Eye Level

Eye Level is the blog of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery. Publishing behind-the-scenes museum stories since 2005.

Additional Reflections on Arthur Jafa’s Love is the Message, The Message is Death

Highlighting the voices of Black people and people of color within our local arts and creative community.

Programs

Kayleigh on July 9, 2020

Reflections on Arthur Jafa’s Love is the Message, The Message is Death

Highlighting the voices of Black people and people of color within our local arts and creative community.

Kayleigh on July 7, 2020

Identity and Visibility

How a recent acquisition addresses themes of race and LGBTQ+ identity

Saisha on June 30, 2020

Seeing the Rainbow in SAAM’s Collection

Taking a deeper look at how we talk about gay artists at SAAM

Pride

Saisha on June 20, 2020

Father's Day Crafts for Dad

Celebrate Dad with an artful, home-crafted card

Craft Making Activities

Gloria on June 19, 2020

Statement from Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch

On inequality and racial division in the United States

Lonnie G. Bunch on June 2, 2020

Standing Together

A Conversation about American Art and Anti-Asian Sentiment in the Age of COVID-19

Exhibitions

Kayleigh on May 27, 2020

Hey Mom, I Made You This Card

Still looking for the right card? SAAM celebrates all mother figures with artworks from our collection.

Amy on May 8, 2020

Mother’s Day Crafting

Mom always thought you were a little crafty. Surprise her with a hand-made flower...or two.

Craft Making Activities

Gloria on May 8, 2020

Take Me to Church: A Road Trip In Honor of Painter Frederic Edwin Church

Looking back at a remembered road trip to Frederic Church's house, Olana, in celebration of the artist's 194th birthday and the exhibition, Alexander von Humboldt and the United States: Art, Nature, and Culture

Exhibitions

Katie on May 4, 2020

A Sonnet for the Tiger King

Think of this as a mash up between the eloquent Patrick Stewart who is reading Shakespeare sonnet's online and the over-the-top Tiger King, the Netflix documentary that has become the talk of Zoom happy hours everywhere. Cheers!

Sara on May 1, 2020

Mysteries of the First Mastodon

Conservator Ariel O'Connor unearths the mysteries behind Charles Willson Peale’s mastodon.

Conservation

Ariel on April 29, 2020

Chiura Obata: Artist Interrupted

In our time of social distancing, Obata's handwritten notes have us thinking about how we communicate with one another, and how important a simple note can be.

Exhibitions

Katie on April 27, 2020

Hips Don't Lie: The American Incognitum

What's a mastodon doing at SAAM? Dr. Advait Mahesh Jukar, a Deep Time Fellow and Paleontologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, answers our questions.

Exhibitions

Libby on April 24, 2020

Designing for Humboldt: Five Questions with Karen Siatras

How a graphic designer at SAAM was inspired to incorporate Humboldt's ideas about nature into the exhibition catalogue

Katie on April 23, 2020

A Brush with Nature: Alexander von Humboldt and Frederic Church

Humboldt’s ideas on art, nature, and philosophy helped to shape American artists, including the influential Hudson River school painters

Exhibitions

Katie on April 22, 2020

Stemming the Tide: A Call to Climate Action for Cultural Heritage

Looking at climate change and cultural heritage worldwide as we honor the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Conservation

Amber Kerr on April 21, 2020

Flower Exploration and Natural Dye Lab

Bring nature indoors in this easy-to-do craft inspired by explorer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt

Craft Making Activities

Gloria on April 20, 2020