#Fairfield University Art Museum

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To See This Place: Awakening to Our Common Home 

Catalogue Essay by David Brinker Director Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, Saint Louis University 

Co-curator, To See This Place: Awakening to Our Common Home, Fairfield University Art Museum | Walsh Gallery On view January 24 – March 29, 2025

Photo: Mary Mattingly, Saltwater,2022, chromogenic Dye Coupler print, ed. 1/5. Courtesy of the artist and Robert Mann Gallery.

. . . I am ashamed 

to say that most days I forget this planet. That most days I think about dentist appointments and plagiarists and the various ways I can try to protect my body from itself.

. . . I’m trying to come down soft today.  I'm trying to see this place even as I'm walking through it.[1] — Catherine Pierce, “Planet”

Obliviousness to the world in front of us enables environmental degradation. Wearing blinders of narrow interests, caught up in systems of manufacture and consumption, we may feel overwhelmed, able only to shrug or despair at the possibility of making a dent in the challenges facing us. In contrast, artists invite us to shake off distraction and disinterest, to open our eyes and adjust our perspective, to look closely then look again. A robust engagement with art leaves us charged with insight and poised to move differently in the world.

Artists have shown perennial interest in detailed study, representation, and interpretation of the natural world. Depictions of animals found in cave paintings in Europe and rock paintings in Australia date back tens of thousands of years. Flora and fauna appear in the art of ancient civilizations. Later generations assigned symbolic and moral value to items from the natural world, as in seventeenth century-Dutch still lifes or eighteenth- and nineteenth-century landscapes evoking the Sublime. Even as artists embraced radical changes in style and artistic intent in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, nature remained a touchpoint.

At every stage, art has reflected and shaped the way that we view the world around us. Artists (along with scientists, politicians, industrialists and others) contributed to the dominant Western narratives that shape how many people perceive “nature”—ones that valorized human dominance over the rest of creation, erased the presence of indigenous peoples, and propagated the notion of an “unspoiled wilderness.”[2] When the broader concept of “environment” came to prominence in the twentieth century, artists were there again, illuminating the complexities of ecological systems and the pernicious effects of industrialization. More recently, concern for the environment and the impact of environmental destabilization have intersected with other movements for social change. Ecofeminist artists explore themes of femininity, nature, violence, and exploitation. Indigenous artists critique the exploitation of their ancestral lands and the simultaneous romanticization and erasure of Indigenous cultures. Spiritual and religious perspectives are evident in works that invite contemplation of the interconnectedness of Earth and the cosmos. Work addressing threats to the environment has been an integral element of powerful protest movements. Museum and gallery exhibitions increasingly focus on the environment and work addressing climate change. 

Given the complexity of the ecological crisis and its multiple causes, we need to realize that the solutions will not emerge from just one way of interpreting and transforming reality. Respect must also be shown for the various cultural riches of different peoples, their art and poetry, their interior life and spirituality. If we are truly concerned to develop an ecology capable of remedying the damage we have done, no branch of the sciences and no form of wisdom can be left out . . .[3] — Pope Francis

The present exhibition was prompted by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, a wake-up call addressing the global ecological crisis and humanity's response to it (or lack thereof).[4] Giving consideration to the scientific, economic, political, sociological, and ethical dimensions of the crisis, Pope Francis proposes an “integral ecology” that links human flourishing with a responsible stewardship that flows from respect for all species. Integral ecology recognizes that the systems, institutions, mindsets, and habits that threaten vulnerable ecosystems and species also threaten the most vulnerable and marginalized people of the world. Consequently, a “true ecological approach . . . must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”[5]

Laudato Si’ acknowledges the damage wrought by centuries of Christian teaching that humans were the pinnacle of creation, that “nowadays we must forcefully reject the notion that our being created in God’s image and given dominion over the earth justifies absolute domination over other creatures.”[6] It is important to respect the rights of peoples and cultures, and “it is essential to show special care for indigenous communities and their cultural traditions.”[7] Pope Francis recognizes that the Church does not have all the answers and “welcomes dialogue with everyone so that together we can seek paths of liberation.”[8]

In 2021 the Vatican launched the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which proposes a framework for a “7-Year Journey Towards Integral Ecology.”[9] Jesuit universities like Fairfield University and Saint Louis University have responded to this call—probing for integrity amidst a torrent of disinformation, wrestling with the ethics of technological innovation, inspiring young adults to prioritize and protect the poor and marginalized, and bringing together the generations responsible for our situation with those who will inherit it.[10]

The final section of Laudato Si’ considers the habits, attitudes, and ethics that we must adopt to live sustainably and to undertake the difficult work ahead. Among these is the importance of “learning to see and appreciate beauty . . . If someone has not learned to stop and admire something beautiful, we should not be surprised if he or she treats everything as an object to be used and abused without scruple.”[11] The Ignatian educational tradition supports our Jesuit university museums in the conviction that the arts—visual, musical, literary, theatrical, movement, and more—must play a crucial role in combating climate change and healing relationships. While the three artists highlighted in To See This Place are not explicitly responding to Laudato Si’, their work resonates with its themes and makes multiple points of connection. 

Photo: Mary Mattingly, Still Life Returning, 2023, print of mixed media collage, ed. 1/5. Courtesy of the artist and Robert Mann Gallery

Art leads to alternative possibilities. It’s also part of building collective agency because it gives space for more people to be involved through exploring the complexities, ambiguities, and contradictions experienced around climate stewardship and climate change.[12] — Mary Mattingly

Informed by meticulous research, Mary Mattingly’s multi-pronged projects combine “photography, performance, portable architecture and sculptural ecosystems into poetic visions of adaptation and survival.”[13] For example, the Ecotopian Library is a “public toolkit” convening disciplines from forestry to philosophy, with contributions from artists, scholars, librarians, neighbors, scientists, and indigenous knowledge holders.[14] This holistic and generous-spirited project resonates with the call in Laudato Si’ for research informing an “economic ecology” that brings together the insights of different fields of knowledge “in the service of a more integral and integrating vision.”[15]

Water is a recurring concern for Mattingly and features prominently in her work in the present exhibition. Recalling childhood experiences of drinking water contaminated with agricultural runoff, she notes, “Water was my first subject, and having an ecological focus that responded to a place and encompassed home wasn’t a choice, but probably more of a fundamental part of how I perceive living in the world.”[16] Laudato Si’ likewise stresses the centrality of water in the world’s ecosystems and their delicate webs of life, especially the world’s oceans,[17] an interdependence frequently explored by Mattingly. Moreover, Pope Francis highlights water as a human right fundamental to the exercise of all other human rights, yet one under threat from pollution, disparities in distribution, and privatization.[18]

Mattingly discloses that much of her recent work recreates and explores a recurring dream (and real-life experiences) of flooding in her ground-floor apartment. “This dream in particular navigated the maze of a deconstructed apartment building that was dripping, leaking, and overgrown.”[19] The uncanny still lifes in the present exhibition, part of this visionary body of work, extend artistic traditions of imaginative seeing that imbue everyday objects and scenarios with symbolism. We all dream—but how often do we embrace our dreams as dance partners in the waking world?

The body holds a knowledge all its own. It is in intimate relationship with all that surrounds it as it ingests, breaths, spills, in and out of the land and the water. My body is an extension of the earth, and therefore the earth is always a research partner.[20] — Tyler Rai

Photo: Tyler Rai, Neshome Likht For Ecological Relatives, 2023, driftwood, beeswax candles, copper fittings. Courtesy of the artist.

Tyler Rai’s projects take into account the multiple histories and ecological relationships that structure a specific locale and “reveal the poetic entanglements between spirituality, mythology, embodied experience, and earth’s ecological systems.”[21] She convenes community members in participative experiences of movement, contemplation, and conversation, with video, music, and solo performances adding layers of resonance. This work is informed by what Rai terms “performance research.” 

Where Mattingly’s investigations are more akin to traditional empirical research, Rai works intuitively, noting bodily sensations in resonance with specific locations. Reflecting on a series of projects linking the disappearance of glaciers with the unpredictable movements of grief through the body, she asks, “How can dancing for more-than-human life be a form of remembering? How can movement create connection and intimacy with that which is no longer present?”[22] Indeed, rituals relating to loss are a recurring focus in Rai’s work. She draws on her Italian and Jewish lineages for insights into how grief paradoxically sets the conditions for joy, and how mourning and celebration intertwine. Her work in the present exhibition reinvigorates the Eastern European Ashkenazi practice of grave-measuring by conducting it on “ecological relatives in peril.”[23] Rai’s consideration of trees, waterways, and other “more-than-human” life as ancestors echoes “The Canticle of Creatures,” the hymn written by St. Francis of Assisi that gives Laudato Si’ its title.[24] St. Francis praises God for and through all of creation, specifically Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Wind, Sister Water, Brother Fire, Sister Mother Earth, and Sister Death. 

Bringing together embodied performance with symbolic meaning and physical artifacts, Rai demonstrates how a balance between action and contemplation can inform our response to the climate crisis. “Rituals,” she writes, “are often a container for opening oneself up to the transformation occurring on a threshold, in a liminal space—between where one has been and where one has yet to arrive. I believe art to be a very powerful form of ritual, helping us into new iterations of a world we want to create.”[25]

I unfurl large rolls of paper on the floor and immerse myself in the painting, much like being in the landscape. . . . Surrounded on all sides by the expanse of paper, I move through the work as if I am traversing the terrain.[26] — Athena LaTocha

Athena LaTocha explores the relationship between human-made and natural worlds. Her work has been compared to that of the Earthworks artists of the 1960s and 1970s, who created massive artworks of natural materials that drew attention to the immensity of the earth’s geological processes and the outsized impact of human activity. But while those artists created installations in remote locations, LaTocha works on paper using materials such as ink, lead, earth, and wood as well as industrial detritus. Her unconventional artistic tools include wire brushes, scrap metal, and reclaimed tire shreds to push the ink around. This approach links LaTocha to the earliest artists, who employed the materials found in a particular place as both media and tools. 

LaTocha’s work is informed by her upbringing in Alaska, where her “understanding of the land was influenced by both the rugged monumentality of the terrain and the impact of the oil and gas industry upon the land.”[27] LaTocha is attuned to the histories of places. Long hours spent documenting and reflecting in the sites that inspire her work imbue her materials simultaneously with a sense of immediacy and “deep time.” For instance, soil from Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery carries memories of the city’s dead, but also of the Lenape people who first inhabited the land, the glaciers that shaped the landscape, and the ancient bedrock schist.[28]

The expansive sense of time and space experienced in LaTocha’s work recalls art that seeks to evoke the Sublime, a sense of awe, fear, and the insignificance of humanity in the vastness of the universe. Such art has reflected humanity’s shifting relationship to the natural world—consider how the sweeping vistas of American landscape painting and photography are intertwined with the westward expansion of European settlers and the accompanying forced displacement of Native peoples and unrestrained extraction of natural resources. By contrast, the hyper-specificity of LaTocha’s materials invites us to recalibrate our relationship to the land and all its inhabitants. She challenges our tendencies to view the world around us with detachment, cautioning that “[l]andscape is not merely something you look upon or look at from a window.”[29] Her work insists that we acknowledge humanity’s collective impact on the planet, generation after generation. The implications of that acknowledgment are made clear in Laudato Si’, which observes that “[t]he earth was here before us and it has been given to us. . . . This implies a relationship of mutual responsibility between human beings and nature.”[30] Furthermore, “[intergenerational] solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us.”[31]

Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change. . . . A great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal.[32] — Pope Francis

The work of Athena LaTocha, Tyler Rai, and Mary Mattingly calls us to a “loving awareness”[33] of our common home.  By awakening us to the particularities and interconnectedness of the spaces we inhabit, these artists help transform climate despair into climate hope. With this shifted perspective, we may be ready to answer the call of Laudato Si’ and so many other voices, to move from awareness to action. 

[1] Catherine Pierce, “Planet,” in Here: Poems for the Planet, ed. Elizabeth J. Coleman (Port Townsend, WA: Copper Canyon Press, 2019), 5–6.

[2] Joyce Bedi, “Who Invented the Environment?” Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation (blog), Smithsonian National Museum of American History, April 22, 2022, https://invention.si.edu/collections-who-invented-environment. 

[3] Francis, Laudato Si’, encyclical letter, sec. 19, Vatican website, May 24, 2015, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html.

[4] An encyclical is a pastoral letter addressed by the pope to the whole Catholic Church providing guidance on important matters. In October 2023, Pope Francis released a follow-up document, Laudate Deum, that calls world leaders to task for their failures to meaningfully address the climate crisis.

[5] Francis, Laudato Si’, sec. 49 (emphasis in the original). 

[6] Francis, sec. 67.

[7] Francis, sec. 146.

[8] Francis, sec. 64. Faith for Earth: A Call for Action, jointly published in 2020 by the Parliament of World Religions and the United Nations Environment Program, surveys a range of faith perspectives and responses. Available at https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/33991.

[9] See https://www.laudatosi.org/laudato-si/action-platform/.

[10] These observations are developed by Cardinal Robert McElroy in an address titled, “Laudato Si’: A Pillar for Identity and Mission for the Catholic University Today,” delivered at the University of San Diego in January 2024. Available at  https://www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/viewpoints/cardinal-mcelroy-catholic-universities-should-lead-climate-change-action.

[11] Francis, Laudato Si’, sec. 215.

[12] Jan Garden Castro, “Repetition and Endurance: A Conversation with Mary Mattingly,” Sculpture, November/December 2023, 73.

[13] “Mary Mattingly,” Art Works for Change, accessed May 31, 2024, https://www.artworksforchange.org/portfolio/mary-mattingly/.

[14] “About,” Ecotopian Library, accessed May 31, 2024, http://ecotopianlibrary.com/html/about.html.

[15] Francis, Laudato Si’, sec. 140.

[16] Castro, 64. 

[17] Francis, Laudato Si’, sec. 40–41.

[18] Francis, sec. 27–31.

[19] “‘Ebb of a Spring Tide’ sculpture,” Artwork, Mary Mattingly artist website, accessed May 31, 2024, https://marymattingly.com/blogs/portfolio/socrates-sculpture-park.

[20] “About,” Tyler Rai artist website, accessed May 31, 2024, https://www.tylerrai.com/about. 

[21] Rai, “About.” 

[22] “Performance Research (Grief and Mourning for Glacial Bodies),” Tyler Rai artist website, accessed May 31, 2024, https://www.tylerrai.com/performance-research. 

[23] “Neshome Likht for Ecological Relatives,” Tyler Rai artist website, accessed May 31, 2024, https://www.tylerrai.com/neshome-likht-for-ecological-relatives.

[24] The phrase “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” (English: “Praise be to you, my Lord”) introduces 8 stanzas of St. Francis’ canticle and is the opening sentence of Pope Francis’ encyclical. For an English translation of the canticle, see https://www.stanthony.org/the-canticle-of-the-creatures/.

[25] “Interview: Tyler Rai,” Interviews, ITSLIQUID, accessed May 31, 2024, https://www.itsliquid.com/interview-tylerrai.html. 

[26] “Athena LaTocha,” Artists & Authors, Aktá Lakota Museum, accessed May 31, 2024, https://aktalakota.stjo.org/artists-authors/latocha-athena/.

[27] “Athena LaTocha.”

[28] Siddhartha Mitter, “Her Art Reads the Land in Deep Time,” The New York Times, November 24, 2021, Art & Design, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/24/arts/design/athena-latocha-bric-sculpture-native-american.html.

[29] Serenah McKay, “Arkansas museum spotlights American Indians,” Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, October 6, 2018, Metro, https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2018/oct/06/museum-spotlights-american-indians-2018.

[30] Francis, Laudato Si’, sec. 67.

[31] Francis, sec. 159.

[32] Francis, sec. 202.

[33] Francis, sec. 220.

[fairfielduam]

Spring 2024 Direct from the Director

Woohoo! I am very excited to share the fantastic news that we are an accredited Museum!

The Fairfield University Art Museum has been awarded Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to American museums. Receiving accreditation signifies excellence to the entire museum community, to government agencies and institutional funders, to collectors, partners, and visitors. This prestigious distinction will bring national recognition to our Museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement.

About the Accreditation process: Accreditation is a rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. Our small-but-mighty team at the Fairfield University Art Museum worked on the self-study from May 2022 through May 2023. As part of the process, we hosted two peer reviewers on campus for a two-day site visit in November 2023. The Alliance’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considered the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether we should receive accreditation. We were just notified of this happy result!

Our accreditation distinguishes the Fairfield University Art Museum on the national stage:

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, just over 1,080 are currently accredited.

Fairfield University Art Museum is one of only 21 accredited museums in Connecticut and one of only 12 accredited art museums in the state. 

Only 11% of museums in New England and only 16% of the academic art museums in the country are accredited.

Only 15% of the museums with staffs the size of Fairfield’s Art Museum have achieved this honor, and only one other Jesuit University has an accredited museum (the De Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University).

We are incredibly proud to be an accredited Museum and to have been recognized for all that we have accomplished since the Museum’s inception in 2010. Among the achievements we are most proud of are: having grown and diversified the permanent collection, which now numbers almost 2,700 objects; making our programs accessible to the broadest possible audiences through livestreaming, recording and archiving; keeping our exhibitions and events always completely free and open to all year after year; and making all of our exhibition materials available bilingually in Spanish. Our accreditation is a testament to the incredible generosity of our wonderful donors and supporters, who make our work possible and enable us to present programs of the highest quality for the benefit of our students, faculty, and the broader community.

We have recently acquired a number of new works, some by donation and several via the Black Art Fund, in our continued quest to diversify our collection by purchasing works by Contemporary Black artists. This stunning photograph, entitled Sun and Trees, by Adger Cowans was included in our 2022 solo exhibition of the artist's work. We are thrilled to now be able to add it to our permanent collection, and it is making a reappearance in our Landscape in Focus exhibition opening next week.

This work by Martina Johnson-Allen was acquired, along with two others, from Brandywine Workshop and Archives to augment our Satellite Collection of works created there. It will be included in an exhibition this coming fall focusing on Brandywine prints entitled Sacred Spaces, guest curated by Juanita Sunday.

We are absolutely delighted and extremely grateful that the Quetzal that is included in Streaming: Sculpture by Christy Rupp, the current exhibition in the Museum's Walsh Gallery, has been donated by the artist to the Museum's permanent collection. You have just one month left to see this fantastic exhibition - do not miss it!

I look forward to seeing you in the galleries this spring for Christy Rupp (followed by Peter Anton: Just Desserts), Suzanne Chamlin: Studies in Color, and our Focus on Landscape photography exhibition.

Artfully yours, Carey Carey Mack Weber Frank and Clara Meditz Executive Director

Captions: Adger Cowans, Sun and Trees, 1959, archival pigment print. Museum Purchase with funds from the Black Art Fund, 2024 Martina Johnson-Allen, Another Realm, 2006, offset lithograph. Partial gift of the Brandywine Workshop and Archives and Museum Purchase with funds from the Black Art Fund, 2024 Christy Rupp, Quetzal, 2020, credit cards, wood, steel, mixed media. Gift of the artist. Christy Rupp, Streaming: Sculpture by Christy Rupp, Gallery Installation shot, Walsh Gallery, February 2024

[uniqueartisanconnoisseur]

Annie & I Take Altamont!

The first time I saw the small town of Altamont, Illinois was this past June at the John Deere G reunion. I was taken with the lovely mansion I saw there. We also loved the fun antique shop the hubby and I stopped at. I saw that they were having a music and wine fair at the Charles Wright House Museum. I thought perfect! A trip for Annie! About once a month or so, my friend Annie Jansen and I…

[denis-florist-flower-delivery]

The 5 Best Hotels in Dumont

Unwind in Comfort: The 5 Best Hotels in Dumont

The most exciting and memorable part of a trip to Dumont is having a well-planned itinerary that lets you experience everything the city has to offer. After a day of sightseeing, dining at top restaurants, and taking in the beautiful scenery, you deserve a relaxing and comfortable place to rest.

To make your trip truly unforgettable, we’ve curated a list of the 5 best hotels in Dumont, offering top-tier accommodations, warm hospitality, and a welcoming atmosphere.

Clinton Inn Hotel & Event Center

Experience the best of Dumont with a stay at Clinton Inn Hotel & Event Center! This modern hotel is 1.8 miles from the Tenafly Nature Center, 2.3 miles from the Bergen Performing Arts Center and 6.5 miles from the George Washington Bridge, this hotel has been a go-to destination for travelers looking for comfort and luxury. Call us at +12018713200 and check in at [Address] to enjoy the ultimate Dumont experience.

Fairfield Inn & Suites Paramus

Perfect for history buffs and culture enthusiasts, Fairfield Inn & Suites Paramus blends modern comfort with the rich traditions of Dumont. Located at 601 From Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652, this relaxed hotel is 3 miles from both Van Saun County Park and Bergen County Zoological Park, and 12 miles from NFL games at MetLife Stadium offers a one-of-a-kind stay in the heart of the city. Book your visit by calling +12012626900 and immerse yourself in Dumont’s unique charm.

Hampton Inn & Suites Teaneck Glenpointe

Highly rated by both travelers and locals, Hampton Inn & Suites Teaneck Glenpointe is known for its welcoming atmosphere and relaxing environment. This modern hotel with a glass-paneled facade is 4 miles from hiking trails and scenic views at Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, and 5 miles from the iconic George Washington Bridge is the perfect place to unwind and recharge for another day of adventure in Dumont. Call +12018839777 and visit us at One Glenwood Ave Suite B, Teaneck, NJ 07666 for a restful and rejuvenating stay.

Crowne Plaza Saddle Brook, an IHG Hotel

Looking for convenience and comfort? Crowne Plaza Saddle Brook, an IHG Hote offers a range of spacious rooms and suites designed to fit your travel needs. Located at 50 Kenny Pl, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663, this charming informal hotel is 2 miles from Westfield Garden State Plaza mall and 6 miles from Fairleigh Dickinson University is just minutes away from Dumont’s most iconic landmarks and must-visit restaurants. Secure your stay by calling +12018808250 today!

Homewood Suites by Hilton Teaneck Glenpointe

Indulge in effortless luxury, world-class dining, and premium amenities at Homewood Suites by Hilton Teaneck Glenpointe. This relaxed all-suite hotel is 5 miles from both George Washington Bridge and the Cloisters branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art provides a serene escape, ensuring a memorable and relaxing experience. Contact our friendly staff at [Phone Number] and visit us at One Glenwood Ave Suite A, Teaneck, NJ 07666 to elevate your stay in Dumont.

Find Your Home Away from Home in Dumont Traveling to Dumont doesn’t mean you have to leave comfort behind! Whether you're seeking a family-friendly stay, a romantic retreat, or a solo getaway, these hotels provide the perfect setting for your visit.

Want to explore more of what Dumont has to offer? Discover the best places to visit in Dumont!

"Give your husband a floral gift he’ll love! Our dedicated Dumont NJ Florist creates elegant arrangements and centerpieces with the highest quality blooms, always delivered on time. Visit our shop for excellent service and beautifully decorated tables of fresh flowers!"

[m2024a]

https://notizieoggi2023.blogspot.com/2024/03/frederick-ferdinand-schafer-german.html Frederick Ferdinand Schafer (German, 1839–1927) - In the White Mountains Frederick Ferdinand Schafer, un pittore di origine tedesca emigrato negli Stati Uniti nel 1876, è noto per i suoi dipinti realistici di paesaggi, in particolare quelli dell’America occidentale. Nato a Braunschweig, Germania, Schafer aprì uno studio sulla Montgomery Street a San Francisco e visse a Oakland. Nel corso della sua carriera, realizzò oltre 500 dipinti123. Le sue opere sono parte delle collezioni permanenti del Birmingham Museum of Art, del Fairfield University Art Museum e del Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture14 . Uno dei suoi dipinti notevoli è “In the White Mountains”. Quest’opera cattura la bellezza e la maestosità delle Montagne Bianche, con la loro imponente presenza e la natura selvaggia. Le montagne emergono con forza dal paesaggio, e Schafer ha sapientemente reso l’atmosfera e la luce che avvolgono questa regione iconica. !In the White Mountains Sommario: Frederick Ferdinand Schafer ci regala una visione affascinante delle Montagne Bianche attraverso il suo realismo artistico.

[history-of-fashion]

ab. 1550 Circle of Niccolò dell'Abbate - Portrait of a Lady

(Fairfield University Art Museum)

[hildegardavon]

Paolo de’ Matteis, 1662-1728

Andromeda and Perseus, n/d, oil on canvas, 75.9x62.9 cm

Fairfield University Art Museum, Fairfield (Connecticut),  Inv. 2009.01.09

[ilovedig]

Internationally, the events will continue on through to Tokyo and Osaka Japan, Moscow, Russia; Athens, Greece; Ticino, Switzerland; Halle, Germany, Barcelona and Madrid, Spain; Venice, Italy; London, England; Buenos Aires and Chascomús, Argentina; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Lima, Peru; Panama City, Panama; San Salvador, El Salvador; Guatemala City, Guatemala; and San Jose, Costa Rica.

In the U.S. the Peace & Love celebrations will continue in New York City; Interlochen, Michigan at the Interlochen Center for the Arts; Cleveland, Ohio at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum; Fairfield, Iowa at Maharishi University and finally Los Angeles. For the first time, South Africa will also be involved in the “Peace and Love” celebrations when people in Yeoville, Johannesburg will gather at noon to participate at the Friday Hartley Shelter.  

WTF Ringo?

Moscow? SERIOUSLY?

What the actual hell are you thinking?

[mma3youf]

FA222 ,principles of graphic design:

Instructor : mr.munwar mukhtar

@uob-funoon @mnwrzmn

Project 1 : lecture

dr katherine from the institute of fine arts new york university she is and get ready for this long series of titles she is professor of art history and visual culture in the department of visual performing arts she is director of the classical studies program she is director of the school of communication arts and media in the college of arts and sciences and she is also curator of the plaster cast collection at the fairfield university arresearch focuses on the parthenon sculptural program especially the metapees scans of her metapee drawings

classical influence influences in the work of ruby sky styler one means of gaining insight into ruby's visual language

explore, it is worth noting that in terms of archaeology excavations usually don't reveal a complete object let alone a whole building instead one excavates and finds fragments uh one reveals stratigraphy or levels and one records absolutely everything we have recovered approximately three percent of the material culture or fines from ancient greece that's a very modest amount isn't it this tells you how much we do not have at the same time fragments form pieces to amuch larger image or picture and something that i often find in ruby's work when i first saw this sculpture my immediate thought was a connection to a well-known image of sleeping ariadne seen here in a roman marble version in the vatican collections the same languid sleeping ariadne was among a selection of plaster casts that formed a series the gazing blue ball series by jeff coons the idea of using plaster casts of or with ancient sculpture is a practice that we can now date back to the 4th century bce in ancient greece today one can find numerous plaster casts cast collections throughout the world we are very fortunate at fairfield to have a beautiful collection of historic plaster casts either on loan or gifted to us by such generous organizations as the metropolitan museum of art yale university art gallery as well as other sources in 2014 i had the pleasure of meeting ruby sky

styler when she visited our campus to see the plaster cast collection she was preparing for a remarkable exhibition at the aldridge museum of contemporary art curated by amy smith stewart a view of her installation for ghost versions 2015 which you see in front of you places our historic plaster casts on low platforms while ruby's massive relief panels in plaster are displayed on the walls for those of us fortunate enough to see this beautiful exhibition one of many aspects that stood out to me was this sense of a silent

but direct communication between the historic cast representing ancient sculpture and ruby's new work from the figural to the relief we begin to notice the layers of shapes and patterns in ruby's work behind the cast of a boy closer still more details emerge of patterns

textures and letters suggesting fragments of words or language it is as if a language is being spoken but can we understand it ruby's exploration of the surface can be seen here in this outdoor sculpture bust of a woman when i first saw this sculpture only through a photograph it seemed familiar to me perhaps recalling especially this lovely female figure of a maiden or corey dedicated on the athenian acropolis by eutheticos i should note that we have a plaster cast of this maiden which might explain why it is so

familiar to me normally i see it every day that i teach in the museum classroom facial features hair texture while different nevertheless seem to share a direct and bold gaze at the viewer ruby's image on the left a head in profile required a little more sleuthing but surely its starting point is connected with the apollo piambino on the right while the ancient bronze may have been a starting point for ruby's transformation

of the image that ruby's transformation of the image is entirely contemporary and fascinating as we look through layers almost like a stratigraphy to see the rather ephemeral image recalling the ancient bronze apollo and if you look really closely you can see behind the profile image there are words let's return to the exhibition in the walsh galler starting with the sculpture male head in her september 10th conversation with ian berry ruby commented that she wanted

to see just how far she could take how far she could go in reducing the image to its essential elements while still being able to support itself as a sculpture the male head has multiple views from straight on and even reflected in the floor here in back view in profile where which shows us the supporting element and again reflected on the floor and even as a shadow on the low platform one is rewarded by taking the time to walk around the sculpture after all it is a three-dimensional it is three-dimensional and beckons the viewer to consider all the angles the essence of the form for a male head seems to me to be more than that and i have a difficult time not seeing the connection to this ancient greek bronze helmet the helmet contours both define a male head and distill facial features to their minimum for recognition in a similar vein the vase with sienna handles seems to capture the essence of a well-known ancient greek vessel type called an amphora which was originally designed in antiquity as a storage jar with a lid very practical phase allows us to focus purely on the structure and the contours it is both solid in its presence and wonderfully transparent

[fairfieldthinkspace]

Stephen Wilkes, "Easter Mass, Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Day to Night" 

Stephen Wilkes (American, b.1957), "Easter Mass, Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Day to Night," 2016 Digital C-print, Edition: 2, 48 x 111.5.

Through a collaboration between Fairfield University Art Museum and the Office of the President, photographer Stephen Wilkes' large-scale work "Easter Mass, Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Day to Night" is on view at the Barone Campus Center.

Since opening his studio in New York City in 1983 Stephen Wilkes (American, b. 1957) has built an unprecedented body of work and a reputation as one of America’s most iconic photographers, and a National Geographic Explorer, widely recognized for his fine art, editorial and commercial work. 

Day to Night™, Wilkes’ most defining project, began in 2009. These epic cityscapes and landscapes, portrayed from a fixed camera angle for up to 36 hours, capture fleeting moments of humanity as light passes in front of his lens over the course of a full day. Blending these images into a single photograph takes months to complete.

 Wilkes writes in his artist statement:

Day to Night is a personal journey to capture fundamental elements of our world, through the hourglass of a single day. It’s a synthesis of art & science, exploring time, memory & history through the internal & external circadian rhythms of our daily lives.

I photograph from locations and views that are part of our collective memory. Working from a fixed camera angle, I capture what I see, the fleeting moments of humanity and light as time passes. After photographing as many as 1500 single images, I select the best moments of the day and night.Using time as my guide, all of these moments are then seamlessly blended into a single photograph, visualizing our conscious journey with time.

In a world where humanity has become obsessively connected to personal devices, the ability to look is becoming an endangered human experience. Photographing a single place for up to 36 hours becomes a meditation, it has informed me in a unique way, inspiring deep insights into the narrative story of life, and the fragile interaction of humanity within our natural world. 

Gaining permission to create the Day to Night™ photograph of the Vatican at Easter Mass was particularly challenging. Wilkes tried for over 2 years without success. Fortunately, one of the priests at the Vatican contacted Wilkes and ultimately connected him with the Instituto Maria S.S. Bambina whose terrace overlooks St. Peter's Square and Basilica. The location was perfect. Wilkes photographed a total of 1575 individual images and then edited to approx. 50 photographs for the final photograph. Pope Francis appears several times within the photograph.

Commenting on the installation, Professor of Art History and Visual Culture and Special Assistant to the President for Arts and Culture Philip I. Eliasoph, PhD, explains, "Arcing across the magnificently syncopated forms and movements of St. Peter’s space, we are pulled into myriad details peeking into the embracing ‘braccia’ [arms] of the Vatican’s mission ‘urbi et orbi’— to the city and the world. And in the same spirit of Gianlorenzo Bernini’s desire to ‘embrace the pilgrim’ attending ‘Easter Mass’ at San Pietro’s basilica, Wilkes elevates our optical experience with an inspirational revelation. We are delighted that the Fairfield University Art Museum can exhibit this significant artwork in our Barone Campus Center so that students and the entire community will appreciate and enjoy its presence here on campus.”

Day to Night™ has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning as well as dozens of other prominent media outlets and, with a grant from the National Geographic Society, was extended to include America’s National Parks in celebration of their centennial anniversary and Bird Migration for the 2018 Year of the Bird. Most recently a new grant was extended for Canadian Iconic Species and Habitats at Risk in collaboration with The Royal Canadian Geographic Society. Day to Night : In the Field with Stephen Wilkes, a solo exhibitionwas exhibited at The National Geographic Museum in 2018 and in May of 2023 a solo exhibition Day to Night: Photographs by Stephen Wilkes was exhibited at the Fenimore Art Museum in May, 2023.  Day to Night™  is  published by TASCHEN as a monograph in 2019 and 2023. 

[fairfielduam]

Direct from the Director Late Fall 2023

It has been an exceptionally busy season at the Museum! It has been a privilege for us to present the landmark exhibition In Real Times. Arthur Szyk: Artist & Soldier for Human Rights this fall. Since the exhibition opened on September 28, we have:

Offered free admission to over 3,700 visitors

Hosted more than 70 free online and in-person Szyk-related events, including exhibition tours led by the Director, the Exhibition Coordinator, our Educators, and a fantastic corps of community volunteers, which have been attended by over 2,000 people;

Received 20,000+ YouTube views of the Szyk video tour and recorded programs.

The Season of Giving is upon us, and we need your support to continue this good work!

The Museum operates on a modest annual budget, and exhibitions like the Szyk show are very expensive to produce. We depend on the contributions of generous donors like you to keep our museum offerings free and accessible both in person and online, in both English and Spanish.

If you participated in one of our numerous events this fall, enjoyed our virtual programs, or simply believe in the power of the arts in our community, will you please make a gift today to help enhance our exhibitions, ensure our unwavering commitment to excellence, and continue to inspire young minds?

Please take a minute and DONATE now.

Museum Accreditation News: Last week we had the privilege of hosting John Wetenhall, Director of the George Washington University Museum of Art, and The Textile Museum and Megan McAdow, Director of the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum at Saginaw Valley State University. They spent two days with us on campus as our Site Reviewers for the American Alliance of Museums Accreditation process. They met with University students, faculty, staff, alumni, members of our Collections Committee, and of the University Board of Trustees, as well as foundation funders, community collaborators, and other Fairfield County arts and culture professionals. Their primary role was to confirm that all of the information that we had shared in our Self-Study was correct. They will write a report based on their findings which will be submitted to the AAM Accreditation Committee at their February 2024 meeting where they will vote on whether to grant us accreditation. We will certainly let you know!

Upcoming Winter 2024 Exhibitions: We are very excited about the two exhibitions we are opening in late January/early February, both of which focus on environmental and climate-related themes. In the Walsh Gallery, we are presenting Streaming: Sculpture by Christy Rupp. Understood as one of the early pioneers in the field of ecological art activism, the artist, activist and thought-leader Christy Rupp has an international reputation. Streaming will feature a survey of Rupp’s wall installations and free-standing sculpture created with detritus gathered from the waste stream, which chronicle the ongoing tension between natural systems and the environment in transition, and call our attention to our interconnectedness with non-humans and habitat. Informed by science and the historical representation of natural history, the artwork in this exhibition examines the way we frame our opinions of nature, using irony and wit to represent the human impact on our natural habitat.

In the Bellarmine Hall Galleries, we will present Helen Glazer: Walking in Antarctica. This interdisciplinary exhibition includes photography and sculpture made from 3D scans of ice and rock formations, inspired and informed by Glazer’s experiences as a grantee of the National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Program. It also includes an audio tour which takes the visitor on a series of “walks” through the Antarctic landscape, narrated by the artist.

Please come see the Szyk exhibition before it closes if you have not yet had a chance to see it – it truly is a remarkable and timely collection of works. It is only open through December 16th! Keep in mind that thanks to a recent generous grant from the Art Bridges Foundation, we are now open for extended hours on Thursdays until 8pm.

Wishing you and yours a very happy Holiday season.

Artfully yours, Carey

Captions: Christy Rupp, Petroplankton, 2019-2021. Collected single use plastics. Courtesy of the artist. Helen Glazer, Cloudburst, Erebus Ice Tongue Cave, Antarctica, 2015/2017; photograph. Courtesy of the artist.

[bostontaxicabs]

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[artinbuildings]

Current Love Apple Art Space artist Margaret Evangeline’s work is on view in group show  #UNLOAD: Guns in the Hands of Artists at Fairfield University Art Museum! 

The Fairfield University Art Museum, in partnership with #UNLOAD and the Guns In The Hands of Artists Foundation, is proud to announce the opening of the exhibition, #UNLOAD: Guns in the Hands of Artists. Each piece in the exhibition was created using decommissioned guns, taken off the streets of New Orleans via a gun buyback program and distributed to internationally-known artists. Painters, glass artists, sculptors, photographers, poets, and other artists used the decommissioned firearms to create works of art that address the complex issue of guns and gun violence. The exhibition originated in mid-1990s New Orleans, where a spiking murder rate led artist Brian Borrello to conceive of the first iteration of Guns in the Hands of Artists exhibition by bringing the discussion over the role of guns and gun violence in our society into the realm of art -- art as the language for dialogue and possibly change without the often partisan and polarized politics that surround the issue. Borrello and gallery owner Jonathan Ferrara mounted this exhibition at Positive Space The Gallery in September 1996 in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. In 2014, Ferrara reorganized the exhibition to feature work by internationally recognized artists. Through their own medium, each artist has used the decommissioned firearms to create works that express a thought, make a statement, open a discussion, and stimulate thinking about guns in our culture.

[fairfieldustudyabroad]

Just Do it! Faculty Led Course in St. Petersburg is Life Changing!

As a first year student at Fairfield University, I never thought I would be able to have the chance to study abroad so early on in my college career. I always heard from other students that I would not be able to go until well into my third year, a fate that seemed so far from my reach. It was only until I was visiting one of the many required FYE (First Year Experience) sessions that I bumped, quite literally, into the Study Abroad table at the clubs and organizations fair. This quick encounter, however, was all it took for Ms. Pivarnik to introduce herself and the many brochures of Fairfield’s beloved study abroad programs. This is when I first heard about the amazing opportunity to travel across the world to Russia for a faculty-led program about the History of St. Petersburg. As I listened intently, I soon found out that in just two weeks I would also receive three credits to complete my second history course requirement. I mean it all sounded too good to be true. Immediately after, I sent a picture of the brochure to my mom as I knew I wanted to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And so, I applied. The giddy excitement I first felt when I learned about this program never left, especially after I found out I had been accepted!

I don’t think the realization of what I was doing and where I was going had hit me until my last final on May 8th. It took me packing up my room to realize I should also be packing for my trip that was in just THREE DAYS! Somehow I managed, and I showed up to the airport to see three other students waiting too. Prior to this encounter, I did not know one person attending this trip as I pinned my hopes on the fact that there would be students who were just as excited to explore the city of St Petersburg. So perhaps a tip I would share is to go up to the other students and just start talking. I know it may seem intimidating but by striking up a conversation with the group of students is what helped most for future day trips and nights out!

Although exhausted, when we finally got off that last flight, I was eager to begin these next ten days in a new, unknown city. Immediately after dropping our bags at the hotel, the group took on the streets as I began to absorb every fleeting sensation that came my way: the sound of Russian people talking, the sight of the beautiful and grand architecture, the touch of the cobblestone bridges. It was a lot to take in but as I continued to soak in all of the small treasures of this beautiful city, I was also amazed by the familiarity. It was as if it was all new but the same. Something I certainly did not expect to feel as I traveled across the globe to a country I have never visited before. I know one of my biggest concerns of the program was how the course would be structured. At the hotel, however, we were all surprised by how comfortable everything already felt to us. Every morning we met at 08:30 for breakfast, with a few exceptions on time, and we would try several traditional Russian dishes-- Blini, pancakes stuffed with cheese or meat; Syrniki, a fried pancake topped with farmer’s cheese or honey; boiled or fried eggs; porridge. While we had the time to eat our delicious breakfasts, Professor Syssoeva would teach us “Survival Russian”, an aspect of the course that soon became my favorite. I was surprised in how by the third day I was already retaining so much of the Russian language. Professor Syssoeva made learning the foreign language enjoyable and easy as she provided every student with a packet of basic words and phrases to practice. Afterwards, the group would get ready for the excursion of the day. The shape of an “O” was constantly spread across my face as I was left gaping at all the beautiful and historical sites we visited.

Professor McFadden and Professor Syssoeva not only picked the best sites for the group to visit, but as well as, amazing tour guides that told us about fortresses, palaces, art and political museums. The information we learned was then reinforced as we would return back to the hotel for our daily seminar. With few assigned readings per day and your honest opinion, these seminars were a great time to share between the group as I got to hear many other students’ perspectives. Following the seminar, the students were given the rest of the day to explore the surrounding city, to go shop in the malls, to go eat with each other and any other activity one saw fit. I LOVED everything about our schedule as the beautiful weather and long hours in the day let the group, and myself, become more familiar with our environment. As I mentioned briefly before, everyday we would have a set excursion for the group. One of my favorite excursions that I need to include was the trip to the Hermitage State Museum. Now, before we took the trek for the nearly three hour tour, I was briefly familiar about the size of the museum. I mean with a thousand rooms, three million pieces of art, and an ambitious eleven years to view each and every piece, I knew it wasn’t going to be a small museum. YET, until you begin to pass each room, then do you begin to realize the magnitude of the place. I mean floor to ceiling, every inch was covered with art spanning from a multitude of time periods. The preservation of this massive art collection over centuries is what is most unbelievable as St.Petersburg aims to protect its art, its culture.

From the time I woke up in the morning to nightfall, my time spent in St. Petersburg was one that left me with so many unforgettable memories. Before this trip, I had known no one and while I wasn’t necessarily nervous about it, I feel incredibly reassured to the group surrounding me. Perhaps one of the best feelings is when you know those around you are just as excited and willing to explore the city around you. Learning about the history and culture of such a prominent Russian city with two passionate professors was a huge aid as I constantly found myself falling in love with St. Petersburg. I cannot recommend enough to any student thinking about wanting to have a taste of study abroad to do this trip! I can firmly say that this trip was one of my top highlights of my first year at Fairfield University— as I brought more than just matryoshka dolls home.

Ema Taglic Psychology, Pre-Dental HI0276 St Petersburg, Russia Class of 2022

[saleintothe90s]

337. 88 Things about 1988, part 9 the last part

(part 8)

71. Koosh Balls

72.  USA Today tries a TV Show (9/12)

It only lasted until January of 1990. Wow did they waste a lot of money on it:

Bureaus for the daily half-hour satellite show (there will also be a one- hour weekend edition) are being set up in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., London (where British politician/fiction writer Jeffrey Archer has just been signed as correspondent), and in Roslyn, Va., where USA Today (the newspaper) is headquartered.

It`s costing plenty.

''We`re budgeting $100 million for three years,'' said Steve Friedman. ''You might as well do it right or not at all.'' 1

Wasted 40 million for a show that aired in the middle of the night in some markets: 

The magazine-format program, originally titled "USA Today: The Television Show," debuted in September, 1988, on 156 stations, many of them running it in the coveted slot just before prime time. But now, the number of stations has dwindled to 84, with many airing the 30-minute show during hours only insomniacs could appreciate. 2

 I found one episode from June 28, 1988. 

73.  Dale Earnhardt becomes the Intimidator with his black, red and grey #3 car

Before 1988, he drove a blue and yellow #15 Wrangler car.

[I love that apparently there is Dale glitch art gifs on Tumblr]

74. The “Geraldo Fight” (11/3)

This is the only thing I remember about Geraldo’s talk show from the late 80s and early 90s, and seeing the footage always scared me, because to five year old me it was like, “oh no, the man from the TV is hurt.”

Geraldo Rivera's nose was broken and his face cut during a skirmish yesterday midway through the taping of a program entitled ''Teen Hatemongers'' on his television talk show.

The violence broke out after John Metzger, a 20-year-old guest representing the White Aryan Resistance Youth, insulted a black guest, Roy Innis, calling him an ''Uncle Tom.''

''I'm sick and tired of Uncle Tom here, sucking up and trying to be a white man,'' Mr. Metzger said of Mr. Innis, the national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality. Mr. Innis stood up and began choking the white youth and Mr. Rivera and audience members joined the scuffle, hurling chairs, throwing punches and shouting epithets. 3

The Beastie Boys even referenced it in the song “What Comes Around.” 

75. B.D. Wong raps about Driving School in Crash Course (made for TV movie)

I only just learned about this clip from the ThirtyTwentyTen Podcast. I just know for a fact that the lyrics are laughably lame:

“...going to Michigan state to be a football player, we can hardly wait! Make us proud Dr. J.J., we will watch you on TV scoring touchdowns on Saturday, or saying ‘to be or not to be’!”

(and yes that is Mac from Night Court, Charles Robinson!) 

( Newsweek, December 26, 1988)

76. Massive 6.8 Earthquake hits Armenia (12/7).

It is unknown how many people died in the quake, some estimates are around 25,000+ people. 

77. Governor Bill Clinton speaks at the Democratic National Convention

Bill was just supposed to speak for 15 minutes and endorse candidate Michael Dukakis. He spoke for 33 minutes! People booed! People cheered when he said “in conclusion”!

78. Duncan Hines Tiara Cakes

A dessert you had to buy a special pan for just to make it. Once they were discontinued, what were you gonna do with that shallow fluted pan? 

79. Oprah’s Lil’ Red Wagon of Fat

Oprah regrets it now, but back in 1988 she lost a sloo of weight by starving herself for four months. So on her show she wheeled out 68 pounds of animal fat in a wagon. 

80. These amazing carousel stamps

81. Holidays at the World Trade Center

82. The troubled Forest Fair Mall opens in Fairfield, Ohio (7/11)

[this is what the movie theater looked like a year after opening, source]

(Shopping Mall Museum)

As some know, I was the assistant editor at deadmalls.com for years. So I tried my best to find a dead mall that opened 30 years ago--and boy did I find one, one of the most amazing lookin’ ones. (Here’s my ex friends at deadmalls walkin’ though it in 2017)

But yes, this dead mall has flying pigs as decorations! They look like they were added sometime in the late 90s/early 00s? This mall was struggling just two years into operation, and was under redevelopment in 1992. The history of the mall was like, down, up, down, DOWN, nearly abandoned. The Wikipedia is actually pretty good.

83.  Michael Dukakis and his tank (9/13)

Okay, so it wasn’t HIS tank, he was just there for a photo op during the presidential election. Boy looked redic! 

I’m going to let Josh King, the author of Off Script:  An Advance Man’s Guide to White House Stagecraft, Campaign Spectacle, and Political Suicide handle the summary for this, because it's great: 

(more info from Josh here)

84. Chevy Chase hosts the Oscars (4/11)

...and it was his second time hosting! I know. 

85. “Let the River Run” from Working Girl

Wow, lots to unpack here with this music video. 

The Reebok Freestyle Hi-tops with the big white scrunchy socks! I’m so mad that these shoes don’t come in wide width. They’re soo narrow. 

This. outfit. I want it.  I tried to find a similar one to wear this holiday season but came up with zilch. Couldn’t find a white skirt on time, or a blouse like that. 

Nora Dunn looks 20 years older than she was in this movie. Joan Cusack’s hair is my dream big 80s hair. 

Melanie Griffith clearly does not want to be there. 

The women in the office after the “bony ass” scene. 

86. Santa’s Car

Who knew that Santa drove a hatch and lived in Maine.

87. Max Robinson Dies (12/20)

Robinson was the first African American to anchor network news in the United States. He shared hosting duties on the ABC Nighty News with Peter Jennings and Frank Reynolds in the early 1980s. Sadly alcoholism derailed his career, and he passed away from AIDS.  

88. 35 Students from Syracuse University die on Pan Am Flight 103

(news coverage 1 , 2)

To this day, Syracuse University has an extensive collection and memorial dedicated to these students.  There is also a heartbreaking .pdf titled “On Eagles Wings” that profiles every passenger and Lockerbie resident who died that night. 

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1. Beck, Marylin, “USA TODAY SET TO MAKE TV NEWS,” Chicago Tribune, une 25, 1988. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-06-25-8801100627-story.html

2. Kaye, Jeff, “Why There's No Tomorrow for 'USA Today' : Television: The cancellation marks another setback for GTG Entertainment, which had three programs dropped last year,” Los Angeles Times, November 24, 1989. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-11-24/entertainment/ca-215_1_usa-today 

4.  “Geraldo Rivera's Nose Broken In Scuffle on His Talk Show,” New York Times, November 4, 1988. https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/04/nyregion/geraldo-rivera-s-nose-broken-in-scuffle-on-his-talk-show.html

[hildegardavon]

Paolo de Matteis, 1662-1728

Andromeda and Perseus, ca.1690/1700, oil on canvas, 75.9x62.9 cm

Fairfield University Art Museum (Connecticut),  Inv. 2009.01.09