A Whole New O

In the month of January, the Ogden Museum has opened five new shows with one still to come. So, in a way, we are offering a whole new O to the public. Steve Kline's sculpture, Running Shadows, Flow Encircled Bits, is a recent acquisition of the Ogden, another whole new O. The work was originally installed in the 1984 World's Fair, and has been generously gifted to the Ogden by Michael Brown and Linda Green of New Orleans. During Katrina, the skylights of the studio it was stored in were lost, and the work suffered greatly from the elements. Steve has diligently restored the ten foot wooden sculpture. The photos below show the installation of the sculpture, giving a new meaning to our well worn phrase, "Support the O." Top photos by Bradley Sumrall. Installation shots by David Houston.

In with the New

Local sculptor and Ogden preparator, Aria Da Cappo, is seen here during the installation of Selections from the Collection of Donna and William Hines. As exhibitions of works by Margaret Evangeline, Sally Mann, Douglas Bourgeois, and Charles and Ethel Hutson close at the Ogden, we are excited to open shows by Jorge Otero and Jack Stewart, as well as an exhibition of recent acquisitions and greatest hits. When she is not hanging artwork for the Ogden, Aria is getting ready to unveil a monumental sculpture in Lafayette Square as part of the Sculpture for New Orleans project. Photo by Bradley Sumrall.

Sneak Peek: Clementine Hunter

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art will unveil Clementine Hunter's Cotton to Gin and Baptism to the public on January 15, 2009. This painting is unique in the Clementine Hunter oeuvre due to its being painted on verso, its rare color palette, and the sheer scale of the thing (over four feet square). Recto shows a cotton-to-gin scene typical of Clementine's style, with a rather lush sunset. Verso is surprising, though, with its unique color palette of vivid yellows, pinks, reds, and grays. Having no evidence to support a theory that the work was commissioned two-sided for a patron, we must assume that the work was painted on verso out of need for materials. Much like George Andrews, Clementine painted on almost anything, including window shades and trash cans. See this work and others by Clementine Hunter in our upcoming show, Recent Acquisitions. Photos by Richard McCabe.