American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell – at DAI

 

(from The Dayton Art Institute)

Norman Rockwell painted the best of America, creating indelible images of the lives, hopes, and dreams of Americans in the 20th century. Those images continue to resonate with subsequent generations, well into the 21^st century.

 

The Dayton Art Institute will celebrate the life and work of Norman Rockwell with the special exhibition American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell, presented by PNC. The exhibition opens Saturday, November 12 and runs through February 5, 2012.

The exhibition, organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, explores Rockwell’s unparalleled role as an iconic American storyteller. American Chronicles features 42 original artworks from the Norman Rockwell Museum’s collection, including well-known images such as Triple Self-Portrait (1960), Girl at Mirror (1954), Going and Coming (1947), and Art Critic (1955). The exhibition also includes cover sheets of all 323 Saturday Evening Post covers created by Rockwell. His work for the Post spanned a remarkable 47 years, and the artist became a household name in the process.

Expertly weaving both narrative and painterly images, Rockwell was a consummate visual storyteller with a finely honed sense of what made an image successful in the rapidly changing era of mass media. Rockwell’s unique artistic legacy, established during 65 years of painting, offers a personal chronicle of 20th century life and aspirations that has both reflected and profoundly influenced American perceptions and ideals.

American Chronicles traces the evolution of Rockwell’s art and iconography throughout his career – from carefully choreographed reflections on childhood innocence in paintings such as No Swimming (1921) to powerful, consciousness-raising images like The Problem We All Live With (1964), which documented the traumatic realities of desegregation in the South.

The exhibition also includes materials from the Museum’s archives that demonstrate how Rockwell worked, from preliminary sketches, photographs, color studies, and detailed drawings to the finished painting. Commentary focusing on recurring personal themes, artistic and cultural influences, and the commercial climate that influenced Rockwell’s creative process will be woven throughout the exhibition.

 

Related Events and Programs

The Dayton Art Institute is planning a number of special events and programs in conjunction with American Chronicles. These include a Veterans Day Program on November 11, talks, workshops, the popular Tour and Tea programs, and a special visit by Ruby Bridges, the subject of Rockwell’s painting The Problem We All Live With.

Visitors to American Chronicles will also have the opportunity to have their pictures taken in front of a life-size Saturday Evening Post cover. Props will be available for those who want to create a Rockwell-inspired scene. Photos will be posted to the museum’s Flickr and Facebook pages.

For more about related events and programs, visit www.daytonartinstitute.org/rockwell or call the museum at 937-223-5277 to request a copy of the exhibition brochure.

How To Go:

American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell is on view at The Dayton Art Institute from November 12 – February 5, 2012.

Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (60+), students (18+ w/ID) and active military, $10 for youth (ages 7-17) and free for children (ages 6 & under). Museum members are free for their first visit, $10 for return visits. Exhibition tickets include admission to the museum’s permanent collection.

Exhibition audio guides, providing commentary on Norman Rockwell’s life and work, are available at the Visitor Services Desk for an additional $5.

Group tour packages are available, including docent-led tours of the exhibitions and boxed lunches from the museum’s Cafe. Group tickets (groups of 10 or more) are $13 per person. Information about group tours is available by contacting Mary Eberle, at 937-512-0152 or [email protected].

For more about the exhibition and other programs at The Dayton Art Institute, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org or call the museum at 937-223-5277. Be sure to also visit The Dayton Art Institute’s Facebook and Twitter pages for additional information and offers. On Twitter, look for the hashtag #rockwelldai.