Chrysler The Members Magazine | Fall 2014

transforming lives

Back in May, at the time of the Museum’s Reopening, I was standing near our front door and overheard a mother and her daughter in conversation.

daughter: “Mom, why do we have to leave? There is so much more to see!”

mother: “It’s okay. Because we are Members, we can come back whenever we want.”

At first I was confused. Anyone can come back whenever they want. We are open and we are free to all. As I thought about it, however, I realized that this conversation was about something else far more serious. This family had made a commitment. By investing in membership, they decided that the Museum should be a regular part of their lives. In return they gained a wonderful sense of ownership. The Chrysler became their museum.

In a similar way, for those of us who work at the Chrysler, this will always be our museum. Over the past 17 years I am lucky to have been part of an extraordinary transformation at the Chrysler. In just the past few months we have reopened a beautifully renovated and expanded building. We’ve been blessed by a visit from a giant rubber duck. And now we are poised to launch a dynamic and varied new series of changing exhibitions. Along the way we have transformed our relationship to the community we exist to serve through an innovative hospitality program and a renewed commitment to accessibility on every level. It’s been a time of remarkable change—and now in what is for me a very major change, indeed, I will be retiring from my job as Director of the Chrysler.

Around here we talk a lot about transformation, about making a real and positive change in people’s lives. It’s our mission. I am deeply proud to be able to write that for at least one person, that mission has become a reality. My time here at the Chrysler has transformed me. I am deeply grateful to have had the chance to spend every day surrounded by great works of art. I’ve been lucky to have had the chance to work with a truly remarkable group of dedicated and talented colleagues—smart, funny, and committed people who work extraordinarily hard to ensure that the Chrysler makes a real difference. And best of all, I’ve had the chance to meet and talk with our visitors, to watch as they discovered for themselves the joys and rewards to be found in great works of art. It’s been a heady, unforgettable experience for which I will always be deeply grateful.

William J. HennesseyDirector

board of trustees 2014–2015 Lewis W. Webb III, Esq., ChairThomas L. Stokes, Jr., Vice ChairLelia Graham Webb, Secretary

Yvonne T. AllmondDudley B. Anderson, M.D., F.A.C.P.Tony Atwater, Ph.D.Shirley C. BaldwinCarolyn K. BarryKathleen BroderickDeborah H. ButlerRobert W. CarterSusan R. ColpittsElizabeth P. FraimEdith G. GrandyJames A. HixonMarc JacobsonLinda H. KaufmanPamela C. KloeppelHarry T. LesterOriana M. McKinnonPeter M. Meredith, Jr.Richard D. RobertsC. Arthur Rutter IIIBob SasserLisa B. SmithRichard WaitzerJoseph T. WaldoWayne F. Wilbanks

chrysler magazineBrian Wells, Director of Development and

CommunicationsCheryl Little, Editor/Publications ManagerEd Pollard, Museum PhotographerJane Cleary, Graphics ManagerMegan Frost, Development Officer

Chrysler Magazine is a quarterly publication produced for and mailed to Chrysler Museum Members as a benefit of their generous support.

Update or verify your membership information at http://reservations.chrysler.org or contact Database Manager Fleater Allen at:

Chrysler Museum of ArtOne Memorial PlaceNorfolk, VA 23510(757) 333-6287 fallen@chrysler.org.

© 2014 by The Chrysler Museum of Art, all rights reserved

on the coverHand-embellished Outcasts club jacket, ca. 1960sOn loan from the Jeff Decker collectionPhoto by Brad Chaney, © Harley-Davidson® Motor Company

in the galleries 2 Exhibitions

6 Collection Connections

8 Friendship in Tulsa

10 Veronese’s Altarpieces

featured exhibition 12 Worn to Be Wild:

The Black Leather Jacket

chrysler news 16 The Life and Legacy of

Bill Hennessey

21 Erik Neil Named New Director

22 At the Glass Studio: Visiting Artist Series 2014

27 Norfolk Society of Arts 2014–2015 Lecture Series

member exclusives 24 Grand Reopening Week

last look 28 Rubber Duck

Chrysler The Members Magazine | Fall 2014

New Museum, New CommunicationsWelcome to the new Chrysler! A new Museum calls for a new look at things, so we’re rethinking how we communicate with our Members.

We hope you enjoyed your Commemorative edition of The Chrysler Magazine in May. This stunning, over-sized issue was designed to be a special keepsake of our Grand Reopening and a signal of new things to come.

With this Fall issue, Chrysler, the Members Magazine, becomes a seasonal quarterly. You’ll notice a taller, more ele-gant cut size and a fresh layout. Chrysler will keep you in the know about art in the collection, exhibitions on view, and Museum news with an eclectic mix of fascinating tidbits, first-person reflec-tions, behind-the-scenes views, and in-depth features. Plus, the magazine will now be an exclusive benefit for Museum Members only, mailed to you in thanks for your loyal support.

In addition, you’ll continue to receive our attractive new Chrysler Calendar by mail to apprise you of all the exciting events, tours, programs, and premiums that you won’t want to miss in the month ahead. And our quarterly Glass Studio Classes and Events Schedule will let you know what’s hot and happening over at the corner of Duke and Grace Streets.

And if you haven’t been receiving The Chrysler Weekly via email, sign up today. Our informative e-blast and our award-winning website, Chrysler.org, are among the best ways to stay current with all things Chrysler. And if you appreciate instantaneous commu-nication, check out our social media. Follow the Chrysler on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

The Communications Team hopes you’ll let us know what you think. We appreciate your input and insights. If you have kudos, comments, or con-structive criticisms about how the Chrysler keeps you informed, please drop us a line at museum@chrysler.org.

Bringing Art and People Together: The Bill Hennessey LegacyOn view throughout September in the Oval Gallery (g. 200)

Bravo! This special presentation in our upstairs orientation gallery highlights the triumphs of Bill Hennessey’s 17 years as director of the Chrysler Museum of Art. From the art of Ferrari to free admis-sion to forging friendships and partnerships across our commu-nity, discover the impact Bill has had on the cultural atmosphere of Hampton Roads. Express your appreciation for his vision and dedication at the nearby response station or on our website.

Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtová: Selections from the Lisa and Dudley Anderson CollectionOn view through November 16 in the Glass Project Space (g. 118)

Cast glass, en masse: our expanded new glass galleries host this impres-sive presentation of glass sculptures

by the famed Czech husband-wife team, Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtová. Among the more than a dozen works on display are extraordinary examples of their mastery of the material. Their soaring 3-V Victory Column, which defies Communism with a seditious message hidden in plain view, is another must-see masterpiece in a nearby gallery (and a gift from the Andersons to the recently renovated Museum).

Larry Clark: TulsaNew on view in the Frank Photography Galleries (g. 228)

Raw. Real. Relevant. As a witness with a camera (and sometimes a willing participant), Larry Clark and his controversial Tulsa series revolutionized the field of doc-umentary photography in 1971. These 50 images, comprising the entire series, are full of grit and truth, and capture the dark, violent, drug-addicted underside of Clark’s generation and his Midwestern hometown. Decades later, his photographs are no less powerful or troubling.

Celebrating Smokey Bear: Rudy Wendelin and the Creation of an IconNew on view in the Focus Gallery (g. 229)

“Only you can prevent forest fires!” The Chrysler honors seven decades of wildfire prevention by America’s

best-known bear with a display of 19 original paintings by Rudy Wendelin. The artist for the U.S. Forest Service was the visionary behind the friendly firefighter with the ranger hat and shovel. This exhibition about the beloved bear is organized by the Virginia Department of Forestry in honor of its 100th anniversary, and features a free keepsake booklet about Smokey.

Worn to Be Wild: The Black Leather JacketOpening the evening of October 2 (Members’ Preview Party) in the Norfolk Southern Special Exhibitions Gallery and the Waitzer Community Gallery (gs. 101–103)

Cool comes to the Chrysler with this blockbuster spotlighting one of America’s loudest sartorial statements: the black leather jacket. Trace its biker-boy and fly-boy

Exhibitions

Stanislav Libenský (Czech, 1921–2002)Jaroslava Brychtová (Czech, b. 1924)Astronomical Calendar Sphere, 1994Cast glass, © Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava BrychtováOn loan from Lisa Shaffer Anderson and Dudley Buist AndersonPhoto by David Ramsey Photography, Charlotte, N.C.

Rudy Wendelin (American, 1910–2000) Trees are Wonderful Friends (detail), 1994 Oil and acrylic on canvas Courtesy of Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, U.S. Department of Agriculture

in the galleries | 3

infancy to its adolescent run as the unofficial uniform for film rebels and rockers to its adult heyday as an haute-couture and popular fash-ion accessory. This fall, we spot-light a quintessentially American fashion invention in a revved-up keynote exhibition that promises something for everyone.

Worn to Be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket is presented by EMP Museum, Seattle, in partner-ship with the Harley-Davidson® Museum, Milwaukee.

Fractured Lens: Picasso, Braque, and Cubism’s Influence Opening October 14 in the Roberts Wing | 20th-Century | Modern Art Gallery (g. 219)

The Chrysler is anything but square as we partner with the National Gallery of Art to launch a yearlong series of exhibitions that highlight key modernists represented in both collections. Our first collaborative show starts the cross-institutional conversation with a focus on the inventors of the Cubist movement— Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque—and the contemporaries they influenced.

Learn more about the four-exhibi-tion series, Collection Conversations: The National Gallery of Art and the Chrysler Museum of Art, on page 6.

Thomas Cole’s Voyage of LifeOpening October 21 in the Brock Wing | Meredith Gallery | 19th-Century American Art (g.211)

It’s the story of Everyman, beau-tifully told by one of the founding fathers of American art. Thomas Cole’s four monumental canvases trace the human journey through

Black leather jacket by Wolf Outerwear of Boston, ca. 1960s, personalized with various pinsPhoto © Tom Fritz Studios, Milwaukee, courtesy of Harley-Davidson® Used by permission

Thomas Cole (American, 1801–1848)The Voyage of Life: Childhood, 1839–40Oil on canvas, 52 x 78 in.Museum Purchase, 55.105Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute,Museum of Art, Utica, N.Y.

4 | fall 2014

childhood, youth, manhood, and old age. These masterpieces, the original versions of the iconic series, mark the pinnacle of Cole’s illustrious career and a landmark in Romantic landscape painting. The Chrysler’s own The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds, Cole’s largest single painting, enriches this extraordinary exhibition.

Thomas Cole’s Voyage of Life is on loan from the collection of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Museum of Art, in Utica, N.Y., and is supported by an indem-nity from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities.

Look for a more in-depth explora-tion of this exhibition in the Winter issue of Chrysler.

In The Box: Jennifer SteinkampClosing November 2 in The Box, first floor walkway, right, beyond Huber Court

We’re thinking outside the box with our In The Box series. Our new downstairs gallery is dedicated to keeping the Chrysler cutting-edge with contemporary video art exhi-bitions and new media installations by established and emerging artists in and beyond our collection. In Steinkamp’s popular Orbit 3, hand-sketched artwork of nature meets computer technology in a fresh look at the changing seasons.

fall 2014 | 5

at left: Saya Woolfalk (American, b. Japan, 1979)ChimaTEK: Hybridization Machine (still image), 2013Video (4 minutes, 30 seconds)Musical Score: DJ Spooky, Of Water and Ice(feat. Jin-Xiang “Jx” Yu); Actress: Duhirwe Rushemeza; Animation: Nicholas Tuinstra; Videography: Rachel Lears; Video Editor: Tyler Henry; Project Consultant: Ron Eglash

at the historic houses

Ongoing at the Moses Myers House323 E. Freemason St. | Norfolk

Moses Myers: Maritime MerchantThis permanent exhibition explores the business of nautical commerce through the life of Moses Myers, who constructed this 1792 dwelling, one of Norfolk’s oldest buildings.

Barton Myers: Norfolk VisionaryMayor Barton Myers transformed his city from a prosperous coastal town into a thriving metropolis. This display highlights the extraordinary life of this “first citizen of Norfolk.”

Adeline’s Portal by Beth LipmanThis spectral installation for an upstairs bedroom nook is the on-site creation of Beth Lipman, our Glass Studio’s first Resident Artist. Discover how the memories and objects that have filled the house over generations speak afresh through evocative colorless glass.

These Historic Houses exhibitions are supported by a generous gift from the late T. Parker Host, Jr.

New at the Willoughby-Baylor House601 E. Freemason St. | Norfolk

Democratic Designs: American Folk Paintings from the Chrysler MuseumThe Federal-era house provides a perfect historical setting for this exhibition of highlights from the Chrysler’s fine collection of early American paintings. Explore the work of artists like Ammi Phillips, Edward Hicks, and Erastus Salisbury Field who had considerable talent, but limited access to professional training, in this inspiring display of native genius.

The Norfolk RoomsCelebrate our port city’s rich heritage of creativity and cultural achievements through a selection of paintings, sculpture, furniture, silver, and more. This permanent installation christens the newly reopened Norfolk History Museum.

AmericanBombardment of the Forts of Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, ca. 1861–62Oil on canvasGift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch

In The Box: Saya Woolfalk Opening November 20 (Third Thursday) in The Box Meet the Artist: Saya Woolfalk headlines this eclectic Third Thursday.

The Box becomes its own hybrid-ization laboratory of visual, per-forming, and tactile arts with the Brooklyn-based artist’s immersive installation ChimaTEK (feat. DJ Spooky). Join the Empathics as a virtual DJ remixes their bodies and minds into new beings that are part-human, part-plant. Discover how Woolfalk’s art mixes biology, genetics, and anthropology with needlework, sculpture, glassblow-ing, and video to create a vibrant new world that defies race, cultural labels, and easy definition.

at the glass studioVestibule 102 in the Front Alcove 745 Duke St. | Norfolk

Our Glass Studio assistants present a changing array of special project exhibitions as part of their program requirements. Come see work by the next generation of glassmaking professionals and artists.

Josh Solomon’s blown-glass Songlines, 2013

6 | fall 2014

Collection ConversationsThe Chrysler and The National Gallery of Art

starting this year, great masterworks from the Chrysler invite equally great artworks from the National Gallery of Art to an in-gallery dialogue as the two museums partner to pres-ent Collection Conversations. The series of four focused exhibitions is designed to give greater insight into particularly significant sub-jects using art from the two inter-nationally important collections.

The series will spotlight break-throughs by the most important artists of the early 20th century, said Amy Brandt, McKinnon Curator

of Modern and Contemporary Art, who helped coordinate the series. From Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Henri Matisse to Arshile Gorky and Georgia O’Keeffe, “these artists served as revolutionary leaders in a series of modernist movements, each contributing to the major shifts from figuration to abstraction in the early to mid 20th century.”

The first and largest exhibition is Fractured Lens: Picasso, Braque, and Cubism’s Influence, which demon-strates the world-shattering impact of the avant-garde movement. Cubism’s emphasis on multifaceted

fall 2014 | 7

Collection ConversationsThe Chrysler and The National Gallery of Art

Fractured Lens: Picasso, Braque and Cubism’s Influence October 14, 2014 through February 15, 2015

Stuart Davis, Matches, 1927

viewpoints had far-reaching conse-quences on the future of 20th-cen-tury painting, sculpture, and archi-tecture across Europe and America, Brandt said, and even major painters working simultaneously in their own right, such as Henri Matisse, later felt its impact. Our second exhibition will explore how Matisse liberated color and line from the objects they represented. The two later shows on Arshile Gorky and Georgia O’Keeffe will delve into the specific developments of two some-what isolated artists who nonethe-less changed the course of modern aesthetics.

Each of these exhibitions is an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy major works from the National Gallery of Art here in Hampton Roads. “These master-works are almost always on view in Washington,” Brandt explained,

“but since the East Building started a three-year renovation in January and we had recently completed our own expansion, the National Gallery generously made them available to us.”

The Chrysler will make the most of the collaboration with new docu-mentary and interpretive material that allows visitors to study the artists’ work and better understand the scope of each career. “We could not be more delighted to have the unique chance to showcase such significant paintings alongside our own masterworks here in Norfolk,” Brandt said. n

Arshile Gorky: Between Worlds July 7 through October 11, 2015

Arshile Gorky, The Artist and His Mother, ca. 1926–1942

Henri Matisse: Harmonious Color February 24 through June 21, 2015

Henri Matisse, Bowl of Apples on a Table, 1916

Georgia O’Keeffe: A Place of Her OwnOctober 27, 2015 through January 3, 2016

Georgia O’Keeffe, Jack-in-the-Pulpit No. IV, 1930

at left: Georges Braque (French, 1882–1963)Harbor, 1909Oil on canvas, 16 x 19 in.Gift of Victoria Nebeker Coberly, in memory of her son, John W. Mudd, 1992.3.1Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

8 | fall 2014

l arry cl ark’s 1971 series Tulsa begins with two of the most seductive images in the history of American photography. First we meet a handsome teenager with dark eyes. Shirtless with his arms crossed, he appears to lean against the edge of the picture frame. A dirt road stretches into the grainy distance, where a pick-up truck is parked on the left. The next black-and-white picture presents another young man, also shirtless. As he drives, his bare arm casually hangs out the car window. Blinding sun-light washes out the background. Captions give their names: David Roper and Billy Mann.

On view this fall at the Chrysler is Clark’s entire 50-work Tulsa portfo-lio, including these two unforgetta-ble images—David and Billy. Shot between 1963 and 1971, the photo- essay follows these men and a collection of Oklahoma slackers as their lives and their bodies slowly crumble through amphetamine use. Many critics have praised Tulsa’s “ferocious beauty,” while

others have condemned its voyeur-istic depictions of violence, sex, and drug abuse. However, Clark’s captions, naming only David and Billy, draw attention to a crucial and often overlooked theme within this series: friendship.

Like his friends David and Billy, Larry Clark was a member of this underground subculture of speed junkies in America’s heartland. The artist confesses to struggling with drug addiction since age 16, and in Tulsa we meet fellow addicts from his hometown. As the son of a commercial portrait photographer, Clark frequently wore a camera around his neck, and insider status allowed him to photograph fights, needles, and nudity. He took pride in the grim honesty and “realism” of his work, seeing it as a response to the sunny and uplifting pho-to-essays in LIFE Magazine.

“I had always been around and always had a camera,” Clark said in an interview for Pataphysics Magazine in 2003. “So it wasn’t like

anybody coming in and making photographs, it was just Larry with his camera practicing his photogra-phy…, So when I started photo-graphing my friends, it was just like a natural thing.”

The frankness with which Clark confronts sex and drugs is trou-bling to many viewers, but Tulsa’s story should surprise no one. We all know the consequences of addiction. But if we approach Clark’s project as a photographic examination into friendship, its message is more complex. When drugs destroy homes and lives, friends can offer comfort or guide an addict into rehab. At other times, friends feed the destructive cycle. Like the images in Tulsa, pictures of old friends from our own photo albums and yearbooks may trigger smiles and tears, nostalgia and regret. In the end, we wonder: was Clark a good friend to David Roper and Billy Mann?

The theme of friendship returns in Clark’s later projects, including the quasi-autobiographical series Teenage Lust (1983). A recent gift to the Museum included several photos from the portfolio, and these are displayed here for the first time alongside Tulsa. Friendship is also central to Clark’s film directing projects. Wassup Rockers (2005) follows the misadventures of a band of Latino skaters from South Central Los Angeles who get lost in Beverly Hills. Jealousy, manipulation, and murder between best friends Marty and Bobby form the plot of Bully (2001). And although Clark’s first feature film, Kids (1995), is often remembered as a parable against promiscuity, it is also a portrait of the fatal

Friendship in Tulsa A Different Look at Larry Clark

in the galleries | 9

bromance between inseparable teenage ne’er-do-wells Telly and Casper.

In Larry Clark’s dark world of sex, violence, and substance abuse, the meaning of friendship is always in question. As in real life, friendships among his characters sometimes offer lifelines to redemption, while elsewhere they form chains for mutually assured destruction. An

early critic said that the photos in Tulsa “assail, lacerate, and devastate.” Did he mean that the needles and bruises made him cringe? Or did he look into the eyes of David Roper and Billy Mann and remember troubled friendships from his own youth? Who are the faces and what are the trials haunting your Tulsa? n

Alex Mann, Brock Curator of American Art

Larry Clark (American, b. 1943)at left: Billy Mann, 1963at right: David Roper, 1963 from the series Tulsa, 1971Gelatin silver prints, printed 1980Gifts of Robert W. Pleasant

10 | fall 2014

it was the one collec tion masterwork conspicuously missing at the Chrysler’s Grand Reopening—but with good reason. The exhibition Veronese: Magnificence in Renaissance Venice was on view in London and our inspiring Veronese altarpiece paint-ing was at The National Gallery for a very special reunion.

There, our Virgin and Child with Angels Appearing to Saints Anthony Abbot and Paul, the Hermit hung to the right of a gallery doorway in Room 3. To its left was our painting’s long-distant relation: the National Gallery’s Consecration of Saint Nicholas.

It was only the second time that the paintings, created to hang in the same Italian abbey, have shared a space in nearly 225 years.

Veronese painted these two soar-ing altarpieces, plus one other, more than 450 years ago for the Benedictine monastery at San Benedetto Po, near Mantua. By his 30s, the artist already had earned his reputation as one of the masters of the Golden Age of Venetian Painting, along with Tintoretto and Titian. Hailed as “prince of the palette,” Veronese was famed as an inspired colorist and a compositional genius. And since San Benedetto Po was one of the best connected and wealthiest monasteries in northern Italy, on December 27, 1651, Father Andrea de Asola sought out the celebrated 34-year-old painter for a commission.

The artist would create a trio of altarpieces to decorate newly refurbished chapels that honored early Christian saints. Though the project was ambitious—each altar-piece measured roughly six by nine

feet—Veronese completed it with remarkable speed. He delivered the paintings in three months, and on March 30, 1562, received final pay-ment for his work, 123 gold crowns.

The Virgin and Child with Angels Appearing to Saint Anthony Abbot and Paul, the Hermit, The Consecration of Saint Nicholas, and Saint Jerome in the Wilderness with the Madonna in Glory quickly became the abbey’s most esteemed art treasures. By 1568 the Florentine art theorist Giorgio Vasari had acclaimed them as the best paint-ings in the church—and they remained so for another century.

The Saints and the PaintsThe Christian lore about each of the saints had been popularized in the 13th-century Golden Legend, but “Veronese imparted a new level of human imagination and heav-enly splendor to each scene,” says Jeff Harrison, the Chrysler’s Irene Leache Curator of European Art. “All three paintings depict a miraculous commingling of the terrestrial and celestial realms, all three share a compositional consistency, and all three reveal Veronese in complete command of his chromatic powers.”

The National Gallery’s canvas depicts the moment when Saint Nicholas (270–343) was divinely revealed as the next Bishop of Myra with an angel descending with a bishop’s staff, stole, and crown at the very moment of the saint’s investi-ture. “Here, Veronese celebrates the solidity and splendor of both the heavenly realm and the material world,” Harrison says. The ecclesi-astical ceremony invited the use of rich and varied color, and Veronese brought the full range of his palette to bear on the subject with brilliant,

jewel-like hues. “His genius as a colorist is superbly displayed in these works.”

The Chrysler’s painting commemo-rates the lives of two early Christian hermit saints, Anthony Abbot (251–356) and Paul, the Hermit (229–342). “As founders of the monastic life of poverty, penance, and prayer, these saints enjoyed a special reverence among the monks of San Benedetto Po,” Harrison says.

“Like these humble desert saints, we are awestruck by Veronese’s burst of miraculous golden light and an opulent, celestial vision.” As viewers looked up at this and the other paintings high above their altars,

“they were drawn visually toward a promise of splendid eternal life.”

The altarpiece featuring Saint Jerome (347–420), the scholar who translated the Scriptures into Latin, remains only in a prelim-inary sketch by Veronese and an 18th-century copy of his canvas.

“The central images in this painting and the Chrysler’s canvas include a miraculous visit of the Madonna and Child,” Harrison says. Mystical experiences by visionaries as Saint Ignatius and Saint Teresa of Avila may have influenced contemporary depictions of early saints, he adds,

“but Veronese’s vision was virtually unprecedented in the pictorial arts of the 16th century.”

Separated For CenturiesFor more than a century, Veronese’s prized paintings remained in the abbey and its monastery. In the 1790s, when Napoleon’s army occupied northern Italy, troops confiscated the three altarpieces and countless other works of art as spoils of victory. The paintings eventually surfaced in France,

ReunitedVeronese’s Altarpieces for San Benedetto Po

collection connections | 11

where ours remained in private col-lections until its purchase by Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., in 1954.

The other two altarpieces made their way to England early in the 19th century with French art dealer Alexis Delahante. The British Institution purchased The Consecration of Saint Nicholas in 1811 and donated it to the National Gallery in 1826, two years after its founding. Saint Jerome in the Wilderness with the Madonna in Glory was sold at auction in London several times and, sadly, was destroyed by a fire at Yates’ Galleries in 1836. Its composition now survives only in a Veronese shop drawing and in the late 18th-century painted copy still on view in San Benedetto Po.

Though a full reunion of Veronese’s three original altarpieces is now

impossible, the Chrysler achieved a near miracle in 1995. Thanks to a loan from the National Gallery, the museums reunited the two remain-ing paintings here in Norfolk. It was the first time the works had been displayed together since the 18th century.

This year, Veronese: Magnificence in Renaissance Venice provided the Chrysler a high-profile chance to return the favor, allowing the National Gallery to display the paintings in the United Kingdom for the first time. In fact, the show featured three reunions of National Gallery works with other master-pieces from around the globe. It’s little wonder that The Spectator hailed the Veronese one-man-show as “the exhibition of a lifetime”—and one that the Chrysler is proud to have helped make so. n

Paolo Caliari, called Veronese(Italian, Venice, 1528–1588)The Consecration of Saint Nicholas, 1562Oil on canvasCollection of The National Gallery, LondonImage courtesy of The National Gallery, used by permission

The Virgin and Child with Angels Appearing to Saints Anthony Abbot and Paul, the Hermit, 1562Oil on canvasGift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., in memory of Della Viola Forker Chrysler

12 | fall 2014

featured exhibition | 13

It’s a j ourne y from func tIon to freed om to

fa shIon a s told by a sIngle Item of clothIng.

thIs fall’s k e y note e x hIbItIon Is dedIc ated

to the ultIm ate a merIc an sar torIal s tatement:

the bl ack le ather jack e t.

From its humble beginnings as protective wear for bikers and aviators, to its de facto status as the revolutionary uni-form for rebels with (and without) a cause, to rockers who moved the jacket off the motorcycle and onto the stage, to the must-wear fashion accessory of today, the black leather jacket is iconic, on the run and on the runway.

The exhibition includes more than 50 leather jackets worn by rock stars, film legends, runway models, and fighter pilots, as well as hundreds of related ads and artifacts on loan from all around the world. It’s the first serious look at how the black leather jacket has become a staple in popular culture.

but Is It art? Like Rubber Duck last spring, some may think the exhibi-tion seems more like an attraction than art. How does Worn to Be Wild fit the Museum’s mission?

“This show certainly will draw new audiences,” said Jeff Harrison, the Chrysler’s Chief Curator, “but Worn to Be Wild goes far beyond that. In many ways it’s a traditional costume exhibition, but one of the things we loved was how it bridges high art with popular culture. The show offers a genuine historical survey of what is quintessen-tially a democratic fashion invention. What could be more American than the leather jacket? So why not tell its story?”

rooted In rIskThe leather jacket was born about 100 years ago as motor-ized transportation first became popular. In the 1910s and into the 1920s, airplanes, motorcycles (like the vintage 1920 Model J Harley-Davidson on view), and many new cars fea-tured open cockpits, leaving drivers vulnerable to weather and hazards of the road. Early racers and risk-takers found that leather provided the perfect protection against the

Graphic desiGn + illustration Jacob covey, proprietor unflown.com 206 948 5894 covey@unflown.com astoria or 97103

Worn to be Wild standard logos, horizontal and vertical.

wtbw loGo useaGe

Logo should appear in solid white or black whenever possible. The only additional color used is red (10-100-100-0 CMYK), which is primarily for secondary details.

Standard horizontal logo

Standard vertical logo Stacked vertical logo

with Subtitle

horizontal logo with Subtitle

Scores of pop culture hallmarks fuel Worn to Be Wild. In the spotlight here are biker wear that helped define Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 cyborg in Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991 and Elvis Presley’s lipstick-red 1956 Harley and the black leather jacket he sported. Photo by Brady Harvey, courtesy of EMP Museum, Seattle

14 | fall 2014

elements. “For decades, leather outerwear was largely armor for adventurists and aviators,” Harrison said. As planes and cars moved toward enclosed models, designs focused more on cyclists’ needs. Leather jackets took on practical functionality and options that cycling enthusiasts (and later the public) appreciated. By the 1930s, mail-order catalogs and major department stores offered them for sale.

War and the WIld blue yonderWorld War II forever changed the leather jacket and its cachet. “Hailed as courageous and cool, few service members were more revered than military aviators,” Harrison said. “It’s no surprise that their fly-boy uni-form, the A-2 bomber jacket, took on just as heroic an image.”

And what started as standard-issue soon became a symbol of belonging. Entire squadrons customized their jackets to match. Official patches denoted that they were part of an elite brotherhood and team morale soared. Although regulations prohibited decorating military equipment with anything but sanctioned markings, leaders turned a blind eye to a new, if illicit, tradition of personalization.

Fueled by camaraderie and pride, many military members embellished their aircraft with nose art and nicknames. “Crew jackets also became a canvas for self-expression, but the paint used was never meant for leather, so often the designs flaked off or faded,” Harrison said. “Still, the leather jacket was by now an indelible symbol of service and success.”

antIestablIshment archet ypesFollowing the war, motorcycling exploded in popularity. Although most bikers obeyed the law, the few riders who saw themselves as outlaws caught America’s atten-tion, and Hollywood soon capitalized on this bad-boy biker image in films. In 1953’s The Wild One, Marlon Brando portrayed the defiant leader of a leather-clad motorcycle gang, and in 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean starred as troubled, misunderstood teen.

“The counterculture had co-opted ‘cool,’” Harrison said, and despite the ambiguity, many Americans wanted to dress the part.

One of them was Elvis Presley. In 1956, four days after recording “Heartbreak Hotel” for RCA, the not-yet-famous 21-year-old purchased a new red-and-white

at top: “Jack’s Gang” and their bomb-riding pin-up girl scored at least seven successful hits, per the graffiti painted on this World War II-era A-2 flight jacket.

at bot tom: “Speak with a live psycho. Please have your important questions ready” is one of the anti-social attitudes expressed on this punk jacket from the late 1970s–early 1980s. Each jacket is on loan from a private collection. Photos by Brad Chaney, © Harley-Davidson Motor Company

featured exhibition | 15

Harley-Davidson Model KH. The bike is on view in the show, along with its bill of sale, $50-a-month financing documents, and a ca. 1960 black leather motorcycle jacket that the King bought at J.C. Penney.

“Elvis cemented the connection between motorcycle jackets and rock ’n’ roll, and thousands followed in his bootsteps,” Harrison said. By the late 1950s, a youth subculture of “rockers” with fast motorcycles and per-sonalized jackets evolved in the United Kingdom. The movement peaked in the 1960s and influenced both the rockabilly revival and pop music scene. As the exhibi-tion’s wall of album covers attests, rock ’n’ roll’s fetish with leather, metal, and rebellion would live on much longer.

It found its apotheosis in Punk. The 1970s’ primal, progressive scream of individual preference was popularized on both sides of the Atlantic by aggressive bands like the Ramones, the Clash, and Sex Pistols. Functional metal zippers and snaps were enhanced by fashionable heavy metal in the addition of pins, safety pins, slogan buttons, chains, patches, nails, and, notably, spikes and studs. “Punk jackets often looked painful, but they made a statement—and some-times several,” Harrison said. “It’s ironic that these biker jackets were so carefully crafted and are some of the most artfully adorned apparel of the late 20th century.”

from Vogue to prêt-à-porterIn 1960, inspired by The Wild One and the Rive Gauche beatnik movement, Yves Saint Laurent sent models down the couture catwalk in Paris wearing motorcycle jackets made of black crocodile. Though several critics adored his bold move, the world of haute couture was largely horrified with his vision. Shortly thereafter he was dismissed as Dior’s lead designer.

But a trend had begun and in the following decades, bikerwear transitioned from sheer functionality to a form-focused fashion statement. Worn to Be Wild includes runway-ready interpretations by some of the world’s leading designers: Jean Paul Gaultier, Gianni Versace, Jeremy Scott (with a signature black-and-white Keith Haring print). It took little time for high fashion couture to reach hometowns across America, and would-be fashionistas who were happy to buy their leather jackets off the rack.

“Hollywood designers copied the fashion trends, dressing the stars of the screen and stage in leather with increas-

ing frequency and force,” Harrison said. “In some cases, the costume almost becomes a character. Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘hasta la vista, baby’ jacket from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, or Rooney Mara’s Gothic chic-geek look from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Other examples in the show range from the sub-lime—a short-shorts outfit worn by Fergie on the Sunset Strip—to the ridiculous—Harry Shearer’s jacket from the mock rockumen-tary This is Spinal Tap. “The Pop Culture Pantheon helped make it an icon,” Harrison said.

“In its 100-year journey, the leather jacket has come a very long way,” Harrison said. “It will be inter-esting to see what vehicles take it further down the road ahead.” n

Worn to Be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket is presented by EMP Museum in partner-ship with the Harley-Davidson® Museum.

The exhibition is on view at the Chrysler from October 3, 2014– January 4, 2015.

the members’ preview partyThursday, October 2

6–10 p.m.Kick-start the night with a special lecture by Jim

Fricke of the Harley-Davidson® Museum, then get your motor revving with music by The Bartones.

Worn to be Wild WednesdaysGallery Talks | 1 p.m.

family daySaturday, November 8

10 a.m.–3 p.m.Make a motorcycle or design your own jacket in

between artsy performances and photo ops on the Harley today.

third thursdays5–10 p.m. | Free for Members

Thursday, October 16Renegades and Rock ’n’ Roll:

Curator Jeff Harrison shows off the show’s bad boys and girls.

Thursday, December 18On the Run(way): This funky, fashion-forward

evening includes edgy performances at the Museum and the Glass Studio.

Worn to Be Wild gearBuy a fun souvenir in The Museum Shop.

E M P S T Y L E G U I D E Logo assets

16 | fall 2014

In March 1997, Bill Hennessey began work as the sixth Director of the Chrysler Museum of Art. He has remained at the helm for 17 years, making him the longest serving director in the Museum’s 81-year history. Last fall, Hennessey, 66, announced his plans to retire from the Chrysler on October 3, 2014.

As the Museum celebrates his many successes, Anne Corso, our Director of Education, talked with him about how it all began, what makes him most proud about his time here, and what’s next.

anne: I’m sure that our Members would love to know what got you started in museum work. What sparked your interest?

bill: I grew up in suburban New Jersey, very close to New York. I loved the big city and would head into town nearly every weekend. It’s hard to say exactly why, but a lot of the time I would end up in a museum. I liked them because they felt serious and important. I liked the sense of being surrounded by history. I even liked the way they smelled. Somehow I got the sense that there was some mystery there that needed to be unraveled, and that I should pay attention.

Then I went off to college planning to be a history major. But I was dating a girl who asked me if I had ever taken an art history class. I didn’t know what art history was, but I figured I was being given a message, so I signed up for a class. I couldn’t get into the introductory survey because it was full, so I ended up in the history of print-making. The instructor was a very fierce, elderly Austrian scholar, and when I arrived to discover that I was the only student in the class, I thought, “Well, I guess I’m off the hook.” “Nonsense,” he said, “this will be better. We’ll go right into the vault. Let’s start with

Bringing Art and People TogetherThe Life and Legacy of Bill Hennessey

chrysler news | 17

the best—Dürer.” So he pulled out Melencholia I, and for three hours, we sat and talked about this little piece of paper. I got to hold it in my hand; I learned about who Dürer was, about the ancient theories of personality, about numerology, symbolism, and the technology of print- and papermaking, about the politics of patronage, the economics of print selling, and on it went. And I thought, “All of that is in this little sheet of paper? This is amazing! I want to do more of this.”

anne: What happened then?

bill: Well, I went on to graduate school at Columbia for my M.A and Ph.D. I had a wonderful Ford Foundation Fellowship at the Worcester Art Museum and then went on to work as a curator and director at a series of mostly uni-versity museums—at Vassar, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Michigan—before coming to the Chrysler.

anne: I think everyone would agree that now the Chrysler is one of the top midsized art museums in the country, but 17 years ago was that the case? What were some of the strengths and challenges that the Museum had prior to your arrival?

bill: The Chrysler’s core has always been its extraordinary collection. Walter’s gift back in 1971 brought us amazing riches, but also some real challenges. There were great things and a good number of not-so-great things. One of the our biggest jobs

over the past 40-plus years has been to weed and prune that collection, to figure out how to display it, interpret it, and put it to work. That process was well underway by the time I got here.

But in spite of that work, there was still a sense, rightly or wrongly, that the Chrysler was not a warm and welcoming place. Perhaps it was for some, but for many it wasn’t. Unless you were a Member, you had to come up with some money just to get in. Once inside, the first people you encountered were stern-look-ing security guards. There was very little information to help you understand the things hanging on the walls. And most of our galleries were painted a kind of drab grey—very formal and, well, institutional. The Museum felt to me a little like broccoli—something vaguely unpleasant that you eat because it is good for you. We had a great oppor-tunity to transform the Museum into a much warmer and more lively, responsive, and engaging place. And that’s been one of our top priorities for the past 17 years.

Another thing struck me as very peculiar. I thought, “Here’s a museum with an extraordinary col-lection and a very handsome build-ing, but everyone is always apologiz-ing for it.” I would hear people, even staff, say, “Yes, the Chrysler’s great, but it’s not the National Gallery… or the Met…or the M.F.A.”

“Why,” I wondered, “can’t we focus on what we are, on the Museum’s truly unique and distinctive person-ality? Instead of trying to compete with larger and far richer museums in bigger cities, why can’t we focus on being a truly great museum for our community?”

anne: So what is the Chrysler’s special identity? What do you think has transformed the Chrysler? Which accomplishments of the last two decades make you most proud?

bill: Well, I do think the Chrysler has a special personality. When I travel around to other museums, I’m often struck by how bland and predictable many of them seem. We wanted the Chrysler to be different, distinctive, with its own style, look, and feel. A part of our personality, of course, comes from the collection, from Walter’s taste and collecting preferences. But I really think the thing that sets us apart is our attitude towards our visitors. We actually like to have them in the building. We welcome them, we trust them, we listen to them, and we do everything we can to be sure that they enjoy their visit to the Chrysler. We’ve worked hard to prove that no matter who you are or what your background, there’s something here to interest you and your family.

We really want the Chrysler to be fun—a great place to go for a good time and, along the way, maybe you learn something new about yourself and your world. For this to happen, we knew we needed to get rid of barriers like admission fees. And we knew we needed to shift our perspective. So we replaced our security officers with Gallery Hosts and we rethought the look and feel of our galleries, adding strong wall colors, more dramatic lighting, and comfortable seating.

We also thought about how to help visitors begin a rewarding conversation with a work of art. As a start, we changed the style and content of our labels—no more

at left: Bill Hennessey enjoyed a rare quiet moment alone in the galleries on May 10 shortly after the Chrysler welcomed guests into the expanded building. The completion of the new Chrysler has been hailed as the apogee of his career. Photo by Ed Pollard, Museum Photographer

18 | fall 2014

insider art history jargon! We added audio guides, scavenger hunts, and special tours that are more relaxed and informal. But our Gallery Host program, something of which I am extremely proud, is at the center of it all. The hosts go out of their way to talk with visitors and to share stories about their favorite works in the collection. Frankly, I can’t think of another museum where literally every person that a guest encoun-ters is committed to making their experience as happy and rewarding as possible.

anne: Harry Lester, our former Board chair who recruited you, once said that you challenged the Trustees to think in new ways. What do you think he meant?

bill: I suspect he might be thinking about our efforts to rethink the Chrysler’s mission. Like a lot of places we had always defined our-selves in terms of objects—the tra-ditional idea is that museums exist to “collect, preserve, display, and study” things. I felt it was impor-tant that we embrace the idea that museums are about both art and people. To me, no collection, no matter how fine, has life or meaning unless it makes a real difference in people’s lives. That’s what the Chrysler is all about, and I thought we should say so straight out.

But the idea of saying that you exist to change people’s lives made the Board a little uneasy. They worried,

“How can you prove that that really happens?” It was a great discussion and in the end we decided it was okay to be a bit aspirational. We’d always try to succceed, knowing that at times we would fall flat.

In the end, we all agreed that “The Chrysler Museum exists to enrich and transform lives. We bring art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire.” Nearly everything we have done since then grew out of that new mission statement.

anne: You’ve talked about the Museum’s collection, but how do changing exhibitions fit in?

bill: A little uneasily. On one hand, we have this extraordinary collec-tion that begs to be better studied, understood, and explained. On the other hand, like most museums,

we have a tendency—incorrectly, I think—to assume that the only way to get people to visit is with splashy loan shows. The result is a constant push-and-pull between our eager-ness to find fresh and creative ways to use our collection and the siren call of sexy special exhibitions. We need to do both, but because there are only so many hours in the day, it’s a tough balance to get right.

anne: I’m sure a few exhibitions have been personal favorites.

bill: Of course! I’m particularly enthusiastic about exhibitions that are a bit “out of the box,” shows that might surprise our visitors and help them see things in new ways. Our Ferrari show back in 2003 and our upcoming show, Worn to be Wild, are good examples of that. Then, I’m really proud of the Fitzwilliam Collection show that we did in 2006. This was the first international loan exhibition the Chrysler ever organized, and I’m very pleased to have had the chance to curate it. And I loved the Royal Holloway show of Victorian art. As you can tell, I like English art, and both of these shows contained works of extraordinary quality, things that rarely go on loan.

Way back in 2000 I organized A Fair Wind. It was an exhibition of about a dozen really great Winslow Homer paintings. Another show with unbelievable quality was the 2008 Rembrandt print show from Boston. It was gaspingly beautiful, but not especially popular. In a very differ-ent way, the show we organized to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of Massive Resistance sticks in my memory. It was one of the toughest shows I have ever done, but it got genuine conversations

top : Hennessey’s first post-doctoral professional position was at the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas in 1975. Within three years, the 28-year-old was serving as the museum’s acting director. Photo courtesy of Leslie Hennessey

bot tom : “Great art has a unique power to change people’s lives,” Hennessey told The Daily Press in 1997 when he became the Chrysler’s new director, ending a 14-month search with more than 100 candidates. Photo © The Daily Press, used by permission

chrysler news | 19

going in the community about a difficult and painful moment in our shared history. Overhearing our visitors’ comments brought tears to my eyes more than once.

anne: And then there was Rubber Duck. What did the Duck do for the Chrysler and the community?

bill: That Duck is magic! At first blush the idea of a 40-foot bathtub toy floating in front of the Museum seems a little silly—though I think there’s a lot more going on with Rubber Duck than it’s given credit for. But how many works of art could bring 150,000 people to the Museum in 10 days—people of all kinds, backgrounds, and ages—all of them smiling and eager to share the experience? And a very large number of them came inside the Museum. For many it was not just their first visit to the Chrysler, it was their first step inside any art museum. That’s pretty wonderful.

anne: We’d both agree that the Museum’s collection is its heart. Since you’ve been Director, the Museum has acquired 2,000 more artworks. What stands out?

bill: We already have a wonderful collection, and that’s a good thing since the present state of the art market with its crazy prices makes it really difficult for museums like ours to make major acquisitions. That said, we have done very well in recent years with some carefully tar-geted acquisitions that have made a real difference. We were able to reu-nite the two Boncori pictures that had been separated for centuries. And we did the same with the amaz-ing Woodall glass cameo plaques; those are now together for the first time, as the artists intended. And Jeff Harrison has been particularly

good at finding preparatory draw-ings and sketches for paintings already in the collection.

In terms of personal favorites, I love the Noel Paton Home, a great British Victorian storytelling picture. The Claude Ramey terracotta bust is an extraordinary tour de force, and I’m fascinated by the elegant geometry and balance of the Sidney Gordon sculpture. And, like everyone, I find the Idelle Weber irresistible.

anne: Ten years from now, what do you want people to say that Bill Hennessey did for the Chrysler? What one thing would you like to have as your legacy?

bill: I would love people to say that during my time here we met our mission—that we made a real and positive difference in the quality of people’s lives.

anne: Being named as a Magnetic Museum was a great honor for the Chrysler, as well as for you person-ally. Talk a little about that.

bill: We didn’t apply to be in the Magnetic book; the authors discov-ered us. But being cited as one of six museums doing things right was a wonderful validation. We were thrilled that they noted several ways that we could serve as a model for reinventing what museums can and should be for the 21st century. That’s pretty flattering.

anne: What do you think is next for the Chrysler?

bill: I hope we can continue to build on the gains we’ve made. We’ve raised $80 million in two capital campaigns in the last 15 years. That is a lot of money! We’ve completed a big expansion and renovation that has given us a building that will stand us in good stead for a long time. We’ve opened a state-of-the-art Glass Studio that

Artist Florentijn Hofman and Bill Hennessey celebrate the opening of Rubber Duck, by far the Museum’s most popular exhibition. Photo by Ed Pollard, Museum Photographer

20 | fall 2014

is attracting international attention. We’ve fundamentally shifted our relationship with our audience to make ourselves an integral part of the life in our community. We are rethinking our relationships with schools and regional universities and with other arts organizations. And we’re on the edge of doing some really exciting things with technology. Overall, we need to figure out the best way to continue

our momentum and enthusiasm without getting overextended.

anne: Most of our Members know that Leslie is the perfect counterpart to you, and that you’re something of a package deal. What is the best advice that Leslie has ever given you about the Museum?

bill: Oh which day? I’ve got the most patient and supportive spouse in the world. Leslie is an incredibly insightful critic and gadfly. We talk constantly about art and museums. She has a spectacular eye in works of art and an uncanny ability, I think, to talk to people about them. She is also a wonderful (and tactful) editor. Countless times she’s helped me remove my foot from my mouth. One could not imagine a smarter, more generous, more supportive partner.

anne: Certainly you’ve changed the Chrysler in your time here, but how has the Chrysler changed you? What have you learned?

bill: We should listen more. In the museum world we spend a lot of time in a bubble, talking to our-selves, congratulating ourselves on our knowledge and sophistication. Instead, we should be seeing things as our visitors do. Here’s a really simplistic example. Once I was talking to a group of kids about a painting. I was standing and they were sitting on the floor. Try as I might, I couldn’t get them to tell me what they saw in the picture. They just wouldn’t talk. Then I sat down with them and discovered why. The reflection on the surface of the painting made it impossible to see anything. Take that on a larger met-aphorical level: if we sit down with our visitors, we can all talk about these works of art together and learn

clockwise from top:The opening of the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio was the fruition of a longtime dream for Hennessey. The Director and his family took several glassblowing classes. Photo courtesy of Leslie Hennessey

Travel has always been one of Hennessey’s favorite pastimes. In 1969, as a student at Wesleyan University, he took a river trip on the Moselle. Photo courtesy of Leslie Hennessey

Leslie, Claire, and Bill Hennessey enjoyed a summer respite Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks. Photo courtesy of Leslie Hennessey

chrysler news | 21

about them together. The more we can make the Museum a place for conversations rather than lectures, about learning rather than teaching, the better off we are. Yes, a part of me still believes that the ideal way to look at a work of art is by your-self, in silence, with nobody around to annoy or distract you—but my time at the Chrysler has taught me that this is not what museums should be about.

anne: As you look to your next chapter, what are you interested in doing? What would surprise people?

bill: Well, I have more reading than I can catch up on in a lifetime awaiting me, along with a couple of writing projects. We are certainly going to try to do a bit of travelling, particularly in search of wonder-ful music to listen to. And then, I will probably try my hand at more glassblowing, and I am determined to finally master my breadmaking.

anne: Is there anything else that you would like our Members to consider, a final note?

bill: You know, I can’t think of any organization that depends more on collaboration than a museum. I was doing some cooking last week-end, using Julia Child’s recipe for ratatouille. She says that the secret of a great ratatouille is to cook each vegetable separately so that it retains its own special character and identity. Then, when they are combined, something magical hap-pens—the dish is much more than the sum of its parts. I think the principle works for museums, too. Bold and visionary trustees, smart and hard-working staff, energized visitors, great works of art—as the Chrysler shows, it’s a great recipe. n

The Board of Trustees has named Erik H. Neil as the Chrysler’s next Director and President. Neil, 50, has been Director of the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland, since 2010, and previously he served as Executive Director of the Heckscher Museum in Huntington, N.Y. (2006–2009) and Director of the Newcomb Art Gallery of Tulane University in New Orleans (1999–2006).

Neil is known in the museum world for the breadth of his artistic interests, strong management and team-building, a genial personality, and a collab-orative approach to work and leadership, with a common goal of making the good even better.

“I am very excited to come to the Chrysler and build upon the great work done by Bill Hennessey, the Trustees, and the Museum staff,” Neil said. “The chance to work with such an outstanding collection and to be creative with it, to open up doors to new audiences is very appealing,” he added.

“I am looking forward to living in Norfolk. It’s rare to have an institution of the Chrysler’s stature in a community of this size. I hope to be able to leverage that stature to see that the Chrysler Museum has both great local impact and a broader stage of influence,” he said.

“Erik Neil is a leader who loves art,” said new Board Chair Lewis Webb, who led the Museum’s search committee. “The Chrysler has always been a leader in the national conversation about art and museums—and Erik is just the right person to continue to nurture and coordinate our efforts for even more impact,” he said.

Neil was selected from among more than 70 candidates in the interna-tional executive search. Past and present colleagues laud his transpar-ency, his ability to build community, his visionary pragmatism, and his intelligence. He holds a B.A. (1986) in modern European and American history from Princeton, and both an M.A. (1991) and Ph.D. (1995) in the history of art and architecture from Harvard. He also earned a certificate in museum management (2003) from the prestigious Getty Leadership Institute.

Neil has been married for nearly 25 years to artist Luisa Adelfio. The couple has four daughters and two dogs. Among his personal interests are classical and rock music, running, and films.

Neil will assume leadership duties on October 6, the Monday after Bill Hennessey retires. “With his strong art history background, strategic vision, and solid management experience, Erik Neil is an inspired choice to lead the Chrysler into its next chapter,” Hennessey said.

Look for an in-depth interview with our new Director in the Winter issue of Chrysler.

Erik H. NeilThe Chrysler’s New Director

Erik H. Neil will become the seventh director of the Chrysler Museum of Art in October 2014. Photo by Annie Raymond

22 | fall 2014

The Chrysler Museum Glass Studio concludes this year’s Visiting Artist Series with a demonstration of glass artistry from two of today’s leading glassblowers: Nancy Callan and Katherine Gray. This is the second visit to the Chrysler for both. Gray’s Forest Glass, a recycled tree evoked in vintage glassware on acrylic shelves, was a standout work in Contemporary Glass Among the Classics, one of three Art of Glass 2 exhibitions here in 2009. Callan first came to the Chrysler in 2011 for the opening of our Glass Studio. She assisted Lino Tagliapietra, our inaugural Visiting Artist, in creating Poesia and Ostuni in our new facility. Both artists will be creating new work during their time here.

Chrysler asked our Barry Curator of Glass, Diane Wright, what to expect in our upcoming visit from these two glass artists:

Nancy Callan and Kathy Gray are stalwarts of the contemporary glass scene today. Their longstanding friendship and collaboration brings them together at the Chrysler’s Glass Studio, where they will work as a team to make glass that speaks to each of their artistic visions.

The process of glassblowing is physically challenging and by its very nature requires many hands to make. Throughout their careers, artists working in glass often build close relationships that are compatible with their working style and skill level, teaming up in the hotshop to blow and sculpt glass that could not be made alone. While Nancy and Kathy live far apart (Callan in Seattle and Gray in Southern California), they reunite to teach courses in glassmaking and to work as visiting artists—their purpose here at the Chrysler.

The Visiting Artist Series 2014Nancy Callan and Katherine Gray

november 13–16

chrysler news | 23

“About 10 years ago, we realized how

much we loved working together,

so we have been trying to find

excuses to do so ever since,” Nancy

and Kathy explain. “We inspire

each other by what each of us

does with the material—even

though this is so different, there

is a collaborative spirit that runs

through how we share ideas.”

For Nancy, the pursuit of fun and play as an integral part of creativ-ity is paramount in her work. Her spinning tops, snowmen, and bee butts are recognizable to people of all ages. She infuses these playful forms with brilliant colors and tra-ditional Italian glassmaking tech-niques. Nancy’s whimsical pieces are both technically masterful and full of the energy and vitality that goes into making them.

For Kathy, glass can embody both otherworldly perfection and the banal and mundane. She shows her need for flawlessness with her beau-tifully designed and precisely made

Katherine Gray (Canadian/American, b. 1965)Broken Bow, 2011Solid glass, 18 x 12 x 6 inches tall© Katherine GrayPhoto by Fredrik Nilsen, courtesy of the artistwww.katherine-gray.com

Nancy Callan (American, b. 1964)Kaleidoscope Cloud, 2012Blown and carved glass with stand, 18 x 18 x 7 inches;© Nancy CallanPhoto by Russell Johnson, courtesy of the artistwww.nancycallanglass.com

nesting Wonder Sandwich bowls. Yet another of her latest works, A Tree Grows, addresses issues of reuse and recycling and is constructed from commonplace colorless, green, and brown glasses purchased at thrift stores.

Watching Nancy and Kathy work together is to experience the unfold-ing of a well-synchronized creative process. It is an event that succeeds because of the strength and ingenu-ity of these two women who have spent years practicing their skills and forming their ideas into glass. n

24 | fall 2014

Penny and Peter Meredith

Celebrating the New ChryslerFirst Night Gala

tuesday, may 6

Macon and Joan Brock, Carolyn and Richard Barry

Ron Gage, Henry McKinnon, Oriana McKinnon, Patt and Colin McKinnon Blair Mielnik, Martha Goode, Susan and David Goode

Susan and John Wynne, Betty Darden

Barbara Fine and Karen Fine Douglas and Maria Hillebrandt

fall 2014 | 25

Mary Jane Birdsong and Meredith Lauter

Leah and Richard Waitzer, Oriana McKinnon

Pam Kloeppel, Steve and Mary Lou Johnson, Linda Pinkham

John and Pat Stecker, Dorothy and Robert Doumar

Museum Docents Helen Galanides, Sandra Finn, Chris Rowland, Dana Adams

14 of the 25 Board Members of the Irene Leache Memorial Foundation

Evelyn Munden, Stephan and Marynell Gordon

Idelle Weber and her painting Munchkins I, II, and III

Friends of the Museum Preview thursday, may 8

Photos by Ed Pollard, Museum Photographer; Gary Marshall, Museum Websmith; Megan Frost, Museum Development Officer; and Charlie Gunter for the Chrysler Museum of Art

26 | fall 2014

Member Preview | Grand Reopeningfriday, may 9 + saturday, may 10

The Norfolk Society of Arts is pleased to announce its slate of distinguished speakers for the year. Each month’s event begins with a coffee reception in Huber Court at 10:30 a.m., followed by the free lecture in the Museum’s Kaufman Theater at 11 a.m.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014Driving People to Music and to MuseumsFred Child, Host, Performance Todayin honor of William HennesseyDirector, Chrysler Museum of Art, 1997–2014

Wednesday, October 15, 2014(The Mabel Brown Lecture)What Was Cubism?Harry Cooper, Curator Modern and Contemporary ArtThe National Gallery of Art, Washington

Wednesday, November 19, 2014Thomas Cole’s Course of American Politics in the 1830sBrian T. Allen, Director, Museum DivisionThe New-York Historical Society, New York

Wednesday, January 21, 2015The Present and Future: Art Glass in the 21st CenturyGlenn Adamson, DirectorThe Museum of Arts and Design, New York

Wednesday, February 18, 2015Techniques of ImpressionistsDavid BomfordDirector of Conservation, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Wednesday, March 18, 2015Degas/Cassatt: An Impressionist Pas-de-DeuxKimberly A. Jones Associate Curator of French PaintingsThe National Gallery of Art, Washington

Monday, April 13, 2015The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt’s Masterpiece and the Restitution Battle That Shocked the WorldAnne-Marie O’Connor, AuthorThe lecture will be followed by a brief annual meeting and a ticketed luncheon for the benefit of the Chrysler Museum.

The Norfolk Society of Arts promotes and enhances the cultural life of the South Hampton Roads community through lectures, special events, and financial support to the Chrysler Museum of Art. NSA membership is open to all current Museum Members. For more information about membership in the society, please contact Edith Grandy at (757) 621-0861.

Josepha Gasch-Muche(German, b. 1944) 7.3.2011, 2011Glass mounted on wood© Josepha Gasch-MucheMuseum purchase

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28 | fall 2014

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Our Big Chrysler QuackA supersized bath toy floating in the water in front of the Chrysler became the Museum’s most popular exhibition ever. Florentijn Hofman’s Rubber Duck was Wave 2 of the Chrysler’s Grand Reopening, one of the most joyful successes of Director Bill Hennessey’s career, and “Selfie Central” and a must-visit attraction for all of Hampton Roads for two weeks in May.

Last Look

1couple who took wedding photos with Rubber Duck in Pittsburgh and first-anniversary pictures with him in Norfolk

3,284 photos tagged

#ChryslerQuack.

22,303 visitors to

duck.chrysler.org.

150,000 estimated total visitors who came to see Rubber Duck at the Chrysler.

7tons of unseen

barge supporting the heavy-duty vinyl

Rubber Duck.10 days floating in The Hague. 40

feet (in height).

719

cast-glass ducklings made at the Glass Studio.

2,500 pictures taken per hour, calculated noon–1 p.m.

on Tuesday, May 20.

7,747

visitors inside the Museum in a single day—a new record for the Chrysler.

8,683purchases of

Rubber Duck bath toy collectibles,

stickers, buttons, and t-shirts.

551,000 page views at Rubber Duck’s Facebook page, May 17–26.

1,600,000impressions at the Chrysler Museum’s Facebook Page, May 17–26.

too numerous to count smiles encouraged by our happy yellow friend.

non profit org.u.s. postage

paid

norfolk, va

permit #138

One Memorial PlaceNorfolk, VA 23510(757) 664-6200 | chrysler.org

museum and glass studio hours

Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.Sunday from noon–5 p.m.Third Thursday til 10 p.m.

Wisteria is open during Museum hours.Free Parking | Wheelchair Accessible

historic houses hours

Saturday and Sunday from noon–5 p.m.Limited Accessibility

general admission is free and supported by Museum Members!

Join the Chrysler on site, on the phone at (757) 333-6298, or online at chrysler.org/membership.

information

(757) 664-6200 | Chrysler.org

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Subscribe to the Chrysler Museum Weekly at chrysler.org/email-signup.

Encourage new memberships. Rather than recycle, share this issue of Chrysler with a friend.

The Chrysler Museum of Art is partially supported by grants from the City of Norfolk, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endow-ment for the Arts, the Business Consortium for Arts Support, and the Edwin S. Webster Foundation.

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address service requested.

the annual members’ appreciation sale at the museum shop

November 18–23 |This Week Only | Museum Members Only

Save 20% on all your holiday buying!

Select from our eclectic range of jewelry, glass, stationery, and unique giftware—and enjoy festive giftwrap, with our compliments!

Or give the gift of the Chrysler. •Save20%onannualgiftmembershipsattheIndividual,

Household, Associate, and Friend levels.

•Eachgiftmembershipcomesbeautifullypackaged and can be mailed directly to your recipient or to you.

Spend $100 during the Appreciation Sale and receive a bonus gift with our thanks!

We are grateful for your patronage.