http://www.nga.gov/highlights/index.shtm Find out what's new and what is happening at the National Gallery of Art. en-us National Gallery of Art As a memorial to J. Carter Brown, former director of the National Gallery of Art, his friends and family set up a fund in his name. Among Carter's many interests, antiquities were an especially intriguing subject for him, as evidenced by the exhibitions organized during his time as director. For the past five years the National Gallery of Art Library has acquired books on antiquities using the J. Carter Brown Memorial Fund. From books on Rome and Roman life, to catalogues of important 17th- and 18th-century sculpture collections, to studies of Etruscan monuments, the J. Carter Brown Memorial Fund has greatly enhanced the library's holdings in classical research. The exhibition is on view in the National Gallery's West Building, Ground Floor, Gallery G21. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/carterbrowninfo.shtm http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/carterbrowninfo.shtm The purpose of National American Indian Heritage Month is to honor and recognize the original peoples of this land and to celebrate their contributions. Although the first "American Indian Day" was declared by the State of New York in 1916, a month-long recognition of Native Americans was not achieved until 1990, when President George H. W. Bush declared the first National American Indian Heritage Month. In each of the four previous years Congress had enacted legislation designating "American Indian Heritage Week." This consecutive legislation allowed for the establishment of a month-long observance. Similar proclamations, under variants on the name such as "Native American Heritage Month" and "National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month," have been issued each year since 1994. Celebrate National American Indian Heritage Month at the National Gallery of Art by attending a gallery talk, film, or concert. http://www.nga.gov/highlights/index.shtm http://www.nga.gov/highlights/index.shtm Jan Lievens (1607–1674) is one of the greatest yet most enigmatic Dutch painters of the 17th century. Lievens was a child prodigy, whose early works in Leiden were highly praised by his contemporaries and valued by princely patrons. His later career was marked by important civic and private commissions in Amsterdam, The Hague, and Berlin. Nevertheless, his name today barely registers in the public consciousness. This exhibition suggest that his posthumous reputation waned after many of his works were mistakenly attributed to other masters—especially Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669), with whom he had a somewhat symbiotic relationship—and because he worked in a remarkable range of styles, reflecting multiple influences from the various cities in which he lived. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/lievensinfo.shtm http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/lievensinfo.shtm As part of a worldwide initiative, the National Gallery of Art is seeking information about drawings, watercolors, and paintings on paper in public and private collections by the American artist Mark Rothko (1903–1970). The National Gallery of Art is publishing a multivolume catalogue raisonné, Mark Rothko: The Works on Paper, which will document more than 2,700 objects that are largely unknown to both art specialists and the public. Demonstrating the range of Rothko's creative achievements, these volumes will be the definitive historical record of Rothko's oeuvre on paper for decades to come. To submit information, please download a PDF of the catalogue raisonné questionnaire or contact us at (202) 842-6779 or by e-mail at rothko@nga.gov. http://www.nga.gov/collection/artists/rothko.shtm http://www.nga.gov/collection/artists/rothko.shtm The Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts is a research institute at the Gallery promoting study of the history, theory, and criticism of art, architecture, and urbanism from prehistoric times to the present. Its current annual report, Center 28, is now available on our Web site and contains information regarding the Center's fellowships, meetings, research, and publications, as well as research reports by fellows in residence during the 2007–2008 academic year. Fellows from 10 different countries focused on research topics ranging from artists' rivalries and competitions in Renaissance Italy to Christian icons and Kongo symbols in early modern Central Africa. http://www.nga.gov/pdf/center_28.pdf http://www.nga.gov/pdf/center_28.pdf This exhibition presents some 150 works of sculpture, painting, mosaic, and luxury arts, most of them created before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Exquisite objects from the richly decorated villas along the shores of the Bay of Naples and from houses in the nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum reveal the breadth and richness of cultural and artistic life, as well as the influence of classical Greece on Roman art and culture in this region. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/pompeiiinfo.shtm http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/pompeiiinfo.shtm Assembled in the Study Center of the National Gallery of Art is a selection of works documenting the finds at two of the most important sites: Herculaneum, which was first excavated in 1738, and Pompeii, first excavated in 1748. From books on interior design to collection catalogues depicting artifacts found at the sites, from accounts of the tragedy and studies of daily life in these ancient cities to souvenir photograph books for travelers on their Grand Tour, we present a cross section of the types of works produced from the mid-18th through the 19th century. They provide not only a window to the ancient world, but also a view of how those who excavated the sites and evaluated the artifacts saw that ancient world. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/pompeiiinfo.shtm#library http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/pompeiiinfo.shtm#library Visit the National Gallery Shop online! http://shop.nga.gov/ http://shop.nga.gov/ The first exhibition of George de Forest Brush's remarkable paintings of American Indians will be on view at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, September 14, 2008 through January 4, 2009. The exhibition of 21 paintings includes life studies of young Arapahoe and Shoshone men completed in 1882, while Brush was living in Wyoming, as well as studio paintings with Indian subjects completed following the artist's return east. Combining extraordinary technical skills acquired through years of study in Paris with firsthand experience of life in the American West, Brush produced a series of Indian images during the decade of the 1880s unlike any exhibited earlier. It is now clear that these beautifully crafted images are also rich in contextual references. Declaring himself an artist rather than an ethnographer, Brush used the image of the Indian to address a number of contemporary issues, including his deep skepticism regarding the benefits of rapid industrialization and his concern that a nation racing toward modernism was losing its regard for art born of craft and tradition. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/brushinfo.shtm http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/brushinfo.shtm Monday, September 8 marks the beginning of the installation of Leo Villareal's LED (light-emitting diode) project designed for the Gallery's Concourse. Villareal's work features movement and light, qualities that make this installation particularly well-suited for the moving walkway between the East and West Buildings, a subterranean area through which thousands of people pass daily. The installation features approximately 40,000 LED nodes that run through channels along the entire length of the connecting link. The artist will program sequences using custom-designed software to create abstract configurations of light through electronic circuitry. Villareal's programming both instructs the light and allows for an element of chance. While it is possible that a pattern will repeat during a viewer's experience, it is highly unlikely. Still, the eye will seek patterns in the motion, a perceptual effect of the hypnotic trailing lights. A digital simulation of the finished project will be on view at the east end of the Concourse throughout the installation process. Traffic on the moving walkway will be intermittently halted, but visitors will always be able to pass through the space and view the work in progress. Once installed, Villareal's project will be on view for one year. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/villarealinfo.shtm http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/villarealinfo.shtm In Robert Rauschenberg's practice, sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, theater, dance, video, poetry, and musical composition all expanded to absorb the everyday and accidental. He challenged preconceptions about the boundaries between art and life and profoundly altered the course of art after midcentury. Learn more about this pioneer artist in our Web feature, which includes links to podcasts, the Gemini G.E.L. Online Catalogue Raisonné, works in the collection, past exhibition features, and more related resources. http://www.nga.gov/collection/artists/rauschenberg.shtm http://www.nga.gov/collection/artists/rauschenberg.shtm The Sculpture Garden plantings are maintained by the National Gallery of Art horticulture staff. The division of horticulture is currently accepting applications for volunteers. For more information on volunteer opportunities, candidates should submit a letter of interest including all vital contact information to gardens@nga.gov. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/sculptureinfo.shtm http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/sculptureinfo.shtm With extended summer hours and the perennially popular Jazz in the Garden concert series under way, the Sculpture Garden is a wonderful place to be. Learn more about the Gallery's growing collection of 20th-century sculpture in our online Web feature, which explores the pieces on display, surrounding seasonal plantings, and a history of the garden. Admission to the Sculpture Garden and jazz performances is always free of charge. To learn about similar events, subscribe to the music programs newsletter via our Web site. http://www.nga.gov/programs/jazz/ http://www.nga.gov/programs/jazz/ The Gallery has just opened a new, on-site space for thinking, learning, dialogue, and art-making activities. The Education Studio, a multipurpose classroom with sophisticated audio-visual capabilities, will serve as the museum's primary location for hands-on workshops and educational events. The studio's first public program is Beach Views, a family workshop for children 8-12 related to the museum's exhibition Richard Misrach: On the Beach. Advance registration required for sessions July 24-26 and August 7-9. tour of the exhibition Richard Misrach: On the Beach and then make Polaroid transfer prints. http://www.nga.gov/highlights/index.shtm#education http://www.nga.gov/highlights/index.shtm#education The Magic of Illusion—presented here in a seven-part podcast series—is a film about how we see, what we see, or what it is we think we see. Al Roker guides us on a journey into the secrets of illusion, utilizing special effects to illustrate the artistic and visionary discoveries of the Renaissance. While Copernicus and Columbus were changing our understanding of the world, the Renaissance masters were dramatically changing the way we see that world. The film uses recent technology to look at old works in new ways. Each segment of this podcast presentation unlocks new secrets of illusion and perspective as seen in the works of old masters. http://www.nga.gov/podcasts/index.shtm#video http://www.nga.gov/podcasts/index.shtm#video Stay up to date with the National Gallery of Art by subscribing to our free e-mail newsletters: Web, educators, family programs, fellowships/internships, films, lectures, music programs, and teen programs. Select as many updates as you wish to receive. To edit your subscriber information, please go to our subscription management page. http://subscribe.nga.gov/subscription_form_ngart.cfm http://subscribe.nga.gov/subscription_form_ngart.cfm We would like to hear from you. Please tell us about your visit to the National Gallery of Art. If you would like a reply, please be sure to include your e-mail address. http://www.nga.gov/feedback/comments.shtm http://www.nga.gov/feedback/comments.shtm The new NGAkids Still Life interactive encourages young artists to explore the world around them by arranging artistic elements and everyday objects into multi-dimensional works that mirror those of the old masters. But there are surprises in store, as some of the objects unexpectedly spring to life! Experiment with spatial arrangements, size variables, and perspective angles, then switch modes and add layers of textured "brushstrokes" to create a more painterly, abstract image. This Art Zone activity is suitable for all ages. http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/stilllife.htm http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/stilllife.htm British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy (b. 1956) was invited by the National Gallery of Art in January 2003 to create a work for the Gallery on site or elsewhere in the region. Impressed with the abundance and character of Washington's stone structures, Goldsworthy conceived a project reflecting his interest in local building stones and their geological origins. The resulting project comprises two phases: ephemeral work completed on Government Island in Stafford County, Virginia, and a permanent sculpture located on the Ground Level of the Gallery's East Building. Goldsworthy, along with his assistant and a team of workers including four dry-stone wallers from Britain, installed the sculpture entitled Roof over the course of nine weeks in the winter of 2004/2005. The site specific sculpture comprises nine hollow, low-profile domes of stacked slate, each with a centered oculus. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2005/goldsworthy/vr/goldsworthy_vr.shtm http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2005/goldsworthy/vr/goldsworthy_vr.shtm The National Gallery of Art relies on a partnership of public support and private philanthropy to carry out its mission of service to the nation. You can learn more about giving to the Gallery through a Web site feature, "Support the Gallery." This feature includes information about the many important Gallery programs that benefit from private funding and the various ways to make a gift. We invite you to explore how you can help the Gallery fulfill its mission through a charitable gift. http://www.nga.gov/support/index.htm http://www.nga.gov/support/index.htm Plan your visit to the National Gallery with these maps of must-see works. http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/wbhighlights.pdf http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/wbhighlights.pdf Plan your visit to the National Gallery with these maps of must-see works. http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/ebhighlights.pdf http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/ebhighlights.pdf Find out what's happening this month at the National Gallery of Art. To obtain a free bimonthly calendar of events by mail, call (202) 842-6662, or contact us by e-mail at calendar@nga.gov. The current bimonthly Calendar of Events is available in PDF format. http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/calendar.shtm http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/calendar.shtm To obtain a free quarterly film calendar by mail, contact us by e-mail at film-department@nga.gov. Please include your mailing address. The current bimonthly Film Calendar is available in PDF format. http://www.nga.gov/pdf/nga-film-calendar.pdf http://www.nga.gov/pdf/nga-film-calendar.pdf