Multi-gallery exhibition includes illustrations,
sculpture, video, photography from established artists, plus juried works by state’s
K-12 students
CONWAY, Arkansas (January 9, 2024)—The
Windgate Museum of Art at Hendrix College (WMA) on January 26, 2024, will open
“In the Shadow of the Moon,” a dynamic, multi-media exhibition centered around
humankind’s history and interest in the moon and space, to celebrate the
upcoming total solar eclipse. Hendrix College and the central Arkansas region are
in the path of totality for the April 8 eclipse, an event that will leave
millions in North America awestruck.
Among the
most spectacular visible natural phenomena — lightning storms, shooting stars,
the aurora borealis — a solar eclipse seems to earn the greatest reverence, and
with good reason.
“The star
of ‘In the Shadow of the Moon’ is the April 8,
2024, eclipse itself,” says curator Christian Cutler, director of the WMA.
“This exhibition is both a celebration and a jumping off point. I hope visitors
to ‘In the Shadow of the Moon’ learn and reflect on humankind’s relationship to
the Moon and the Sun.”
Interpretations
of Eclipses through History
Opening January
26 at 5 p.m., “In the Shadow of the Moon” will explore how different cultures have
presented and interpreted solar eclipses in art. For instance, visitors will
see eclipses portrayed as a dragon or a celestial wolf attempting to swallow
the sun and included in the backdrop of European Renaissance crucifixion scenes
to set a sorrowful or ominous tone.
The exhibition will also highlight the
staying power of the solar eclipse as a worthy artistic subject. Science
fiction illustrators, contemporary sculptors, and even video game designers
incorporate eclipses into their work. Works by contemporary artists Tyler
Nordgren, John W. Tomac, Lenka Konopasek, and Sarah Blood have been selected
for the exhibition. “47 Rockets,” a mini-exhibit inside ‘In the Shadow of the
Moon’ by Nashville art duo
Raina Belleau and Caleb Churchill, will explore history and folklore
surrounding the moon with sculpture, video, and photography.
To provide historical
context for the works of art, a collection of solar eclipse expedition
artifacts will be on display, on loan from the James Lick Observatory in Mount
Hamilton, California. Visitors can view scientific instruments, astronomers’ handwritten
logbooks, and photographic plates made during expeditions in the late 1800s and
early 1900s as far away as Chile, India, and the South Pacific.
Immersive
Video Experience
One of the
greatest undertakings in preparing “In the Shadow of the Moon” is the
projection experience in the Wilcox-Todd Gallery. The museum is producing an
immersive video about eclipses with financial assistance from the Arkansas
Space Grant Consortium (ASGC), a part of NASA’s National Space Grant College
and Fellowship Program. Landry Dosher ’24, an English and theatre arts double
major at Hendrix, provides the voiceover for the script written by Lindsey
Knight, the WMA’s education curator.
“The preparation
of the experience we’ve planned for the Wilcox-Todd Gallery may be the most
meticulous team effort the WMA staff has undertaken since the museum’s opening,”
Cutler said.
Selected Works by Arkansas Students
Visitors who approach the museum from
the east side will be greeted by 80 selections from a juried competition of creations
by Arkansas kindergarten through 12th-grade students, centered on the themes of
the cosmos, eclipses, the solar system, and human interaction with space. The
Window Gallery, where this art from around the state
will be displayed, faces east and south on the outside of the building, making
it available for viewing 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The WMA is housed on the first floor,
north wing, of the Miller Creative Quad, Building 3 on the current Hendrix campus map. Exhibitions
and programs at the Windgate Museum of Art at Hendrix College are free and open
to all. Regular interior gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon
to 5 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters.
‘Star Trek’ Actor Tim Russ
To accompany “In the Shadow of the
Moon,” the WMA is planning an entire semester
of space-related educational programming, film screenings, guest speakers,
make-and-take art projects, and more. On Saturday, January 27 at 10 a.m., the
WMA will welcome to campus actor Tim Russ of Star Trek fame. Russ will talk
about his love of amateur astronomy and how he got started. Brunch-bite
refreshments will be served. A Q&A, an autograph opportunity, and
merchandise sales will follow the talk, which will be held in Reves Recital
Hall, Trieschmann Fine Arts Building (18a on the current campus map).
The WMA anticipates announcing more exhibition-related
events this semester. To stay up to date on additional program offerings
associated with “In the Shadow of the Moon,” visit www.windgatemuseum.org/events.
About the Windgate Museum of Art
The Windgate Museum of Art is the art museum located on the campus of Hendrix College. With a
vision to be the premier teaching art museum in Arkansas, the Windgate presents
outstanding art exhibitions, compelling educational programs, and invigorating
social activities for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus. Free
and open to all, the museum uses hands-on experiences to train students in all
facets of museum work, including curatorial research, collection management,
educational and social programming, marketing and communications, as well as
all aspects of exhibition research, planning, installation, and evaluation. The
Windgate Museum of Art is made possible with major support from the Windgate
Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
About Hendrix
College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is featured in Colleges That
Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges and
celebrated among the country’s leading liberal arts colleges for academic
quality, engaged learning opportunities and career preparation, vibrant campus
life, and value. The Hendrix College Warriors compete in 21 NCAA Division III
sports. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since
1884. Learn more at www.hendrix.edu.
“… Through engagement that links the classroom with the world, and
a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and sustainable living, the
Hendrix community inspires students to lead lives of accomplishment, integrity,
service, and joy.” —Hendrix
College Statement of Purpose