The Snite Museum of Art opened two new exhibits this past Friday: “Money Worries” and “Modern Women’s Prints”. They are on display in the special exhibition O’Shaughnessy galleries through March.
“When deciding our curatorial calendar we always consider the current conversations in society,” Gina Costa, director of public relations and marketing, said. “Artists don’t live in cultural vacuums and museums are educational resources. We carefully consider who our audience is and how we should be responding to social, political, or art historical issues.”
As curator of European art, Cheryl Snay credits “Money Worries” as being the brainchild of Julia Douthwaite, a professor of French.
“She started out interested in 18th century depictions of tax collections. It evolved into wanting visitors to think more critically about the role that money plays in our lives and why we use money as a unit of value.”
Snay said this collection is called to question who gets the assign value to money and the various forms of money and wealth throughout different cultures.
“Money becomes a way to structure our relationships as we become both lenders and borrowers,” Snay said.
This exhibit also features an installment near the entrance of the gallery that incorporates the role of money in other mediums. The Film, Theater and Television department contributed a short film compiling notable moments in film addressing money. Randy Harrison, the emerging technologies librarian for the Hesburgh Library, also contributed in designing a game inspired by ‘Monopoly’, with modern examples of wealth disparity, focusing on how life begins with unequal opportunity.
The other exhibit, “Modern Women’s Prints” primarily features work from 20th century women.
“There are wonderful pieces by women who have typically been overlooked in the canon. These are some really important artists in the conversation,” Costa said.
Snay said the women’s prints are a more modern and conventionally curated exhibit than “Money Worries.”
There will be a reception this Friday welcome to all that will feature food and lectures on the new exhibits.
“This is a unique opportunity for the university community to experience two exhibitions with very different specific focuses,” Costa said.
The museum is also expanding educational programs and focusing on more meditative experiences.
“We want this space to be a place that you can use a work of art to explore your inner thoughts and emotions,” Bridget Hoyt, curator of Education, Academic Programs.
Hoyt said they’re planning on activating the space for spiritual devotion including a Station of the Cross service at the beginning of Lent.
“These are programs that allow and encourage people to take a close slow look at art and their relationship with it.”
Costa said the museum is free to all and a great escape from the fast pace of campus, and she hopes more students will take advantage of all the museum has to offer
