 100 photographs donated by Joe Baio and Anne Griffin (class of 1983). One of my objectives was to acquire a new piece for the museum that engages both with this donation and the greater SCMA collection.

Two framed pieces of standing young women side-by-side. Figures are decorated with beads and shells. Paper flowers and leaves below and behind them

John Wilson’s My Brother: Seeking Truth in Art

Annalise Edwards ‘23J, a curatorial research assistant, explores SCMA’s archives to learn about how and why John Wilson created this portrait of his brother.

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

Collecting for the Future: Anupam Sud's Persona

Yao Wu, Jane Chace Carroll Curator of Asian Art, introduces a print made by Anupam Sud in 1988.

nude female figure standing in front of a mirror holding under garments while a face looks over her shoulder in the reflection

From Special Collections to SCMA: A Close Look at The Fugitive’s Story

Annalise Edwards ‘23J, a curatorial research assistant, discusses a recent addition to SCMA’s collection.

woman standing before three men while holding a child and with a knapsack by her feet

Collecting for the future: Curators introduce new works in the SCMA collection

In this summer series, SCMA’s five curators will briefly introduce some recent exciting acquisitions by answering the following simple questions:

Woman gazing up with hands folded across her chest at Christ on the cross; Mary Magdalena;

Queering the Collection: Reflecting on Photographs by Meryl Meisler

Ariella Heise ‘22 reflects on two recent acquisitions in the SCMA collection. She currently works in the Marketing and Communications department at SCMA.

Mirror on a wall covered with photographs. Woman with her hands behind her head with a camera reflected in the center. Mirror on the surface below.

Painting The Eighteenth-Century Child: Henrietta Elizabeth Frederica Vane

Grace Ettinger '22 explores Gilbert Stuart's history as an artist through his portrait Henriette Elizabeth Frederica Vane . She is currently a Student Assistant at the Cunningham Center for Works on Paper within the SCMA.

girl; costume/uniform; portrait; landscape; flower; outdoor

Spring Cleaning: A Student's Look Into The Cunningham Center's Renovation

Meredith Diamond '23 is a computer science major and Cunningham Center Assistant. Join her as she reminisces over her museum experience through the lens of the renovations.

As the Cunningham Center prepares for renovations this summer, my coworkers and I have been clearing shelves, cleaning closets, and ensuring everything is accounted for. In my excitement for the new and improved space we’ll have, I forgot the most important part: the collection is going into storage.

yellow background, Ingres nude at left with guerilla head lying on pink cloth, text across top and right: Do women have to be naked to / get into the Met. Museum? / Less than 5% of the artists in the Modern / Art Sections are women, but 85% / of the nudes are female. / Guerrilla Girls Box 1056 Cooper Sta. NY, NY 10276 / CONSCIENCE OF THE ART WORLD

Interactive Art: Engaging Children in Museums

In this blog post, recently graduated Smith student Kandy Wan ‘22, talks about her museum education capstone project (MUX) in which she playfully engages children with art through interactive digital activities.

"four panel screen with inlaid scene containing figures, bridge, and water"

Local Teachers Tour Maya Lin's Mappings Exhibition

Local teachers from the Mill River educator network gathered at the museum in March for a curator's walkthrough of the Maya Lin: Mappings exhibition. The event was organized by Gina Hall, Educator for School and Family Programs and Carol Berner, Lecturer, Department of Education and Child Study.

Aprile Gallant presenting to a group of teachers in the gallery with Maya Lin's Mappings exhibition

What Belongs in a Museum?

Meredith Diamond '23 is a computer science major and Cunningham Center Assistant. Join her as she talks about a surprising series in the SCMA Collection.

Maker(s): Kelley, Alton; Mouse, Stanley; The Bindweed Press, San Francisco, California (printer); Family Dog Productions, San Francisco, California (publisher) Culture: American (Mouse 1940 - ); American (Kelley 1940-2008) Title: Grateful Dead Date Made: 1966 Type: Poster Materials: offset lithograph printed in color on paper Place Made: United States; California; San Francisco Measurements: sheet: 20 in x 14 in; 50.8 cm x 35.56 cm; image: 18 in x 13 7/16 in; 45.72 cm x 34.13125 cm Narrative Inscription: