Last modified: Wednesday, June 3, 2009
IU Art Museum to host 'Midsummer Night' celebration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2009
Bloomington, Ind. -- In honor of summer solstice, the shortest night of the year, the Indiana University Art Museum will host a special reception Thursday, June 18, from 7-9 p.m.
From Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream to Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night, Midsummer Night (also known as summer solstice, which technically occurs June 21 in the northern hemisphere) has inspired artists, who are attracted to its associations with ancient rituals, lovers' escapades and nature's bounty.
Nightfall in Vermont, 1889, oil on panel by Kenyon Cox
"We hope visitors learn something new and interesting about the ways in which artists have taken inspiration from natural events such as the summer solstice," said Jenny McComas, Class of 1958 Curator of Western Art after 1800 at the IU Art Musuem. "We will have a diversity of works on view for visitors to explore."
All three permanent collection galleries will be open, with works on display that evoke the spirit of the Midsummer Night.
Live music will be provided by local folk/jazz musicians Davis and Devitt. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served, with a cash bar in the museum's atrium.
"We're pleased to offer evening hours that allow more people to participate in this fun, casual event," said Joanna Davis, manager of external relations for the museum. "It's a great opportunity for community members to take advantage of a quieter campus and stop by to celebrate the summer with good food, live music and galleries filled with exceptional works of art."
The event is sponsored by Becky Wann, Realtor for E.R. Lewis & Company.
About the Indiana University Art Museum
Since its establishment in 1941, the Indiana University Art Museum has grown from a small university teaching collection into one of the foremost university art museums in the country. Today, the IU Art Museum's internationally acclaimed collections, ranging from ancient gold jewelry and African masks to paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, include more than 40,000 objects representing nearly every art-producing culture throughout history. The IU Art Museum is located on 7th Street in the heart of the Bloomington campus. Galleries are open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Angles Café & Gift Shop is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Galleries are closed on Mondays and major holidays. The museum and all exhibitions and programs are free and open to the public.
