The Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden presents Trains that Passed in the Night: The Railroad Photographs of O. Winston Link, in its first presentation prior to a 10-venue national tour.
Comprising approximately 75 works, Trains that Passed in the Night, is the first touring exhibition since 1983 and the largest exhibition ever mounted of the work of photographer O. Winston Link. Guest curator for the exhibition is Thomas Garver, who, in addition to serving as Link's studio assistant in the l950s, is the former director of two American museums of contemporary art. Trains that Passed in the Night was organized and is circulated by the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden.
Born in New York City in 1914, Link, from early childhood, loved railroads and particularly the steam locomotives that powered them. As a teenager he made many trips with friends from his home in Brooklyn to the railyards in New Jersey across from Manhattan to watch and photograph the trains. During World War II, while engaged in a classified military research project, Link's research laboratory abutted the tracks of the Long Island Railroad and he began to photograph the trains as they passed to and from New York City.
After the war, Link became an independent photographer. He became known as one of the country's best industrial photographers and was particularly sought after when the subject posed difficult lighting situations.
He continued to make photographs of railroads for his own amusement while on assignment for others in various parts of the country, but it was in 1955, on a trip to Virginia, that Winston Link first saw the great steam engines of the Norfolk & Western Railway. The N&W was the last mainline American railroad to operate exclusively with steam power. Link made a few test photos of the arrival of a passenger train at night, using a synchronized flash. The results were so good that he quickly formulated the idea of documenting the railroad at night with synchronized flash to emphasize the important elements of the picture while eliminating distracting details.
Link's style and methodology were completely counter to the prevailing photographic style of the time. The aesthetic of unstudied, unrehearsed images, made quickly and with a small camera, was felt to be more "true" than the more carefully orchestrated photographs of Link. Robert Frank and Winston Link both began their documentary records of life in America in the same year, but it was Frank's point of view that was to control the country's vision of itself for a generation. As a result, Link's railroad photographs did not receive recognition until the late 1970s and were not exhibited in a museum until 1983, almost 30 years after the first of them had been created.
Since that time, however, as appreciation for historical photographic techniques and images has grown, there has been an increasing recognition of Link's vision and endeavor. His photographs of the N&W are now seen and appreciated as more than documents of an antique technology. They are remarkable records of a vanishing culture as well.
This exhibition is the first museum national touring exhibition of Link's Norfolk & Western Railway photos organized since 1983.
Tom Garver, guest curator of the exhibition, will present a public lecture at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Sheldon Gallery auditorium in connection with the exhibition. A public reception for Garver will follow in the Sheldon Gallery's Great Hall.
A mesmerizing tale of passion and betrayal, The Wings of the Dove, currently showing at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater, examines the psychological aftermath of a love triangle.
Based on the Henry James novel, The Wings of the Dove effectively transforms the Victorian story with elements of modern film noir. The moody atmosphere of the lavish period piece, shot on location in Venice, Italy, lends the film a menacing aura.
The Wings of the Dove opens with Kate Croy (Helena Bonham Carter) sneaking behind her wealthy aunt's back for clandestine visits with journalist Merton Densher (Linus Roache). Although desperately in love with Merton, Kate has grown accustomed to the wealthy lifestyle her aunt offers her. She does not want to give up her wealth for an impoverished life with Merton.
Torn between desire and duty, she seeks solace in the friendship of wealthy American heiress Millie Theale (Alison Elliott). Although she tries to hide her illness, Millie has come to Europe to die. Hungry for life in all its forms, she takes a fancy to Merton, and Kate realizes a solution to her problem.
She can have both money and Merton if he marries Millie, who will die shortly and leave him a rich man. Although reluctant at first, Merton agrees to her scheme and begins courting Millie despite his better judgment. But the psychological seduction backfires when Merton's attraction to the disingenuous Millie becomes more than an act.
With nuanced performances and the sumptuous backdrop of old world Venice, The Wings of the Dove soars to a polished finale.
Also showing is a short feature, Room 103 by Stephen Berkman, in which an English writer arrives in Prague searching for the solitude he needs to finish his novel but, before long, his life itself becomes more and more like one of Prague's most famous stories, The Metamorphosis.
The Wings of the Dove and Room 103 are showing on Jan. 9 through 11 and Jan. 15 through 18. Screenings are at 7 and 9:15 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; at 1, 3:15, 7, and 9:15 p.m. on Saturdays; and at 2:30, 4:45, 7, and 9:15 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $6; $5 for students; and $4 for senior citizens, children, and members of the Friends of the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater.
Weldon Kees and the Arts at Mid-Century, an exhibition of 34 paintings and collages drawn from private and public collections by the poet Weldon Kees will open Jan. 9 and run through April 12 at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.
The Sheldon is presenting the exhibition in collaboration with the University of Iowa Museum of Art. The exhibition moves to that gallery in Iowa City from Aug. 22 through Oct. 28.
Although best known as a poet, Kees began painting in 1944 while in New York. However, far from being a poet who simply dabbled in the visual arts, the paintings and collages of Weldon Kees are significant contributions to the New York avant-garde at mid century and were understood by his peers as such.
He exhibited his paintings regularly in solo exhibitions and in group shows with some of the most important New York School artists from 1948-1953, including Robert Motherwell, Willem de Kooning, William Baziotes, Adolph Gottlieb, and Jackson Pollock. Kees's paintings and collages, which received very favorable attention from many art critics at mid-century, not only manifest the influence of the European modem masters Picasso and Miro, but of New York artists such as Hans Hofmann and William Baziotes, with whom he was very close.
Born in Beatrice, Neb., in 1914, Kees studied literature at the University of Nebraska, publishing his first literary work - a short story - in the Prairie Schooner in 1934. After studying library science at the University of Denver and working as a librarian, Kees and his wife moved to New York in 1943 where he quickly gained access into the elite circle of New York intellectuals who published their cultural criticism in Partisan Review and The Nation. Kees's creative activities, however, were not limited to literature and painting. He also achieved a significant reputation writing art criticism and making experimental films. In addition, Kees wrote and performed jazz and folk music and even authored a one-act play. Kees moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the fall of 1950, where he continued to make collages, experimental films, and pursue his love of music. In 1955, Kees committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.
This exhibition, and the related activities planned in association with it, mark a collective attempt not only to integrate Kees' paintings and collages within the context of his other creative activities, but also to knit Kees back into the rich fabric of the arts at mid-century by focusing on his contributions to the New York avant-garde artworld.
The Sheldon Gallery will have several collaborative events highlighting the diversity of Kees' creative endeavors. At 7 p.m. on Feb. 5 the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater will present "Word and Image: The Poetry and Films of Weldon Kees," which features Nicholas Spencer, UNL assistant professor of English, reading Kees' poetry and the screening of two of Kees' experimental films, "The Bridge" and "Hotel Apex."
From 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on March 4, the Sheldon Gallery will host "The Subjects and Methods of the Study of American Art" in the Ross Auditorium. Organized and moderated by the Sheldon's curator, Daniel A. Siedell, the colloquium will consist of a public dialogue and exchange with a panel of four art historians specializing in the study of 20th century American art. They are Irving Sandler, SUNY-Purchase; David Cateforis, University of Kansas; Stephen C. Foster, University of Iowa; and Christin J. Mamiya, associate professor of art at the University of Nebraska.
The Sheldon Gallery also plans a public reception in the Great Hall which will feature the local experimental musical group Howlooseanation performing several of Kees's original compositions and a performance of Kees's one-act play, "The Waiting Room," the date and time of which is yet to be determined. The Heritage Room of the Bennett Martin Library, the home for the Weldon Kees Papers, is also planning to display an exhibition of ephemera from these archives that will run concurrenty with the Sheldon's exhibition.
"Language in Lace," the current exhibition at the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery in the Home Economics Building runs through Jan. 30.
The origins of lace date as far back as the 16th century, however the United States is experiencing an enthusiasm for the connoisseurship of laces and a resurgence in lace making according to Kathleen Rotella, co-curator of the exhibition.
Volunteers from the Lincoln Lacemaker's Guild and the Living Lace of Omaha Guild will demonstrate the art of lace making from 2 to 4 p.m. on Jan. 18. There will also be a gallery talk. Handmade laces created by members of both guilds will be displayed.
The exhibit showcases 19th and 20th century lace and includes examples of hand-made and machine-made laces.
The University of Nebraska's University Singers, directed by James Hejduk, will present identical concerts of sacred music on Jan. 18. The first will be at 3 p.m. at St. Francis Chapel, 1145 South St. in Lincoln and will be repeated at 7:30 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church on North Sixth St. in Beatrice. The St. Francis Chapel concert is free. A free-will offering will be taken at St. John's to benefit the construction of the Beatrice Fine Arts Auditorium.
This concert will be highlighted by the Mass in Five Voices by William Byrd. Byrd was a member of the Chapel Royal during the reign of Elizabeth I in England though spiritually he remained a Roman Catholic. His works in English or Latin reveal for which church he was writing at the time. His Catholic works often had to be performed in secret and the threat of persecution hung over his head, although he was spared most inconvenience because of the high regard in which he was held by the queen.
Interpolated within the five movements of the Mass will be motets by Byrd himself, his contemporary Richard Dering, and three contemporary composers. These include Barrie Cabena of Canada, John Tavener of England (a convert to the Greek Orthodox faith), and William Albright, one of the few Americans ever commissioned to write a work for a British cathedral - Chichester - an honor which he shared with Leonard Bernstein.
University Singers are first-year students through graduate students. While many are voice majors at the School of Music, a number of non-musical majors are represented. Native Nebraskans predominate in the Singers' membership but students from Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Illinois, Missouri and Colorado among several other states are represented.
The Belrose Duo will be performing at 8 p.m. Jan. 13 in Kimball Hall. The event is free. The Belrose Duo consists of husband and wife team David Garrett, cellist with the Houston Symphony and Junko Ueno Garrett, piano, performing works by Beethoven, Schumann, Bartk and Rachmaninov. They bring a combination of virtuosity and expressiveness to every performance. As soloists and ensemble players they have performed around the world and as a duo they have received popular and critical acclaim.
In performance the duo is known for its fluent technical abilities and sensitivity to style. Their repertoire includes all the major composers from Bach and Beethoven to twentieth-century masters such as Poulenc and Carter. Their performances of Romantic favorites such as those by Chopin and Rachmaninov are especially favored and the duo also champions the works of modern composers, often performing for new music festivals and premiers. This past summer the Belrose Duo made their third recital tour of Japan, performing works of American composers in Tokyo and Matsuyama.
Garrett is in his ninth season with the Houston Symphony. He has also served as Assistant Principal Cellist of the San Antonio Symphony, Principal Cellist of the Shreveport Symphony and as a member of the New Orleans Philharmonic. As a soloist, he has recorded for the Albany and Opus One labels.
Japan-born pianist Garrett was trained at the prestigious Toho Conservatory in Tokyo. As the winner of several competitions, she earned performance opportunities at an early age, including concertos and recitals. Her solo debut in South America was in 1992 and in France in 1994. In 1994, she was a prize winner at the Florida National Piano Competition.
The School of Music has programmed a number of performances and recitals in January. First up is an 8 p.m. concert Jan. 21 when 11 faculty member swill perform works by Randall Snyder (professor of composition at NU), Schulhoff, Roussel, and Faure in Kimball Hall. The performance is free.
The Winter Winds and Percussion Festival Finale will be performed at 3 p.m. Jan. 25 in Kimball Hall. The event is free. Featuring 60 of the region's finest wind and percussion performers from midwest high schools and the UNL Wind Ensemble will perform under the direction of Jay Kloecker.
Guest artist pianist Justin Kolb will perform at 8 p.m. Jan. 30 in Westbrook Recital Hall. This event is also free. Renowned for his non-traditional approaches, this New York pianist performs Liszt's transcription of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. A proponent of American music, Kolb frequently performs the music of Joan Tower, Tania Leon, Samuel Barber, Peter Schickele, and Aaron Copland. His performances include premieres of compositions of Robert Starer, Paul Alan Levi, and Jan Bach.
Kolb's recent program of Starer's solo piano music in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall was hailed by The New York Times as, "A Piano Recital Program With a Difference." Kolb was a featured soloist at The American Liszt Society's annual festival in 1997 performing Liszt's transcription of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. He has also been engaged to perform at the third annual Romantic Arts Festival in Hamilton, Ontario. In April of 1998 Kolb will make his New York City orchestral debut with the Jupiter Symphony performing the First Piano Concerto of Alexander Glazunov.
Human rights will be celebrated through "Expressions of Freedom," a juried competition of quilts honoring human rights sponsored by the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska, the Robert and Ardis James Foundation and the Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.
Prize money amounting to $30,500 will be awarded in the contest, which will honor the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The deadline for entries is Oct. 1, 1998, with-a first place prize of $10,000.
Sponsors encourage the development of the quilt as a means of artistic expression and entrants are urged to consider the ideals set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and construct a quilt that reflects this universal theme. The United Nations was formed in 1945 as a world forum to ease conflict leading to war.
Human rights supporters believe political repression, exploitation of women and children and genocidal conflicts based on religious and ethnic differences that led to the creation of the declaration 50 years ago are still present today.
The contest is open to all except employees of the University of Nebraska's quilt center and Lehman Publications, Inc. Entries must be made specifically for this competition and not previously submitted or exhibited. Quilts must be constructed of fabric and measure a minimum of 48 by 48 inches to a maximum of 84 by 84 inches. Entries may be the work of an individual or a group.
Second place prize is $5,000, third place is $2,500, best group quilt award is $2,500 and seven regional awards of $1,500 each will be given. All winning quilts will become part of the permanent collection of the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska.
Created earlier this year, the quilt center's mission is to facilitate the preservation, study and understanding of all aspects of quilt making and quilting traditions. The center houses the $6 million James Quilt Collection donated to the university by Robert and Ardis James, who support human rights around the world.
Entry forms for the contest are available in the January/February issue of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, or send a SASE to "Expressions of Freedom," International Quilt Study Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE 68583-0802 or retrieve the entry form from the web site of the quilt center. For further information about the center or its activities, please call 472-6342 or visit the web site of the International Quilt Study center at: http://www.ianr.un l.edu/TCD/quilts/homepage.htm
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