The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University has announced the lineup for this year's "Meet Me at the CAM" programs.
Now in its 10th year, "Meet Me at the CAM" presents lectures, films and artist talks covering a wide variety of historical and contemporary art-related topics.
The CAM has planned six morning programs, beginning with two unique lectures in April and May, and culminating in a four-part film series in May and June:
•"Art and Everyday Life in Italy"; speaker: Alison Lytle; Wednesday, April 18
Lytle will take guests on a personal journey of artistic encounters and discoveries centered on her 20-year-plus residency in Rome, Italy. One will enter movingly and insightfully into a space where art and architectural surprises merge with everyday life and activities, where antiquities influence the commonplace, where eyes are opened and minds awakened to pay closer, more careful, more generous attention to the remarkable realities all around.
Lytle was vice director of the University of Washington's "Rome Center" and senior director of the University of Dallas' Rome campus. She has taught numerous youth- and adult-workshops and classes, and developed multilingual community-outreach initiatives. Her artwork has been exhibited internationally. She currently teaches in the theatre and fine arts department of Niagara University and is a "teaching artist" in the "Art Express" program at the Castellani Art Museum.
•"Thomas Cole's Journey: Atlantic Crossings"; speaker: Nancy Knechtel; Wednesday, May 2
This program highlights a current Metropolitan Museum exhibition. Celebrated as one of America's preeminent landscape painters, Thomas Cole (1801-48) was born in northern England at the start of the Industrial Revolution, immigrated to the U.S. in his youth, and traveled extensively throughout England and Italy as a young artist. He returned to America to create some of his most ambitious works and inspire a new generation of painters. The exhibition examines - for the first time - the artist's career in relation to his European roots and travels, establishing Cole as a major figure in 19th century landscape art within a global context.
Knechtel teaches art history in Niagara University's art history with museum studies program and at Niagara County Community College.
Save these dates:
•10th annual "Meet Me at the CAM" Film Series: This year, CAM will screen a three-part BBC documentary, "The Story of Women and Art," featuring art historian Amanda Vickery. The program wraps up with a film from the PBS "Great Museums" series focusing on the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. Each film will be preceded by a short talk by a member of the NU faculty.
- Film: "The Story of Women and Art, Part 1"; Tuesday, May 22; pre-film talk: Dr. Amelia Gallagher, associate professor of religious studies at Niagara University
- Film: "The Story of Women and Art, Part 2"; Tuesday, May 29; pre-film talk: Dr. Paul Kot, associate professor of English at NU
- Film: "The Story of Women and Art, Part 3"; Tuesday, June 5; pre-film talk: Dr. Shannon M. Risk, associate professor of history at NU
- Film: "A Woman's Touch - The National Museum of Women in the Arts"; Tuesday, June 12; Pre-film talk: Marian Granfield, director of art history with museum studies program at NU.
"Meet Me at the CAM" is free for current Castellani Art Museum members, and $5 suggested donation per program for non-members. Membership signup is available at the registration desk at each event. Programs begin at 10 a.m. with light refreshments and coffee.
For more information or to pre-register, contact Susan Clements at 716-286-8201.
