October 23–December 14, 2014

As the State Museum of Connecticut located on the campus of one of the first land-grant universities to be established by the Morrill Act of 1862, the Benton is uniquely situated to present an exhibition that explores the symbolic power of land’s representation. The works on view consider changing ideologies of land ownership and land function in America during the era of industrialization and urbanization. Included in the exhibition are paintings by artists of the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, and the Ashcan School.

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 23, 4:30 – 7 pm

Image Credit from Home Page:  Emil Carlson (1853-1932). Late Fall Day in Windham. Oil on Canvas. Louis Crombie Beach Memorial Fund.

 

October 23 – December 14, 2014

Since the medium’s invention in 1839, photography has often had one foot in the lab and the other foot in the studio, combining the science of image-making with the aesthetics of art-making. This exhibition celebrates both sides of the photographic process and features the work of contemporary photographers who experiment with traditional chemical processes and innovative approaches to the printed image. These photographers lay bare the chemical origins of their medium to offer work that is both visually striking and awesomely scientific. Featured artists include Ellen Carey, Kate Cordsen, John Cyr, Jonathan Kline, Michelle Kloehn, Amanda Means, Mariah Robertson, Alison Rossiter, and Jerry Spagnoli.

CHEM 101 is a collaboration with UConn’s Department of Chemistry.

Opening Reception October 23, 4:30–7 pm

Image Credit from Home Page: Ellen Carey (American, b. 1952). Dings & Shadows, 2013. Color photograms (C-prints). Courtesy of the artist and Jayne H. Baum Gallery, NYC, NY.

 

September 2 – October 12, 2014

July 28, 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, a global conflict that lasted more than four years and claimed 37 million lives. In recognition of the centenary, The William Benton Museum of Art presents a selection of posters from The Great War contextualized with contemporary photographs and artifacts. As one of the primary and most effective means of communication with the public, posters were used by the United States government to encourage participation in all aspects of the war effort. This exhibition, which takes its title from a slogan used by the U.S. Food Administration in support of voluntary food rationing, focuses on the role of women in that undertaking and others essential to the allied victory.

 

September 2 – October 12, 2014

This yearly exhibition presents the work of the permanent faculty in the Art and Art History Department. A variety of media are featured, including painting, sculpture, illustration, graphic design, printmaking, photography, and installation art. Such diverse bodies of work represent the most significant directions in contemporary art, as well as the unique vision of each artist-­faculty member. Charles Hagen (Photography) and Edvin Yegir (Design) return from sabbatical as this year’s featured artists.

May 23–August 10, 2014

The William Benton Museum of Art at the University of Connecticut at Storrs is celebrating The Hartford Stage Company’s 50th anniversary season with the exhibition Stagecraft: 50 Years of Design at Hartford Stage, on view from May 23 through August 10, 2014.

The Benton, the final stop on Stagecraft’s statewide tour, has the distinction of presenting a widely expanded exhibition that includes costumes surrounded by scenic elements plus a behind-the-scenes video of major players from the Stage’s most loved productions, audio commentaries by actors and designers, large props (including the armillary from Twelfth Night), and the idea boards from the prop shop.

The exhibition was curated by Jessica Palmer, with the Benton curatorial staff.

 

March 28–August 10, 2014

Best known as a musician with The Rolling Stones and formerly with The Faces, Ronnie Wood is also an accomplished artist who works in a variety of media and exhibits regularly in galleries and museums. This exhibition features an exciting selection of paintings, lithographs, and pen-and-ink drawings by Wood as well as photographs and an exclusive message from him whilst touring with The Stones on their “14 on Fire” tour of Australia and Asia.

Exhibition catalogs are available for purchase at $10 including tax at the museum store. To order, please call 860-486-4520.  Shipping and handling charges apply to mail orders.

This exhibition is made possible by Pratt Contemporary, UK and Washington Green Gallery, UK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 21 – March 30, 2014

Making the Movement Move: Photography, Student Activism, and Civil Rights highlights the powerful images of Ernest Withers and Danny Lyon, two prominent photographers active both as observers of and participants in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. This exhibition considers the multifaceted ways visual images contributed to the efforts of young civil rights activists who daringly challenged the status quo.

Making the Movement Move was organized in collaboration with Professor Michael Orwicz’s independent study course and is made possible with generous support from Connecticut Humanities; Sheldron and Helen Seplowitz; Human Rights Institute, UConn; University of Connecticut Humanities Institute; Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, UConn; and Michael Lee, Lee Gallery.

Oct 22 – Dec 15, 2013

Combining artworks in a variety of media with a recent gift of 44 distinguished photographs from the Samuel and Ann Charters Collection of Classic American Photographs, this exhibition places the achievements of such noted American photographers as Timothy O’Sullivan, Aaron Siskind, Edward Steichen, Imogen Cunningham, Reenie Barrow, and Elaine ONeil within the broader context of twentieth-century American art, politics, and culture. The Charters gift spans more than 100 years.