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The Women's Committee of Carnegie Museum of Art presents Meissen
to MacKenzie: New Directions in Decorative Arts
39th annual Decorative Arts Symposium examines the evolution of ceramics production
and collecting
September 9, 2007
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?Carnegie Museum of Art's Women's Committee presents the
30th annual Decorative Arts Symposium, Meissen to MacKenzie: New Directions in Decorative
Arts, on October 8, 2007. Independent scholar Letitia Roberts, known for her appearances
on the "Antiques Roadshow," and the Art Institute of Chicago's Curator of European
Decorative Arts Christopher Monkhouse, known to Pittsburgh for his role as founding
curator of The Heinz Architectural Center, are the two distinguished speakers. Roberts
and Monkhouse will discuss the history and trends of museum collecting and the ways
in which the past informs the present through the style, technique, and manufacture
of objects. Their exploration will follow the evolution of ceramics production and
collecting, beginning with spectacular 18th century Meissen porcelain through the
engaging work of American artist Warren MacKenzie. Contemporary designs in turned
wood will also be part of the morning's presentation. The symposium will take place
from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and pre-registration is required. Attendees may choose
to attend only the lecture, or attend the lecture and the luncheon that follows
at noon.
Letitia Roberts
Popularly known for her appearances on the "Antiques Roadshow," Letitia Roberts
is currently an independent scholar, author, and international lecturer. Roberts,
a former vice president and international specialist on European ceramics and Chinese
export porcelain at Sotheby's in New York, was involved with the sale of such important
pottery and porcelain collections as those of Henry Ford, II and Nelson Rockefeller
during her tenure at the auction house. Roberts' articles and reviews have appeared
in numerous publications, including the Winterthur Portfolio and the American Ceramic
Circle Journal. She is currently collaborating on a catalogue of the Stout collection
of continental porcelain at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Tennessee.
Christopher Monkhouse
Christopher Monkhouse is the curator and department chair of European decorative
arts at the Art Institute of Chicago. He previously served as chair of the Minneapolis
Institute of Arts' department of decorative arts, where he expanded the collecting
and exhibition focus to include architecture, design, decorative arts, craft, and
sculpture, and additionally developed a special focus on 20th century studio craft.
He has organized numerous exhibitions, including Wood Turning in North America since
1930 (co-organized with the Yale University Art Gallery), Functionalism to Funk:
California Ceramics, and Ruth Duckworth: Modernist Sculptor. A familiar face to
Pittsburghers interested in architecture and design, Monkhouse was the founding
curator of The Heinz Architectural Center at Carnegie Museum of Art, where he served
from 1991?1995.
The day's complete schedule is as follows:
9:00 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. Welcome and Introduction
Jason T. Busch, Curator of Decorative Arts
Carnegie Museum of Art
9:45 a.m. The Latest Dish: A Century of Ceramics Collecting in America
Letitia Roberts
10:45 a.m. From the Perfect Plate to Pure Abstraction: Transformation
in
Studio Craft
Christopher Monkhouse
12:00 p.m. Luncheon, Hall of Architecture
The registration (required) deadline is October 1. Program and luncheon costs: $50
per person, $40 per person for groups of four or more. Program only: $25. Tickets
will be held at the door. On-site parking is available at $5 per vehicle. For more
information, contact Jenny Tabrum at 412.622.3325.
Support
General support for museum programs is provided by the Pennsylvania Council on the
Arts and The Heinz Endowments.
Carnegie Museum of Art
Located at 4400 Forbes Avenue in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh and founded by
industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1895, Carnegie Museum of Art
is nationally and internationally recognized for its distinguished collection of
American and European works from the sixteenth century to the present. The Heinz
Architectural Center, part of Carnegie Museum of Art, is dedicated to the collection,
study, and exhibition of architectural drawings and models. For more information
about Carnegie Museum of Art, call 412.622.3131.
Contact:
Tey Stiteler
412.688.8690
stitelert@carnegiemuseums.org
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