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Museum
of Art Hosts Talk by Eminent Museum Director
The Smith
College Museum of Art will host “The
Art Museum in the 21st Century: Bold Moves, Meaningful Surprises,” , director emerita of the Seattle Art Museum (SAM), on Wednesday,
Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Weinstein Auditorium, Wright Hall.
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Mimi Gardner Gates. |
The event is free and open
to all.
Gates’ talk,
which will focus on her career as well as her perspective
on the museum field in general, is the culminating fall lecture
of IDP 118: The History and Critical Issue of Museums, the
first course in Smith’s new Museums Concentration.
The
lecture was made possible by the Carlyn Steiner ‘67
and George Steiner Fund, in honor of Joan Koch Smith.
Gates, who
became director of SAM in May 1994, is a scholar of Asian
art with a strong interest in Chinese painting, ceramics,
and the history of ornament. She formerly served as
director of the Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG) from 1987-1994,
after having joined YUAG in 1975 as Curator of Asian
Art. Under her direction, YUAG created a conservation studio,
added a department of European and Contemporary art, expanded
its collections, and embarked on an ambitious program of
exhibitions, many of which were organized by faculty and
students. While at Yale, Gates also taught courses in Chinese
art history and museum studies.
During her tenure at SAM,
Gates led the museum forward, organizing major exhibitions,
publishing scholarly publications, and embarking on significant
capital projects, including the establishment of a conservation
studio, renovations to the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer
Park, creation of the Olympic Sculpture Park and an expansion
of the downtown museum that will eventually triple its size.
Gates has served as president
and trustee of the Association of Art Museum Directors, chaired
the Federal Indemnity panel (1999–2002) at The National Endowment for
the Arts, and sits on the Advisory Board of the Getty Leadership
Institute and the Governing Board of the Yale University
Art Gallery. In addition, she serves as a Board member for
the Northwest African American Museum, the Greater Seattle
YWCA, Downtown Seattle Association and Copper Canyon Press.
Gates is an affiliate faculty member at the University of
Washington.
at the Museum of Art. |
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