In this Issue Annual alumni

Annual alumni celebration

celebration  A Barnes First  Alumni Association CoPresidents Pass the Torch  A Life Changed  Alumni enjoy dinner, music, and art at March gathering  Congratulations 2013 horticulture graduates  Barton Church  Stay Connected: Alumni Events Calendar   Giorgio de Chirico (Italian, 1888-1978). Dr. Albert C. Barnes, 1926. Oil on

Barnes Foundation Alumni Council Diane Newbury, Co-President Iris Shea, Co-President Nancy Barth Jacki Delaney Rona Frank  Paulina Hewitt Gay Kimelman Doreene Mayer Chris Rall

canvas, 36 1/2 x 29 in. (92.7 x 73.7 cm). BF805. Image © 2013 The Barnes Foundation

Friday, May 17, 5-8 pm Alumni are invited to a special celebration of the legacy of Albert C. Barnes and his educational mission, the first anniversary of the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, and the opening of Ellsworth Kelly: Sculpture on the Wall. 5 pm  Welcome by Barnes Executive Director and President Derek Gillman.

Phyllis Slocum Janine Weller Ann Moss, Editor/Writer  

Staff Liaison Katie Adams, Director of Annual Giving Programs [email protected]  

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Chief Curator Judith F. Dolkart discusses her experience working with Kelly to develop the exhibition and her role managing the Foundation’s collection and using special exhibitions to complement the masterworks in the collection. Barnes Arts & Aesthetics instructor John Gatti and Horticulture Education coordinator Nicole Juday highlight exciting new workshops and opportunities in the education programs. 6:15 pm  A tribute to Dr. Albert C. Barnes and the installation of his portrait by Giorgio de Chirico in the entry to the Collection Gallery. Following the program, alumni are invited to enjoy the Kelly exhibition, the Barnes collection, and live music. $25; alumni and members $20; Circles members free Admission includes alumni program, collection and special exhibition access, and a complimentary cocktail. Reservations required; online or 215.217.7110.

   

A Barnes First

Ellsworth Kelly (American, b. 1923). Sculpture for a Large Wall, 1956– 1957. Anodized aluminum, one hundred four panels, 11' 6" x 65' 5" x 1' 1” (350.5 x 1,993.9 x 33 cm). Museum of Modern Art, New York, gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, 1998. © Ellsworth Kelly. Photo courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery, New York

Coinciding with the first anniversary of the opening of the Barnes Foundation on the Parkway, Ellsworth Kelly: Sculpture on the Wall, a presentation of five major wall sculptures and three studies on paper, will be on view in the Aileen and Brian Roberts Gallery from May 4 to September 2, 2013. This exhibition also marks two other firsts: it is the Foundation’s first show of contemporary art since 1923, the year Albert C. Barnes presented his latest acquisitions at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; and it is the first return visit to Philadelphia of Sculpture

for a Large Wall, originally commissioned for the Philadelphia Transportation Building. This landmark work is on loan from the Museum of Modern Art, New York. “Ellsworth Kelly’s career spans the last years of Albert Barnes’s collecting practice to the present day, and is brilliantly concentrated on the visual elements of line, form, and color that were key to Barnes’s aesthetic theories,” Barnes Executive Director and President Derek Gillman stated. “We are thrilled to inaugurate our program of contemporary exhibitions with a presentation of works by Ellsworth Kelly, an acknowledged master of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The exhibition program will complement and illuminate the celebrated and encyclopedic Barnes collection and honor the founder’s commitment to contemporary art.” Ellsworth Kelly has noted his interest in European modernists such as Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso—painters whose works he studied during his years in Paris and New York, and who are at the core of the Foundation’s holdings. The powerful wall sculptures in this exhibit will explore the intersections of art and architecture, form and color, light and shadow, and figure and ground, long celebrated in Kelly’s seven-decade career. The centerpiece of the exhibition is Sculpture for a Large Wall (1956-1957). Composed of 104 anodized aluminum panels, this monumental piece will command the longest wall of the special exhibition gallery, with its rhythmic play of color, form, light, and positive and negative space. A fully illustrated catalogue with an essay by Dolkart will accompany the exhibition.

Alumni Association Co-Presidents Pass the Torch

Founding alumni council co-presidents, left to right: Gay Kimelman, Jacki Delaney, Nancy Barth

As our three founding co-presidents—Jacki Delaney (horticulture), Gay Kimelman (horticulture), and Nancy Barth (art/docent)— complete their terms this May and pass on their posts to incoming co-presidents Diane Newbury and Iris Shea, we acknowledge their commitment and vision for an active and connected alumni association, and extend our heartfelt thanks for their leadership efforts. From the beginning their vision was to form an organization that would bring together over 3,000 students from the Art & Aesthetics and Horticulture at the Barnes courses. “Never before in the history of the Barnes Foundation had there been an alumni association,” Jacki stated; “Although a few classes stayed in touch, no one ever thought to cultivate a formal connection among all the classes of both art and horticulture. Our dedicated group of volunteers has worked behind the scenes to create a mission statement and an alumni council that meets regularly to develop educational programs and social events.” Gay says her fondest memories as co-president are of “working with so many interesting, smart, and passionate people who struggled to help define an association that would encourage Barnes graduates to stay connected with the institution that changed their lives.” Nancy is also proud of and encouraged by the progress and growth to date, saying she looks forward to “the Council’s efforts to build a stronger association and increased participation in upcoming events and programs. I am especially proud of the round table gatherings at which students can reconnect and share their various educational experiences.” Senior Director of External Affairs Mark Mills commented, “We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and passion of

these women. They have laid the groundwork for a very exciting future with the alumni of the Barnes and our educational mission.” By Iris Shea

A Life Changed

Hugh Mesibov (American, born 1916). Byzantine Figure, 1945-1946. Oil pastel over black ink on cardstock mounted to multi-ply paperboard. 14 x 11 in. (35.6 x 27.9 cm). BF2073. Image © 2013 The Barnes Foundation

Ginnie Mesibov’s husband, Harold Mesibov, and her brother-in-law Hugh Mesibov studied under Dr. Barnes; Hugh Mesibov’s work pictured above hangs in Room 22. At our February alumni round table, Ginnie shared her memories of Harold and the impact the Barnes had on him, and now, on her: “Dr. Barnes saved my life,” my late husband, Harold Mesibov, frequently told me. “I was a student at the Foundation when I was drafted. Dr. Barnes was outraged.

He went to the draft board, pounded on the table, and said, ‘You can’t take my art student,’ and got me a deferment. By the time I got to Korea, the worst of the fighting was over. He saved my life.” Harold was a portrait artist and abstract figure painter. He received his fine arts education at Fleisher Art Memorial and Tyler School of Art at Temple University, where he learned the mechanics of brush strokes and composition. Then he came to the Barnes Foundation—a life-changing experience! He learned the essence of how to see, understand, and create art by going to museums and galleries, reading books, and studying the artists and their culture under reputable teachers. Harold believed that the Barnes provided the ideal environment—with its galleries of masterpieces and instructors such as Dr. Barnes, Violette de Mazia, and John Dewey— for learning about art. I found a brochure from Harold’s student days stating, “Art is not a phase of life apart from the workaday world to which one turns in moments of leisure, or perhaps in the name of culture… All the qualities that give art its value are those which are found in various phases of everyday life, and art has value only because it expresses those qualities. In other words, art is a fragment of life presented to us enriched in feeling by means of the creative spirit of the artist.” Harold embraced this philosophy. He believed the values that an artist draws from are universal to every human being. People look around and draw inspiration from the images sounds of the environment. The artist is able to assemble ideas that express the deepest emotions of life and place them on canvas. Harold likened his own paintings to musical compositions. They flow with rhythm, using line, light, and contrasting color. When doing portraiture, he didn’t merely duplicate a photographic likeness. He got to know the person, the intellect, emotions, and life around him, and reflected this in his painting. His abstract work placed the figure in a spatial arrangement, not only giving a perception of depth, unique in abstractionism, but also giving power to the figure. His works convey the depths of human emotion. Whether communicating feelings of excitement and joy or calm contemplation, his paintings are full of spirit and sing of the beauty of creation. This he learned at the Barnes. Harold died last October. We had not been to the Barnes for years due to his ill health. Recently I walked through the halls of the Foundation and thought that this is where his life was saved and changed, where he learned the true meaning of art from Dr. Barnes, and where he connected

with Cezanne, Picasso, and Seurat. I felt so close to him. And I felt close to God. From each painting energy flowed into my soul and my spirit soared. The Barnes and I were reconnected. By Ginnie Mesibov

Alumni enjoy dinner, music, and art at March gathering

Barnes Alumni Dinner, left to right: Elise Payne, Deborah Correll

Alumni Council members Chris Rall and Janine Weller organized an evening of food, drink, music, and presentations on March 15. Senior Conservator of Objects Margaret Little discussed her current work on four horses that adorn the lid of a piece of Greek pottery (an Attic pyxis) [make “attic pyxis” the link to the NYT article] from the Barnes collection that will be reinstalled in Room 17 for the first time since 1951. Alumna and docent Bambi Siegfried told a tale of a happily married couple whom Barnes nicknamed “Butts” and “Leeds,” better known as William Glackens and Edith Dimock.

Congratulations, 2013 horticulture graduates!

Marcia Anderson Rebecca Conrad Greg Cosby Tracie Glaser Richard Goalwin Donna Hecker Mimi McKenzie Miriam Schaefer June Smith Mariel Zuchman

Barton Church 1926-2013

Barton Church (American, 1926–2013). Girl in Chair, 1951. Oil on canvas, 20 1/2 x 13 1/8 in. (52.1 x 33.3 cm). BF616. Image © 2013 The Barnes Foundation

Barton Church was a devoted instructor at the Barnes Foundation for nearly sixty years. His painting, above, purchased by Dr. Barnes just before his own death in 1951, hangs in Room 17. The Barnes students who took courses with Mr. Church will hold close the memories of his teaching and how he affected their lives.

Stay Connected: Alumni Events Calendar

Plant sale  May 11, 10 am–2 pm Shop for unique plants, many propagated from the Barnes collection, including Stewartia, magnolias, greenhouse specimens, Japanese maples, annuals, and perennials. You can also enjoy garden tours and fun family programs. All funds raised support the Barnes’s horticultural education programs and Arboretum. Free. Member discount on all purchases. Interested in volunteering for plant sale? Call 215.278.7361. Alumni round table May 14, 9:30 am at Merion campus June 7, 9:30 am at Merion campus June 19, 10 am at Parkway campus The Alumni Association is hosting a series of round tables to get to know your Barnes experience, so come share your memories from the art and horticulture classes. We want to hear how your days as a student at the Barnes have affected your life; your stories will help us inform and inspire the next generation of Barnes students. The round table is open to all former students of the Barnes. Reservations required: 215.278.7110 or [email protected] Alumni celebration May 17, 5 pm

Alumni are invited to a special celebration of the legacy of Albert C. Barnes and his educational mission, the first anniversary of the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, and the opening of Ellsworth Kelly: Sculpture on the Wall. Reservations required; online or 215.217.7110. Horticulture workshops  The horticulture workshops are wonderful for Barnes alumni and new friends. May, June, and July opportunities include Roses: A Natural History of the Queen of Flowers History of Botany Ferns at the Barnes Introduction to Design with Locally Grown Flowers Art & Aesthetics workshops  Summer workshops provide Barnes alumni and friends with an intimate experience with the collection. An array of workshops, ranging from two days to six weeks, include Building the Barnes Space—Mark, Line, and Shape Elements of the Gaze In Conversation: Moments with the Masterpieces Vision and Color An Introduction to the Ensembles Light and Illumination The Active Eye The Nude in Art: Artist, Model, and Sexuality Save the date—exclusive alumni programs for fall 2013 Alumni Parkway garden walk with landscape architect Laurie Olin Saturday, September 28, 10 am–noon Alumni ArtNow! in Old City with John Gatti  Friday, October 11, noon–2:30 pm

The Barnes Foundation 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130 General Information 215.278.7110

www.barnesfoundation.org [email protected] The vision continues with your support. Thank you!

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