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Castellani Art Museum presents sixth annual 'Meet Me at the CAM' series 'ART CITY'

by jmaloni

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Mon, May 5th 2014 02:00 pm

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University will present its sixth "Meet Me at the CAM" art history series on five consecutive Thursdays starting May 15.

Admission is free for Castellani Art Museum members, and $5 per program for non-members. Membership signup is available at the registration desk at each program. Membership applications may also be downloaded from www.castellaniartmuseum.org and mailed to the museum prior to the series. Each program begins at 10 a.m. with light refreshments and coffee.

"Meet Me at the CAM: ART CITY" focuses on contemporary art, artists, galleries and collectors. The series opens with a presentation by former CAM director Sandra Olsen, Ph.D., on the formation of the museum's collection of modern and contemporary art. Olsen often traveled to Manhattan with CAM founder Armand Castellani as they acquired the artwork that would form the core of the collection.

"Armand Castellani's goal for collecting artwork was to fill a museum with a collection of artwork that could serve as a cultural and educational center for Niagara County and WNY at Niagara University," Olsen said. "It was a daunting goal in the 1980s when the art market was increasingly global. Artwork had become synonymous with financial investment and prices were soaring. Armand succeeded because of his unique combination of his ingenious business acumen, particularly price analysis, his breathtaking enthusiasm for learning, and his dedication to philanthropy."

Olsen is director of the University at Buffalo Art Galleries: UB Art Gallery and UB Anderson Gallery. Before coming to the UB Art Galleries, she was director of the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University for 21 years. There she formulated the collection, curated exhibitions and planned the museum's construction.

"Meet Me at the CAM: ART CITY" Program Schedule

May 15: Ponder, Price, Purchase - Armand Castellani: Building a Collection in the 1980s

Speaker: Sandra Olsen, Ph.D., director of the University of Buffalo Art Galleries and former director of the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University.

Olsen will bring to life a particularly exciting time in the "Art City" of Manhattan as she and CAM founder Armand Castellani acquired the artwork that would form the core of the Castellani collection.

May 22: Arts Services Initiative and the Western New York Cultural Scene

Speaker: Tod Kniazuk, executive director of Arts Services Initiative of WNY

Learn about how artists, performers and organizations are coming together to create one of America's most exciting and diverse cultural scenes - right here in Western New York.

May 29: Film - "ART CITY: A Ruling Passion"

Speaker: Michael J. Beam, Castellani Art Museum curator of exhibitions and collections, artist and adjunct professor of art history at Niagara University.

June 5: Film - "ART CITY: Making it in Manhattan"

Speaker: Angelica Maier, Castellani Art Museum interim curator of education

June 12 Film - "ART CITY: Simplicity"

Speaker: Kurt Von Voetsch, Castellani Art Museum gallery manager, artist and adjunct professor of fine arts at Niagara University.

For more information or to register, call Susan Clements, coordinator of community relations, at 716-286-8201 or visit www.castellaniartmuseum.org.

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