2017 EXHIBITIONS
Robert Cumming: The Secret Life of Objects
Through May 28, 2017
Perception, language, and the nuances of photographic vision are common themes in the work of Robert Cumming. His method of portraying the physically impossible so that it appears visually accurate has its roots in his early career as a painter, sculptor, performance artist, and mail artist. It is notable that the quality of his photographic work is high, for anything less would detract from the more serious nature of Cumming’s intent: to encourage viewers to reevaluate the world through his deep appreciation for absurdity.
Richard Renaldi: Manhattan Sunday
Through June 11, 2017
Exhibited at a museum for the first time, photographer Richard Renaldi’s new series consists of portraits, urban still lifes, and streetscapes made in the wee hours of Sunday morning, when post-bacchanalian characters join early-morning workers in New York City’s nooks and crannies. Renaldi uses an 8×10-inch view camera to make his pictures, resulting in meticulous black-and-white images that magnify the uniqueness of each subject while capturing the singular mood that suffuses the city in the hours before dawn. Implicit in the work is Renaldi’s personal experience as a gay nightclub denizen in New York during and after the AIDS crisis, as well as his appreciation for the myriad and motley ways that the urban context encourages social awareness and a strong, if temporary, sense of community.
Eugene Richards: The Run of Time
June 10, 2017–October 22, 2017
This retrospective exhibition features the work of Eugene Richards (American, b. 1944), one of the world’s most respected photographers. In the tradition of W. Eugene Smith and Robert Frank, Richards is devoted to socially conscious photography that focuses on the diverse, often complex lives of Americans, as well as the ongoing struggles of the world’s poor.
Lucinda Devlin: Sightlines
June 24, 2017 - Dec 31, 2017
Lucinda Devlin: Sightlines includes selections from three series by American photographer Lucinda Devlin: Pleasure Ground (1977–1990), Corporal Arenas (1982–1998), and The Omega Suites (1991–1997). Best known for The Omega Suites—precisely composed images of execution chambers in the United States—Devlin has devoted her career to the relationship between our bodies and the spaces that they inhabit. She has concentrated in particular on interiors associated with pleasure or pain, creating photographs that draw attention to the power relationships embedded in the rooms' architecture and decor. At the same time, her photographs function as poignant meditations on the familiar yet extraordinary spaces in which our bodies pass time. This exhibition is a reduced version of a full retrospective organized by the Weatherspoon Art Museum.
The Cinemas of India
November 11, 2017-May 13, 2018
The Cinemas of India comprises two exhibitions: Museum Treasures: Contemporary Indian Cinema, a selection of posters and film screenings from the George Eastman Museum's recently acquired collection of contemporary Indian cinema, and Cinema Play House, Nandita Raman’s series of photographs of single-screen cinemas in India, many of which are threatened by the increasing number of multiplex theaters.
Museum Treasures: Contemporary Indian Cinema
The George Eastman Museum has recently acquired the world’s largest collection of contemporary Indian cinema held by a museum or film archive. The collection consists of 775 prints representing 597 film titles, all in 35mm format, made between 1999 and 2013. A large number of film posters were also acquired as part of the collection. This exhibition will shed light on the intriguing story behind the Eastman Museum's acquisition of this collection and will feature a selection of posters and films.
Cinema Play House
Between 2006 and 2009, Nandita Raman traveled throughout India creating Cinema Play House, a series of photographs depicting the country’s slowly disappearing single-screen theaters. Raman, whose family once owned one such theater in Varanasi, India, focused her lens on the architectural anomalies that set these spaces apart from the larger multiplex theaters that currently threaten their existence.
Ongoing Exhibitions:
A History of Photography
The George Eastman Museum's History of Photography Gallery is dedicated to rotating installations that demonstrate photography’s historical trajectory through photographs and cameras from the museum’s collection. The selection of photographs changes approximately three times a year, continually refreshing the experience of visiting the Eastman Museum and offering regular opportunities to display the museum’s treasures.
From The Camera Obscura to The Revolutionary Kodak
This three-part exhibition explores early photographic processes through cameras and related equipment from the museum’s collections. The arc of the exhibition starts with a room-size camera obscura providing a unique view of the historic West Garden. Making Photographs: The First 50 Years explores the development of daguerreotype, wet-plate, and dry-plate photography. The Revolutionary Kodak gallery showcases the new system of photography that Eastman introduced to the world—through both the evolution of the camera’s first decade and the snapshots its various models captured.
MARCH EVENTS
Thursday, March 2, 6 p.m., Dryden Theatre
ARTIST’S TALK: Alejandro Cartagena
Contemporary photographer Alejandro Cartagena (Mexican, b. Dominican Republic, b. 1977) will discuss his photographic projects that employ landscape and portraiture as a means to examine social, urban, and environmental issues. His work is included in the current History of Photography Gallery installation, which focuses on photographs made in Mexico. Cartagena lives and works in Monterrey, Mexico, and his work has been exhibited internationally and can be found in several major collections, including SFMOMA, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Harry Ransom Center, and the George Eastman Museum. Exhibitions open until 8 p.m. Free to members, $10 general, $5 students.
Thursday, March 2, 7:30 p.m., Dryden Theatre
FILMMAKER IN PERSON: Fred Kudjo Kuwornu
A discussion with filmmaker Fred Kudjo Kuwornu will follow the Rochester premiere of his film BlaxploItalian, a documentary about the role of actors of African descent throughout the history of Italian cinema. Regular Dryden admission. Presented by Dr. Elisabetta Sanino D’Amanda, Italian Program Coordinator, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), with the support of the College of Liberal Arts and Dr. Keith Jenkins, Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity & Inclusion, RIT.
Saturday, March 4, 11 a.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE MUSEUM TOUR
Signed 45-minute house tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238
Saturday, March 4, 12 p.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE GALLERY TOUR
Signed 45-minute gallery tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238.
Saturday, March 11, 12 p.m., Curtis Theatre
FOCUS 45 Tim Wagner, Film Projection 101: The Passionate Projectionist
The worldwide transition to digital cinema exhibition has left few opportunities to learn and practice motion picture projection skills. As a teaching institution that promotes film exhibition and excellence in archival projection standards, however, the Eastman Museum is known internationally as a leader in this field. Film Technician Tim Wagner will discuss the important role of the Moving Image Department and the L. Jeffrey School of Film Preservation in teaching the next generation of projectionists, including the forthcoming projection manual to be published by the Eastman Museum. Free to members; incl. w/museum admission. Talk only: $6 general, $3 students.
March 16–17
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP: Tintypes: The Basics
Make your own tintype portrait and still-life image in this special two-day basic workshop designed just for beginners. Learn the basics of the 1850s wet collodion process used for making real tintypes. Registration & full schedule: eastman.org/workshops or contact photographicworkshops@eastman.org.
Saturday, March 18, 11 a.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE MUSEUM TOUR
Signed 45-minute house tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238
Saturday, March 18, 1 p.m., Main Galleries
GALLERY TALK Robert Cumming: The Secret Life of Objects
William Green, curatorial assistant in the Department of Photography, will lead visitors on a guided tour of Robert Cumming: The Secret Life of Objects. Free to members; incl. w/museum admission.
Friday, March 24, 7:30 p.m., Dryden Theatre
CINEMATOGRAPHER VITTORIO STORARO INTRODUCES Apocalypse Now Redux
Storaro will introduce this screening of Apocalypse Now Redux (1979/2001), Francis Ford Coppola’s epic re-edited to include nearly fifty minutes of footage not seen on its initial release. Tickets: $25; available at eastman.org/storaro.
Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m., Dryden
GEORGE EASTMAN AWARD CEREMONY & FILM SCREENING
The George Eastman Museum is proud to present acclaimed cinematographer Vittorio Storaro with the George Eastman Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the art of film. The ceremony will conclude with a screening of a rare 35mm print of Dick Tracy (1990). Tickets: $35–45; available at eastman.org/storaro.
Sunday, March 26, 2 p.m., Dryden Theatre
CINEMATOGRAPHER VITTORIO STORARO INTRODUCES Muhammad: The Messenger of God
Storaro will introduce the East Coast premiere of Muhammad: The Messenger of God (2015). Tickets: $15; available at eastman.org/storaro.
APRIL EVENTS
Saturday, April 1, 11 a.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE MUSEUM TOUR
Signed 45-minute house tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238
Friday, April 7, 7:30 p.m., Dryden Theatre
FILMMAKER IN PERSON: Steven Woloshen
A discussion with filmmaker Steven Woloshen will follow the presentation of a selection of his cameraless, handmade abstract films made between 1984 and 2016. Regular Dryden admission. Presented in partnership with the School of Film and Animation at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Saturday, April 8, 12 p.m., Curtis Theatre
FOCUS 45 PPCM Graduate Students, Master’s Essay Presentations
Graduate students in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management, a joint program of the George Eastman Museum and the University of Rochester, will present their work on topics ranging from the identification of key characteristics of Kodak paper stock to in-depth research on objects in the museum’s photography collection. Free to members; incl. w/museum admission. Talk only: $6 general, $3 students.
- Stephanie Becker, The Snapshots of A. Thomas Nelson: A Case Study in the Preservation of Early 20th Century Vernacular Albums
- Erin Fisher, Decoding: A Guide to Kodak Paper Surface Characteristics
- Amanda Kiesl, Enhancing Accessibility to Portraits by Elias Goldensky
- Erica Sanko, The A. E. Marshall Collection: Historical Essay and Cataloging Project
Monday, April 10, 6 p.m., Dryden Theatre
FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION: Spotlight
In partnership with Bivona Child Advocacy Center, the museum presents a special screening of the 2016 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Spotlight (Tom McCarthy, 2015), starring George Eastman Award winner Michael Keaton. Followed by a panel discussion focusing on the broader issue of child sexual abuse and the need to break through the secrecy that surrounds it. A reception with light refreshments will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Curtis Theatre. Tickets: $10, includes reception, film, and discussion. Available at BivonaCAC.org/spotlight or at the door.
Friday, April 14, 7:30 p.m., Dryden Theatre
FILMMAKER IN PERSON: Deborah Stratman
A discussion with filmmaker Deborah Stratman will follow the Rochester premiere of her experimental documentary The Illinois Parables (2016). Regular Dryden admission. Sponsored by the Film and Media Studies Program and the Graduate Program in Visual and Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester.
Saturday, April 15, 11 a.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE MUSEUM TOUR
Signed 45-minute house tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238
Saturday, April 15, 12 p.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE GALLERY TOUR
Signed 45-minute gallery tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238.
April 17-21
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP: Wet and Dry Collodion Negatives
This five-day hands-on negative workshop is for the experienced collodion ambrotypist or tintypist who wants to take their work to the next level. Registration & full schedule: eastman.org/workshops or contact photographicworkshops@eastman.org.
Saturday, April 29, 11 a.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE MUSEUM TOUR
Signed 45-minute house tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238
Saturday, April 29, 12 p.m.
SIGN-LANGUAGE GALLERY TOUR
Signed 45-minute gallery tours are led by docent Bob Menchel. Reservations strongly recommended. Private signed tours are available with advance notice. Reservations and info: tours@eastman.org or (585) 271-3361 ext. 238.
LIVE MUSIC
PERFORMANCES IN THE MANSION
Sundays, 3 p.m.
Free to members; incl. w/ museum admission.
- March 5, Aeolian Pipe Organ
- March 12, Arsen Jamkatchian, piano
- March 26, Roc City Ringers handbell choir
- April 2, Aeolian Pipe Organ
- April 9, Roxanne Ziegler and Harpists
- April 30, An Afternoon with fivebyfive
Performance Plus with Eastman School of Music
A recital series on the third Sunday of each month featuring performers from the Eastman School of Music and informed program commentary by Eastman PhD students from the Musicology Department.
- March 19, Caroline Sonett, flute; Jane Sylvester, host; music of Hoover, Schoenfield, del Aguila
- April 16, Thomas Torrisi, guitar; Stephan Armstrong, host; music of Turina, Orbon, Brouwer, and others
