The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
1934 Poplar Avenue
PH: 901.544.6200

www.brooksmuseum.org

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Exhibitions:

A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 19 – May 18, 2008
Curated by Chief Curator Marina Pacini
This small exhibition commemorates the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King (1929-1968). He was and is a source of inspiration for many American artists. For instance, Ernest Withers documented Dr. King’s life and death with poignancy and drama, from his March trip to Memphis in support of the striking sanitation workers to his funeral in Atlanta. Also included are works in a range of media and styles that address the events and conditions that lead to the Civil Rights Movement, as well as art created in homage to Dr. King and his legacy, by such artists as Romare Bearden, Edwin Jeffery, Tim Rollins and K.O.S., Jacob Lawrence, Calvin Burnett, Demetrious Oliver, and Elizabeth Catlett.

The Pop Environment
On view through July 13, 2008
Curated by Chief Curator Marina Pacini and
Rhodes College Professor David McCarthy

The recognition that fine art might both acknowledge and appropriate imagery from mass media was a pivotal insight of Pop artists in the early 1960s, and has remained an important frame of reference for many others since. Whether in Warhol’s use of press photographs, Marcos Lopez’s portraits of vintage automobiles, or Barbara Kruger’s assimilation of cinema and advertising, the core sensibility of Pop can be discerned as a healthy and still vital admonition to approach the constructed environment as a realm of signs and wonders.

Positions in Contemporary African Photography: Snap Judgments
March 1-May 25, 2008
Site curated by Associate Curator Stanton Thomas

Snap Judgments is the first major American exhibition in over a decade to examine current photographic works from Africa. Although photography has had a vital presence in African culture for over a century, recognition of the unique visual language of these images has come about only recently. Encompassing the African continent, from the Muslim cultures of the north to the sub-Saharan south, Snap Judgments features a range of highly individual artistic responses to the enormous economic, social, and cultural changes now taking place throughout Africa. Organized by Okwui Enwezor, one of the world’s foremost curators of contemporary art, the exhibition will present over 200 photographs by 35 artists from a dozen African countries.
This exhibition was organized by the International Center of Photography with lead support from Altria Group, Inc., and the ICP Exhibitions Committee.

Doors and Windows The work of William Eggleston through May 25, 2008.

This small exhibition encapulates much of what is enthralling, mesmerizing, unsettling, and unusual about William Eggleston's work. As has often been noted many of the images look like snapshots that could come from a family photo album -- the dog sleeping on the porch, the roses growing against the building. But then there is the view into the freezer full of frost and frozen food that begs the question, why is this worthy of my attention? And yet the image is riveting.

All of the pictures require careful scrutiny to experience fully the composition, the structure that comes from curbs, window frames, clapboarding, or corrugated tin, as well as the potential meaning within the individual photo. Whether seemingly pleasant or disturbing, Eggleston's works reward patient viewing.

Memphis in May Exhibition
Masterworks of Islamic Calligraphy
May 1 - 31, 2008

Remarkable for its intricacy, grace, and almost spiritual beauty, Islamic calligraphy is part of the rich cultural heritage of Turkey, Memphis in May’s honored country for 2008. Following a tradition that avoided figurative art, including the human image, Muslim calligraphers developed Arabic writing into an art form. The Brooks is proud to host this select group of works that demonstrate the vital presence of calligraphy in the modern Islamic world.

Upcoming Exhibits

Psychedelia: Rock ‘n’ Roll Posters, 1965 - 1970
June 4 – August 24, 2008
Curated by Chief Curator Marina Pacini and Preparator Richard Gamble
Rock ‘n’ roll posters for Jimi Hendrix, Big Brother and the Holding Co., Grateful Dead, and Otis Redding concerts are among the 40 examples on loan from Houston Freeburg for this exhibition. Also included are black light posters exhibited in black light!

The Prints of Andy Warhol:
From A to B and Back Again
June 14 - September 7, 2008

In his autobiography, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again), Warhol said, “Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best kind of art.” Typical of Warhol, the statement is funny, irreverent, and also an accurate description of his practice; he called his studio the Factory, after all. He was one of the most successful artists of the 20th century because he was hard working, prolific, and had an uncanny ability to identify subjects that resonated, and continue to resonate, with a mass audience. Marilyn Monroe, electric chairs, Mao, Campbell’s Soup cans, flowers, Jackie Kennedy, cows, Coca-Cola, and Liz Taylor – all vie for status as the defining iconic images of his age. This survey of 63 screen prints and five paintings includes examples of all of Warhol’s best-known works.

This exhibition has been organized by The AndyWarholMuseum, Pittsburgh, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.

Around Tennessee, 1820-1920
July 5 - September 7, 2008
Curated by Associate Curator Stanton Thomas

Including rare textiles, fine regional furniture, evocative paintings, and early silver from Memphis makers, Around Tennessee showcases works made in the state and surrounding regions. In particular, the exhibition features several examples of Tennessee furniture, including the rare Wilson County Sugar Sideboard recently given to the Brooks by the Decorative Arts Trust. Likewise, it offers visitors a chance to see works from the Wolfe Bequest, which brought an extraordinary group of early Mississippi quilts into the collection. Around Tennessee also includes a selection of Carl Gutherz’s immensely popular paintings as well as examples of Nonconnah pottery.