About the Series
The "Norman and Jane Geske Lectureship in
the History of the Arts" was established at
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Hixson-Lied College
of Fine and Performing Arts in 1994. The Geskes
have made a deferred gift of $50,000 to the University
of Nebraska Foundation to create this series, which
will fund visits by prominent authorities on the
history of the visual arts, music, theatre, dance,
film and architecture.
"I think a study of the history of the arts
is one of the most secure means of gaining an understanding
and appreciation," Norman Geske said. "We
talk about art appreciation all the time, but we
talk about it mostly in terms of how to do it. History
is equally important, and perhaps in some instances,
more important." (Lincoln Journal-Star, Jan.
15, 1995)
The series lectures are meant to advance the field
with creative writing and thinking on subjects that
reflect the importance of historical perspective
in all the arts. The Norman and Jane Geske Art History
Lecture Series provides not only the campus community,
but also the general public, with new insights into
the history of the arts.
"From my own point of view, the character and importance
of a given work of art, whether it's a painting or a
play or a string quartet, is largely dependent on its
history," Geske said. "How did it come about,
both in terms of broad social factors and in terms of
the personal, psychological and physiological character
of the artist involve? To my mind, it's the best way
to arrive at something approximating art appreciation,
to get at something more than the superficials that
you'd find in program notes or exhibition catalogs."
(Omaha World-Herald, Dec. 30, 1994)
This series pays a fitting tribute to the Geskes
longtime service to the arts. Norman Geske, a native
of Sioux City, Iowa, received degrees from the University
of Minnesota in Minneapolis and New York University's
Institute of Fine Arts. He came to UNL in 1950 as
assistant director of the university art galleries
and became director in 1956. Involved in the creation
of the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, Geske served
as its director until his retirement in 1983. He
was instrumental in creating the Interstate 80 Bicentennial
sculpture project, the Museum of Nebraska Art in
Kearney and the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater. Geske
received an honorary doctorate from Doane College
in 1969, the Governor's Arts Award in 1979, the
Distinguished Service Award from the University
of Kearney in 1980, the Mayor's Art Award in 1987,
and the Lincoln Foundation's Sower Award in 1991.
Jane Geske, a native of Sutton, Neb. and an alumna
of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, was a former
director of the Nebraska Library Commission and
served as president of the Nebraska Library Association
and the Nebraska Committee for Cultural Resources,
the predecessor of the Nebraska Arts Council. She
was also a founding member of the Nebraska Literary
Heritage Association, the Friends of the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries and the Nebraska Center
for the Book, which has named its annual award for
service to literature in her honor. Mrs. Geske won
the Mayor's Art Award in 1994. The Geskes owned
and operated the Estuary Bookstore in Lincoln, which
specializes in literature and the arts. They are
also Founders of the UNL Hixson-Lied College of
Fine and Performing Arts.
The UNL Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing
Arts has provided interim funding for the Norman
and Jane Geske Art History Lecture Series until
the Geskes' donation becomes available in order
to honor them and to repay them for their many contributions
to the arts of this state. We are extremely grateful
for the Geskes' generosity in the creation of this
important series. |
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Previous
Lectures
Dr. William Wallace:
Monday, November 13, 2006, 7pm
"'The Biggest Ass in the World': Michelangelo as Writer"
Felicia Londré:
February 21, 2005, 7pm
"Much Ado About Shakespeare on Midwestern
Frontier Stages"
Dr. Theodore Stebbins, Jr.
Monday, November 10, 2003, 7pm
"Painting in Venice: A Personal Point of
View"
Dr. Tom Conley
Monday, March 24, 2003, 7pm
"Undercurrents of New Wave Cinemas"
Joan Acocella
Mon., Nov. 12, 2001, 7pm
"Nijinsky and the Idea of the Mad Genius"
Dr. Charles C. Eldredge
Tues., Nov. 14, 2000, 7pm
"The Floor of the Sky: Prairie Landscapes
in North America"
Dr. Alberto Perez-Gomez
Tues., Nov. 9, 1999, 7pm
"Charles-Etienne Briseux and the Limits
of Instrumentality in Architectural Theory"
Susan McClary
Sept. 15, 1998, 7pm
"Rap, Minimalism and Structures of Time
in Late 20th Century Culture"
Marvin Carlson
Monday, Oct. 13, 1997, 7pm
"Booth, Lincoln and Theatrical Reception"
Linda Nochlin
October 21, 1996, 7pm
"Cezanne's Portraits"
Norman Geske
November 14, 1995, 7pm
"Why Art History " An Exploration of Tem
and Ptah"
If you would like a copy
of any of the Geske Lecture publications, please
click here
and provide your full mailing address. Geske
publications are free of charge. Please note: Norman Geske's 1995 and Dr. Theodore Stebbins' 2003 lecture publications are not available.
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