SAAM Stories

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is screening a sneak preview of the film Curious Worlds: The Art and Imagination of David Beck, an artist featured in the exhibition, The Singing and the Silence: Birds in Contemporary Art, now on view.

It's Throwback Thursday! And we at Eye Level have decided it's a great opportunity to bring back some of our interesting posts from the past. Today, we're focusing on our Luce Foundation Center where we have over 3000 objects from our collection in open storage. But one sculpture stands out and its name is Jack. Howard fills us in about Paul Feeley's sculpture.

In an appearance worthy of a TED talk, critic Jerry Saltz delivered a spirited address the other evening at American Art's McEvoy Auditorium, as part of the Clarice Smith Distinguished Lectures in American Art series.

Today, we celebrate, along with colleagues at the National Museum of American History, the rededication of Gwenfritz, a 40-foot tall abstract sculpture by the esteemed American artist Alexander Calder. The artwork was recently conserved and relocated to the site originally selected by the artist. American History intern Auni Gelles shares five behind-the-scenes pieces of information about on the sculpture's recent restoration.

American Art's Jo Ann Gillula speaks with Artistic Director Christopher Kendall about the upcoming season of the musical group in residence at the museum, 21st Century Consort, which opens their season with Aviary on October 25 in the museum's McEvoy Auditorium from 5 p.m to 8 p.m.

Unwind after work and ease into the weekend this Friday, October 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. with an evening of music, art, and drinks at our Fall Luce Unplugged Community Showcase.

It's Throwback Thursday and today, we feature a photo I took in September 2007 as the last tree was lowered into our about-to-be opened Kogod Courtyard. The seventh anniversary of our covered courtyard is coming this November 18.

Patterson Sims and Richard Estes talk about Estes work now on exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

When Eric Fischl inaugurated the Clarice Smith Distinguised Lectures in American Art series recently, he covered a lot of material. Though best-known as a painter, he's worked in a variety of media in his more than forty year career. Ten Breaths: Tumbling Woman II a second sculpture he made in response to the events of 9/11 is currently on view on the third floor of the American Art Museum, and Fischl's remarks are certainly worth noting.

"Untitled: The Art of James Castle" opens today at American Art and features fifty-four works by the artist that were recently acquired by the museum.

Having titled his recent memoir Bad Boy: My Life on and off the Canvas, Eric Fischl kicked off this season's annual Clarice Smith Distinguished Lectures in American Art series with a survey of his work, spanning more than forty years.

On September 24, the Smithsonian American Art Museum will co-host a national conference that examines the importance of preserving WPA-era murals using the work of celebrated American muralist Tom Lea as a case study.

Our art conservators discovered a drawing on the back of a William H. Johnson artwork during the conservation process.

Erin Benz interned at American Art's Luce Foundation Center this summer. While here, she took the time to write about one of her favorite artists in our collection, Lilly Martin Spencer.

You've heard of landscapes and cityscapes, but how about soundscapes? DC-based artist Emily Francisco creates these immersive audio environments and she'll talk about her recent work when she kicks off the Luce Foundation Center's fall Artist Talks series this Sunday, September 14 at 1:30 p.m.

Fermented Soil by Hans Hofmann contains such fresh joy and vigor it is hard to believe it was painted by a man in his mid-eighties. It swings like a jazz sextet.

The polished machinery featured in Marvin Beerbohm's "Automotive Industry" mural will be shimmering a little brighter now that the mural has been treated by the American Art Museum's conservation department. The mural, which was previously located in Detroit's Public Library, was recently installed in the museum's first floor.

Handi-hour is finally back on Thursday, September 4. This time we are partnering with the Fantom Comics in Dupont Circle for a Handi-hour with comic book flare! Program coordinator Katie Crooks demonstrates her super power craft making in this round of Handi-hour how to videos; check them out below for a preview of some of the crafts we'll be making at the event.