Editors Note: Due to the continuously evolving situation regarding COVID-19, check the status of individual events. For more information visit coronavirus.miami.edu.
World War II ended in 1945 with more than 12 million Americans in the armed forces. Their legacy lives on inside the Kislak Center at the University of Miami’s Otto G. Richter Library. The latest exhibition, “Parallel Passions,” presents a variety of items from the Jay I. Kislak Collection that reveal personal stories of the collector’s early life serving in the U.S. Navy.
Arthur Dunkelman, who is the collection’s curator, said this exhibit is part of Kislak’s landmark gift to the University of Miami and Miami Dade College, which now preserve an extraordinary narrative of the Americas and its many cultures.
“Jay Kislak was one of more than 20,000 men who were commissioned as pilots during 1943. The exhibit explores his personal passion of this time in history and his personal life,” Dunkelman said.
Among the many artifacts in the exhibition, one of Dunkelman’s favorite pieces is a two-volume manuscript created by the people of France to honor an American soldier during the liberation of Paris.
“Every time I open it, I feel an impact. It includes hastily published records of the battle including poignant letters and artwork,” he stated.
Dunkelman thinks another powerful piece in the exhibit is a map drawn by a Japanese commanding officer that displays the damage done during the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor. These rare items provide unique perspectives on a global conflict that reshaped the modern world, and Dunkelman urges students to pay a visit.
“This exhibit highlights the history of the U.S., and it tells a compelling human story that at some point, someone in their family participated in,” said Dunkelman.
The exhibit “Parallel Passions” also includes collections from Marvin and Ruth Sackner who spent more than 40 years building one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of “Concrete Poetry,” also known as visual poetry.
“Put simply, these are works of art that tell a story through images and words, in forms that are sometimes similar to the book and at others more similar to handwritten documents, posters, prints, objects, and more,” said Cristina Favretto, the head of special collections at Richter Library.
Many of these items will be highlighted in the exhibition in the Kislak Center Reading Room, including pieces inspired by Italian Futurism, German Dada art, and other 20th-century artistic movements. The exhibit is expected to be open later this month.
“Although the Sackners and Kislaks collected in very different areas, they are united by their dedication and knowledge for their respective subject areas and their commitment to safeguarding the materials,” Favretto said.
Visit https://www.library.miami.edu/ for more information on “Parallel Passions.”
The following are other upcoming events at the Otto G. Richter Library.
Monday, March 2, at 5 p.m.
Flexible Program Space, Learning Commons
Jamaya Purdie x Concert Photography
Join us for a presentation by University of Miami student Jamaya Purdie, where she will discuss her experiences photographing concerts at the University. This exhibition documents her first few experiences with concert photography after years spent creating images through portraiture and natural light. Purdie will discuss the technical aspects of concert photography, her glimpse into the entertainment world, the experience of going out of her element, and of not being afraid to make mistakes along the way.
Cuban Heritage Collection
Friday, March 13 Reception: 6:30 p.m. Program: 7:30 p.m.
"Remembering a Cuban Patriot: The Papers of Colonel Ernesto Fonts y Sterling"
Presentation by Lisandro Perez, Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and great-grandson of Colonel Ernesto Fonts y Sterling
Thursday, March 19, Reception: 6:30 p.m. Program: 7:30 p.m.
“La Paloma y la Ley”
A book talk with author Lisette Poole, in conversation with Holly Ackerman, head of the International & Area Studies Department and Librarian for Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Studies, Duke University
Lowe Art Museum
Through March 2020
ArtLab @ the Lowe: Russia Unframed
Russia Unframed seeks to highlight the impact of Russia's immense cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious diversity on the arts, both within its borders and throughout the diaspora. Now in its 10th year, ArtLab @ the Lowe is an annual student-curated exhibition that provides University of Miami students with hands-on experience in the curatorial and museum fields.
Through May 3, 2020
Carlos Estévez: Cities of the Mind
The most recent project of renowned Cuban-American artist Carlos Estévez, Walled Cities features nine, large-format circular paintings that reference the artist’s fascination with city plans. Inspired by the Havana of his youth, the Medieval European cities to which he has traveled extensively as an adult, and his abiding interest in symbolic cosmology and origin stories, Estévez has created, in this body of new work, personal maps of the human mind influenced by ancient cartography. Guest curated by Carol Damian, a former professor of art history, Florida International University.
Tuesdays, 12:30–1:15 p.m.
Mindfulness Sessions at the Lowe
The Art of Mindfulness—Recharge, refocus, and reclaim the day with a short introduction to mindfulness followed by a guided mindful sitting. Sessions are led by Alice Lash, founder of Mindfultime, and UM Professor Scott Rogers, founder of UM’s Mindfulness in Law Program. First and third Tuesday of the month.
Thursday, March 5, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Lowe After Hours
The Lowe's signature social event is free and open to the public. Come explore the Lowe's galleries and exhibitions, and enjoy food, entertainment, and refreshments by Bacardi—after hours.
Wednesday, March 18, 4–6 p.m.
Lecture: Suzanne Marchand, Boyd Professor of History Louisiana State University
"Of Porcelain and German Princes"
The 18th century saw the founding not merely of the Meissen porcelain manufactory, but of scores of manufactories across the Holy Roman Empire. Every prince, it seems, wanted one, at first not to provide tableware for banquets or even a steady stream of income from mercantile ‘‘manufactures,’’ but to demonstrate his (or her) Glanz, or splendor. Very quickly, however, proto-capitalist competition between factories set in, exacerbated by the founding of semiprivate artisanal mass producers in the many minor Saxon principalities. Josiah Wedgwood's entry into the market in the 1770s contributed to a first wave of manufactory collapses, and cameralist bureaucracies began to crack down on wasteful forms of production. By 1800, the German porcelain industry was caught in a conundrum that would define its future history, down to today: was its purpose to create Glanz, or profit? By tracking the history of this symbolically important ‘‘manufacture’’ from the founding of Meissen (1710) to the period of the Napoleonic occupations, this paper will open a new—and perhaps more splendid—window onto the economic, political, and cultural histories of that very complicated place, the Holy Roman Empire, in a crucial, but often overlooked, period of its evolution.
Wednesday, March 18, 6–8 p.m.
Enjoy guided art-making, wine, and snacks while you create a masterpiece! Led by artist Jackie Gopie. Must be 21 or older to participate.
$35 for UM students and Lowe members; $45 for non-members
Thursday, March 19, 7–9 p.m.
Through May 24
“History, Labor, Life: The Prints of Jacob Lawrence”
In this exhibit Lawrence explores the graphic oeuvre of one of 20th-century America’s greatest artists. Highlighting Lawrence’s interest in the lives and histories of African Americans and their forebears, the show features the artist’s complete “Toussaint L’Ouverture” and “The Legend of John Brown” portfolios as well as other images created between 1963 and 2000. This exhibition was organized by SCAD Museum of Art in collaboration with the Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, and it was curated by Storm Janse van Rensburg, former head curator of SCAD exhibitions. The Lowe’s presentation of “History, Labor, Life” was made possible by the City of Coral Gables, the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, the Funding Arts Network, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, and the Miami-Dade Mayor and Board of Commissioners.
March 19, 7–9 p.m.
The Arnold and Augusta Newman Lecture Series in Photography featuring Abelardo Morell: The Universe Next Door
Join us for an evening with noted photographer Abelardo Morell (American [born Havana], 1948), who will discuss the evolution of his distinguished career, from his earliest projects to his most recent.
Through December 6
“NEXUS: Contemporary Art from Leading Miami Collections”
A celebration of the Lowe’s 70th anniversary, “NEXUS” features stellar works of art generously lent by Miami’s top collectors. These paintings and sculptures embody our city’s now irrefutable importance in the realm of contemporary culture as well as the intimate connection these collectors share with the artists whose work they steward, with one another, and with the broader community.
Through March 22
“Binomial: Claudia DeMonte & Ed McGowin”
This marks the first joint exhibition of artists Claudia DeMonte and Ed McGowin’s work in South Florida. This engaging show explores not only the independent endeavors of these two highly accomplished artists but also the creative symbiosis that has marked their shared lives and careers for more than three decades.
Wednesday, March 25 6–7:30 p.m.
Book Discussion with Marilyn Holifield, Senior Partner at Holland & Knight Law Firm and University of Miami Board of Trustees Member
“Seven Sisters and a Brother: Friendship, Resistance, and Untold Truths Behind Black Student Activism in the 1960's”
The College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education and Human Development, and the Center for the Humanities present a discussion of ‘‘Seven Sisters and a Brother’’ with commentary and moderation from University faculty members. Free copies of the book will be available to students, while supplies last.
Frost School of Music’s Maurice Gusman Concert Hall
Tuesday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
The Jazz Compositions of Miho Hazama—Frost Concert Jazz Band
John Daversa, director, Miho Hazama, conductor and composer
Tokyo-born composer Miho Hazama both leads her own group, m_unit, and has worked with many large ensemble formats in a variety of settings. She has written for orchestras such as the Tokyo Philharmonic, and arranged and orchestrated for the Metropole Orkest, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Vince Mendoza, and NHK Symphony Orchestra, among others. Hazama’s debut release, “Journey to Journey,” (2012) received the Jazz JAPAN rising star award. She has three albums under her own name.
Wednesday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
Classical Giants: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven—Frost Symphony Orchestra
Gerard Schwarz, conductor, Scott Flavin, violin and Jodi Levitz, viola
Travel back to the classical period with Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No.22, “The Philosopher,” which uses two English horns rather than the traditional oboes. The concert continues with W.A. Mozart’s magnificent “Sinfonia Concertante,” for violin, viola, and orchestra, K. 364, featuring Frost faculty artists Scott Flavin and Jodi Levitz. The program concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “The Pastoral,” which the composer, a nature lover, described as “more the expression of feeling than painting.”
Center for the Humanities
Thursday, March 19, 12–12:50 p.m.
The Evolving Humanities Series: Lindsay Thomas, assistant professor of English
Lau Founders Hall, Room A
The Center for the Humanities and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute present a series of four brief lectures on humanities disciplines, including history, religious studies, English, and philosophy. In keeping with OLLI programming, these talks are designed for community members aged 50 and better, but limited seating may be available for other guests.
Cosford Cinema
Showings this month include “Zombi Child,” “The Traitor,” “I Was Home, But…,” “And Then We Danced,” “The Shining,” “Swallow,” “Straight Up,” “Doctor Sleep,” and “Ford V Ferreri.”
Visit http://www.cosfordcinema.com/ for showtimes and tickets.
