Back to Press Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2006

PRESS CONTACT:   
Andrea Potochniak
607 254-4563
arp37@cornell.edu

The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Presents
The Novel Picture:
Interactions Between Text and Image

Annual exhibition curated by Cornell’s History of Art Majors’ Society
examines works of art inspired by literature

Ithaca, NY—The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University presents The Novel Picture: Interactions Between Text and Image, which will be on view at the Museum from April 1 to June 11.

This exhibition, curated by the Cornell History of Art Majors’ Society, looks at pairings of words and pictures and examines how they act together to produce impressions that could not be achieved alone. “This exhibition focuses on what we, as student curators, found to be the most compelling ways in which text and image produce meaning,” said Jessica Mizrachi ’06, one of the student curators and the group’s president.

The artworks on view are divided into four categories: “Illustration” focuses on art created with a specific text in mind and includes that text in its presentation. “Inspiration” considers art where the related text is present only in spirit, and shapes understanding of the image. “Indignation” showcases pairings of text and image meant as calls to action, as propaganda, or as social or political satire. “Innovation” looks at works of art that combine text and image in unique and original ways, including mixed media and video.

“These categories are by no means fixed and indisputable, and while we ask you to consider the works of art in light of the relationships we have outlined, we also challenge you to think about where else they might fit, and why,” said Mizrachi.

The History of Art Majors’ Society is made up of twelve Cornell juniors and seniors, who have been working on curating the exhibition since August 2005.

The exhibition includes work by Albrecht Dürer, Anselm Kiefer, Leonard Baskin, Carrie Mae Weems, William Blake, Faith Ringgold, Henri Matisse, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, Enrique Chagoya, and many others.

Artist Lorna Simpson, whose work is also included in the exhibition, will be the Georges Lurcy Lecturer on Thursday, May 4, at 5:15 p.m. This annual lecture is funded by the Georges Lurcy Charitable and Educational Trust and cosponsored at Cornell by Africana Studies and Research Center, the Department of the History of Art, and the Department of Art.

The student curators will lead a tour of the exhibition as part of the Museum’s Art for Lunch series on Thursday, April 6 at 12:00 noon.

Both of these events are free and open to the public. (Programs and participants are subject to change.)

In conjunction with the exhibition, Cornell Cinema will present screenings of animation, documentaries, and films based on literature during the month of April. For more information, visit their website at http://cinema.cornell.edu.

The Johnson Museum has a permanent collection of over 30,000 works of art from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. The museum building was designed by I. M. Pei. Funds for the building were donated by Cornell alumnus Herbert F. Johnson, late president and chairman of S C Johnson. The building opened in 1973.

###

The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, located on the campus of Cornell University, is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. The Museum is completely accessible for mobility-impaired visitors, and a wheelchair is available in the lobby. Metered parking is available in the lot next to the Museum. For more information, please call 607 255-6464. Visit the Museum’s website at  www.museum.cornell.edu. The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art is a proud member of Ithaca’s Discovery Trail: www.DiscoveryTrail.com.

-30-