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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2010

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

Ithaca, NY—The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University announces its exhibition and program schedule for Summer 2010.

This summer, the Johnson will be participating in Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The program is available to active duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members), which includes active duty Reserve and active duty National Guard. Because admission to the Johnson is free for everyone, military families will receive a free gift. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov.

EXHIBITION AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Programs and participants are subject to change. All events are free of change unless noted.

Sublime Form: European Decorative Design 1900–1920
May 29–October 3
At the beginning of the last century, many artists trained as painters, sculptors, and architects recognized the need for good design in the decorative arts and began to create works that could be used and lived with. This exhibition will highlight the work of the Wiener Werkstätte from a private collection, alongside works from the Museum’s collection.

Related program:
Thursday, June 3, 12:00 noon–1:00 pm
ART FOR LUNCH  Curator Nancy Green will lead a tour of the exhibition.

American Quilts from the Terasaki Collection  
June 26–August 8
Highlights from a stellar private collection of of nineteenth- and early twentieth–century American quilts characterized by strong graphic design and featuring a range of styles, including patchwork, appliqué, crazy, Amish, and Pennsylvania German.

Related programs:
Sunday, June 27, 1:00–4:00 pm
ARTICIPATION: Quilts
Demonstrations, a tour of the quilt exhibition, a care and storage session, and a hands-on project for quilters of all ages. Bring in your own treasures to learn more about them from quilt experts! Cosponsored by the Tompkins County Quilters’ Guild.

Thursday, August 5, 12:00 noon–1:00 pm
ART FOR LUNCH  Curator of Education Cathy Klimaszewski will lead a tour of the exhibition.

Contemporary Figurative Sculpture
July 24–September 12
Two life-size figurative sculptures by Dutch artist Folkert de Jong and American sculptor Will Ryman that were recently donated to the Museum by Marty Margulies show that the figure is alive and well in contemporary sculpture, addressing a wide variety of topical issues.

Toward a New Art: Pictorialist Art from the Permanent Collection
July 31–October 10
At the end of the nineteenth century, Alfred Stieglitz changed the way artists approached the photographic process, pushing them and himself to create works that would place photography among the fine arts, beyond its traditional role as a mere recorder of events. This exhibition explores the work of Stieglitz, his friends and colleagues, and the next generation of photographers who were inspired by them.

Continuing Exhibitions

Nature Observed and Imagined: Five Hundred Years of Chinese Painting
Through June 13

Bodies Unbound: The Classical and Grotesque
Through June 13

Michael Ashkin
Through July 11

Additional Workshops and Programs

Chinese Brush Painting Workshop
Fridays for 5 weeks: July 16, 23, 30, August 6, 13, 3:00–4:30 pm
Join master painter Jim Hardesty for this Museum favorite. All skill levels and ages.
FEES: $45 Museum Members/$55 nonmembers plus materials fee: $17 new students/$7 returning students. Registration/payment are required by July 14. Please call 607 255-6464.

Art for Lunch
Thursday, July 8, 12:00 noon–1:00 pm
Educator Hannah Dunn Ryan will discuss issues of gender, sexuality, and identity in works on view throughout the Museum.

Poetry Afternoon
Sunday, July 11, 3:00 pm
Enjoy an afternoon of poetry readings, art, and great views, featuring special guest Jay Leeming, the Poet Laureate of Tompkins County.

Experience Book Arts
Thursday, July 15, 6:00–9:00 pm
Make your own book at this hands-on event led by book arts scholar and artist Sarah Bryant. Learn about innovative techniques and get a special look at the collections of the Johnson and the Book Arts Center at Wells College. Bring photos and other materials to include in the book you will create, bind, and take home; all other materials provided.
FEES: $25 Museum Members/ $35 nonmembers, plus $10 materials fee. Registration and payment are required by July 13. Please call 607 255-6464.

Youth Workshop: Spilling Ink Writing Workshop
Saturday, August 14, 10:00 am–12:00 noon
For ages 9-14 (space is limited and first-come, first-served)
Award-winning authors Anne Mazer (The Salamander Room, The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes series, the Sister Magic series) and Ellen Potter (Pish Posh, Slob, the Olivia Kidney series) offer a two-hour workshop for aspiring young writers based on their book Spilling Ink: A Handbook for Young Writers. The first hour will be devoted to “Idea Catching”: finding, recognizing, and sorting through ideas. Then, in the second hour, “A Hand Reaches up and Grabs You!” We’ll talk about grabbing the reader’s attention, creating suspense, and diving into a story. By the end, the participants will have either completed a short story or have begun a longer piece of work. Bring writing implements, a notebook or paper, and a playful mind! Offered in partnership with the Saltonstall Foundation.

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.

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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 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.

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