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Featured Event:
From R. Mutt to
Monty Python:
The Meaning and
Legacy of Dada
Evening Seminar
Wed., May 9 at 6:45 PM
(Photo illustration by Risa Ryan)
Expect the unexpected in this roller-coaster ride of a session that enables you to arrive at your own meanings of the seemingly incomprehensible artistic expressions known as Dada. Richard Kortum discusses its background, innovators, and inheritors—and serves up a few signature moments of fun and surprise.
Buy tickets>>
You May Also Enjoy:
Lalla Essaydi in conversation with Kinsey Katchka
FREE- Artist Talk
Thurs., May 10 at 6 PM
The elegant, creative work of Lalla Essaydi belies its subversive, challenging nature. The Moroccan-born, New York-based artist discusses her work with Kinsey Katchka, guest curator for Lalla Essaydi: Revisions, an exhibition of the artist’s photography, painting, and installation work organized by the National Museum of
African Art.
Doors open at 5:30 PM; the exhibition gallery will be open until 8 PM
Learn more>>
A New Look at the
Art and Architecture
of the Ancient
Near East
Evening Seminar
Wed., Jun. 27 at 6:45 PM
Alexander Nagel leads participants on a tour of recently excavated sites in Iraq and Iran and gives a firsthand account of current archaeological fieldwork in Iran. Learn about lost empires, golden eyeballs, precious silver artifacts, and the largest building ever constructed in the ancient Middle East. Buy tickets>>
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Did you know that The Smithsonian Associates does not receive any financial support from the government? This is why we rely on our generous donors. Help us continue to offer the diverse and inspiring programs you enjoy. Donate>>
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Dear ,
From 12th-century temple sculptures to 1940s movie-star photos, art as a contemporary political weapon to artists who merrily tweaked and titillated the European art establishment, upcoming Art and Architecture programs offer you a whole world of intriguing and wonderfully eclectic choices.
This Week: When the movement called Dada exploded in the early 20th-century it puzzled, provoked, amused, and bewildered—as presenter Richard Kortum says it still does today. Join him for a freewheeling program that provides a guide to the serious (but often deliberately silly) credo that has influenced generations of creators like John Cage, E.E. Cummings, the Beatles, and Monty Python.
Upcoming: Perhaps best known outside China as a political activist, Ai Weiwei is first an artist. Michelle Wang, assistant professor of art history at Georgetown University, discusses the dominant themes in Ai’s work that make him a powerful, provocative—and to some, feared—force in modern art. Buy tickets>>
Remember, members typically save 25%—40% on program tickets.
Not a member? Become a Smithsonian Associates supporter today to take advantage of this special benefit, as well as many others. Learn more>>
For example, members had the exclusive chance to buy advance tickets for this month's tours to Frank Lloyd Wright's masterwork, Fallingwater—one of which is already sold out.
We look forward to seeing you!
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Upcoming Programs You'll Find of Interest:
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Indonesia and Islam: Roots of Cultural Creativity
Evening Seminar
Tues., May 22 at 6:30 PM
Asian cultural history researcher expert Jared Koller explores the history of Islam in Indonesia, from its introduction through trade in the 11th century to its modern vibrancy. You’ll follow the steps of Marco Polo, survey Islam’s enduring artistic influences, hear a Sufi gamelan performance, and much more during this fascinating evening.
Buy tickets>>
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Mingle at the Museum:
Camera-Ready Color
Wed., Jun. 6 at 7:30 PM
The color-drenched celebrity portraits shot by photographer Harry Warnecke for the New York Daily News in the 1930s through '50sget an intriguingly modern spin in the hands of artist Alexa Meade. Meade is a portraitist who uses her subjects themselves as her canvas, and then photographs them within a painted scene or backdrop. Sip a cocktail as you take in both creators’ works—and even get in the picture yourself! Buy tickets>>
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Exploring Angkor Wat:
The Art and History of a
Khmer God-King
Evening Seminar
Wed., Jun. 6 at 6:45 PM
Robert DeCaroli details the history and development of the Khmer lineage of god-kings (devarajas). A close reading of Angkor Wat’s sculptural themes uncovers Suryavarman II’s possible goals in building this massive structure, revealing both his religious devotion and the expectations he held for his own eventual apotheosis.
Buy tickets>>
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The Art of the Fantasy
Coffins of the Ga People
Evening Seminar
Thurs., Jun. 7 at 6:45 PM
Imagine heading into the afterlife inside a resplendent giant beer bottle, carpenter’s tool, fish, or vegetable. African art expert Nii Quarcoopome introduces you to the spectacular works of coastal Ghana’s master coffin builders, whose skills and artistry translate the wishes of a grieving family into a bold and vivid celebration of a life.
Buy tickets>>
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The Artist as Dissident:
China’s Ai Weiwei
Evening Lecture
Thurs., Jun. 7 at 6:45 PM
Ai Weiwei is a multifaceted artist and outspoken political advocate who has tested the limits of freedom of expression in contemporary China. Despite frequent arrests, he continues to create and to spread his message of the interrelationship of art and politics. Take a close look at the man and his eloquent work this evening. Buy tickets>>
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The Wyeth Dynasty:
Generations of American Art
Evening Seminar
Thurs., Jun. 21 at 6:45 PM
N.C. Wyeth, his son Andrew, and grandson Jamie have forged a highly personal and indelible vision of America from the beginning of the last century to the present day. Art historian Bonita Billman highlights the extraordinary body of work three generations of artists have created. Buy tickets>>
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Mingle at the Museum
Portraits in Metaphor:
Robert Weingarten’s
Photographic Biographies
Thurs., Jun. 28 at 6:30 PM
Photographer Robert Weingarten’s Portraits Without People project captures the essence of notables including Buzz Aldrin, Colin Powell, Hank Aaron, Sonia Sotomayor, and others in multilayered digital compositions that he calls “translucent composites.” Join the photographer and a Smithsonian photography curator in conversation and sip a cocktail as you view a gallery of Weingarten’s boundary-expanding works. Buy tickets>>
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