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Dayton Art Institute

DAI Offers Free Museum Admission April 22nd

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‘Free Friday’ includes access to Van Gogh & European Landscapes and Black Heritage Through Visual Rhythms, as well as a panel discussion and presentations by African American Visual Artists Guild

The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) will welcome the community to the museum with a special Free Friday, this Friday, April 22, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

The museum will offer free admission to its collection galleries and the exhibitions Black Heritage Through Visual Rhythms, Van Gogh & European Landscapes, Fired Imagination: Ancient Chinese Ceramics from the Nancy and Ed Rosenthal Family Collection and The Flower Prints of Katsuhira Tokushi.

 

In addition, the African American Visual Artists Guild (AAVAG) will present the program Harlem Renaissance to Now: Relevance of African American Art in the museum’s Mimi and Stuart Rose Auditorium from 1 to 4 p.m. It includes presentations by Siera Leone, award-winning writer and poet, Karen D. Brame, the founder of BlackListed Culture, and Andrew Scott, artist and professor, as well as a panel discussion and live painting demonstration by Erin Smith-Glenn, Associate Professor of Art at Central State University. AAVAG collaborated with the DAI to present the exhibition Black Heritage Through Visual Rhythms.

“We greatly appreciate the community’s support through these past two years, especially as we begin to finally emerge from the pandemic and return to regular operations,” said DAI Director & CEO Michael R. Roediger. “As a way of saying thank you, we’re offering the opportunity to experience the museum and its current exhibitions, as well as an uplifting presentation by the African American Visual Artists Guild, for free.”

Black Heritage Through Visual Rhythms, on view through May 22, is a juried exhibition featuring more than 80 works by 44 nationally recognized and emerging African American artists from across the United States. The exhibition reflects the diverse backgrounds and different interests of the artists and includes art in a variety of styles and media.

Van Gogh & European Landscapes, on view through September 4, offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a remarkable pair of Van Gogh paintings, on loan to the museum from Switzerland, made during the final month of Van Gogh’s life. This intimate Focus Exhibition also includes works byCharles-François Daubigny, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Joseph Mallord William Turner, John Constable and others.

Fired Imagination: Ancient Chinese Ceramics from the Nancy and Ed Rosenthal Family Collection, on view through July 24, presents a private collection of ceramics, ranging from figures to vessels and spanning more than 3,000 years of Chinese history.

The Flower Prints of Katsuhira Tokushi, on view through September 18, introduces the work of Japanese artist Katsuhira Tokushi through a complete set of his series Twelve Works on Flower Selling Customs (1959–1961).

 

For more information about planning a visit, including current museum hours, updates and COVID-19 safety protocols, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org/visit or call 937-223-4ART (4278).

 

DAI Now Open Thursday – Sunday

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Beginning August 5, the Dayton Art Institute (DAI) will expand its hours to include Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The museum is also open on Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sundays, noon–5 p.m.

“The community has asked us for additional weekday hours, as well as evening hours, and today I’m pleased to announce that we will now be open on Thursdays,” DAI Director & CEO Michael R. Roediger said. “This provides guests with more opportunities to enjoy our current Special Exhibition, Changing Times: Art of the 1960s, as well as new Focus Exhibitions and our recently reopened Lange Family Experiencenter.”

The DAI will open two new Focus Exhibitions in conjunction with the expanded hours: Photography through Time, on view July 30–October 24, and Spotlight on Africa: Gifts from Dianne Komminsk, on view August 7–November 4.

Photography through Time explores the range of photographic processes and techniques within the Dayton Art Institute’s extensive photography collection. From early photographic processes to contemporary artworks, the exhibition will include examples of daguerreotype, cyanotype, albumen, gelatin silver, chromogenic, photogravure and inkjet photographs. Photography through Timepresents a rare opportunity to see these works. Supporting Sponsors for the exhibition are Norma Landis & Rick Hoffman.

 

A business leader and philanthropist, Dianne Komminsk (1944–2019) of New Bremen, Ohio, was a passionate collector of art. She collected contemporary art and antiquities, but her greatest interest was in the rich aesthetic qualities of art from Africa. Spotlight on Africa: Gifts from Dianne Komminsk will feature some of the more than 300 objects she has gifted the DAI during her lifetime and through her estate. Komminsk’s extraordinary collection of African art includes work from across the continent and, when combined with the museum’s holdings, helps strengthen a world-class collection of the art of Africa for the Dayton Art Institute. Supporting Sponsor for the exhibition is PNC, with additional support from Patty & Jerry Tatar.

 

Other exhibitions currently on view at the DAI include The Roaring (and the Quiet) 1920s, Bukang Y. Kim: Journey to the East and All by Myself: Japanese Creative Prints.

The DAI also recently reopened The Lange Family Experiencenter, the museum’s interactive gallery for all ages. The Lange Family Experiencenter currently features the exhibition ABCs of Art, a playful exploration of the artistic alphabet special to artists, makers and people who enjoy looking at art. An artistic alphabet can include media—or materials—and techniques, style and meaning, or visual elements such as color, line and shape. This “hands-off, brains-on” exhibition exposes learners of all ages to new art concepts and a dynamic variety of artworks from the DAI collection.

“The exhibitions we currently have are wonderfully diverse. They feature great variety, from ancient and traditional works of Africa to contemporary art made right here in Ohio. Even for our members who come to the DAI regularly, there is a lot of newly installed art to see and enjoy,” DAI Chief Curator & Director of Education Jerry N. Smith said.

In addition, the DAI’s popular Bob Ross Auto Group Jazz & Beyond series returns on August 12 with Soul Express, and informal performances on the museum’s historic Skinner pipe organ have resumed on the first and third Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. The DAI’s first in-person education program since early 2020, the Language of Art, will be held on August 14. Visit the DAI’s website for a full list of exhibitions, events and programs.

On Friday, Saturday & Sunday, August 6-8, when the DAI will hold a special catalogue sale, featuring discounted catalogues from the museum’s permanent collection and past exhibitions, including some vintage exhibition catalogues from the 1950s & 1960s! Pictured above are just a few of  the catalogues available, and everything will be priced at $4 or less. The sale takes place in the Leo Bistro area – look for the sign in the Rotunda.

General admission to the DAI, which includes access to the collection galleries, all exhibitions and The Lange Family Experiencenter, is: $15 adults; $10 seniors (60+), active military and groups (10 or more); $5 students (18+ w/ID) and youth (ages 7–17); free for children (ages 6 & younger). Admission is also free for museum members.

 

For more about planning a visit to the Dayton Art Institute, including the latest information about COVID-19 safety protocols, please visitwww.daytonartinstitute.org or call 937-223-4ART (4278). Connect with the Dayton Art Institute on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram andYouTube for additional information, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and exclusive offers.

 

New DAI Exhibit Bring the Spirit of the Performing Arts to Life

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Groundbreaking exhibition reveals what happened when prominent painters and sculptors–such as Pablo Picasso, David Hockney and Henri Matisse–turned their attention to the stage

Stages may still be dark at theaters around the country, but theDayton Art Institute (DAI) will bring the spirit of the performing arts to life with its latest Special Exhibition. Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage reveals what happened when prominent painters and sculptors turned their attention to the stage and collaborated with writers, musicians and dancers. The exhibition opens October 17 and will be on view at the DAI through January 17, 2021. Current museum hours are Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sundays, noon – 5 p.m. The exhibition

 

Picasso to Hockney contains works by some of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, including Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, Henri Matisse, Fernand Léger, Natalia Gontcharova, Joan Miró, Louise Nevelson, Robert Indiana, Jim Dine and many others. It pulls back the curtain on a lesser known but equally inspiring aspect of these artists’ creative expressions—their collaborations as designers of sets, costumes, lighting, scenery and, in some instances, complete performances. These artists contributed stunning designs to world-renowned plays, operas and ballets, such as Pulcinella, La Création du Monde(The Creation of the World), King Arthur and The Mother of Us All.

 

“It is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy stunning works, which were made for the stage by major artists who are known primarily for their paintings and sculpture,” said Dr. Jerry N. Smith, the DAI’s Chief Curator and Director of Education. “The art on display, since it was created for the theater, offers a novel look at major art movements of the 20th century. For example, to see a breathtaking costume created by Henri Matisse that was once worn by an actor on stage, or a series of painted designs by Jim Dine for stage sets, helps us appreciate the artists and their creativity in new ways.”

Organized by the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas, Picasso to Hockney features 115 objects of set and costume design, and it offers fresh insights into artists and movements, from Cubism and Constructivism to Surrealism and Pop Art. The exhibition presents a rare opportunity to experience more than 100 years of original performance designs by renowned visual artists who took their creativity to the stage. Spectacular costumes from the theater, such as dresses by Lesley Dill, and several costumes by Robert Indiana, are also included in the exhibition. Picasso to Hockney invites visitors to explore how these visual artists challenged conventional theatre practices and often redefined their own work in the process.

 

Drawn from the McNay Art Museum’s Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts, Picasso to Hockney aligns with Robert L. B. Tobin’s belief that, “designs come to life only when they are used.” The late San Antonio art collector and performance advocate ensured his collection would be accessible to the public. Tobin hoped this collection would serve to educate and inspire future generations of young theatre makers.

 

“Dayton is known for its vibrant arts community, so it’s only fitting to present this exciting combination of visual and performing arts from the Tobin Collection at the Dayton Art Institute,” said DAI Director & CEO Michael R. Roediger. “Picasso to Hockney shines an inspiring light on the arts, as well as the artists who bring the arts to life. Your Dayton Art Institute is open and ready to safely welcome you to the museum. I hope you’ll take the opportunity to view this amazing exhibition from our friends at the McNay Art Museum and support the DAI.”

 

Several online programs and at-home activities will be offered in conjunction with Picasso to Hockney, including:

 

  • DAI Book Club: Language of Art
    Saturday, Oct. 24 & Thursday, Nov. 5, 12–1 p.m. each day
  • Draw from the Collection … Live via Zoom!
    Saturday, Nov. 7, 3–4 p.m. & Thursday, Nov. 19, 12–1 p.m.
  • Retrofit: Turning Today’s Clothes into Period Costumes
    Videos and downloadable lessons to be released Nov. 20, Dec. 4 & Jan. 8
  • Curatorial Conversations: Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage
    Friday, Dec. 4, 1:30 p.m.
  • ARTventures at Home
    Downloadable lesson to be released on Dec. 28

 

In addition, A Date at DAI will offer a specially designed self-guided tour of the exhibition, aimed at those visiting the museum with their “special someone” the weekend of October 30–November 1.

 

For more about these programs and the exhibition, visit www.daytonartinstitute.org/stage and join the conversation on social media with #PicassoToHockney.

 

The Dayton Art Institute’s showing of Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage is presented with support from BENEFACTOR SPONSOR Premier Health and SUPPORTING SPONSORS Carolyn & Robert H. Brethen, Norma Landis & Rick Hoffman, Perfection Group and PNC, with ADDITIONAL SUPPORT from Jessup Wealth Management. SUPPORTING MEDIA SPONSOR is ThinkTV.

 

Admission to Picasso to Hockney is included in the museum’s general admission: $15 adults; $10 seniors (60+), active military and groups (10 or more); $5 students (18+ w/ID) and youth (ages 7–17); free for children (ages 6 & younger). Admission is also free for museum members. Prices include admission to the Special Exhibition, all Focus Exhibitions and the museum’s collection galleries.

 

For more information about visiting the Dayton Art Institute, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org or call 937-223-4ART (4278). Connect with the Dayton Art Institute on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest for additional information, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and exclusive offers.