A Curator's Perspective

The Curator's Perspective: Symbols & Symbolism

January 19 - May 28, 2006

For the third installment of the Museum's Perspective series, I was asked to compile my favorite works from the Museum's collection to form an exhibition. For a curator, choosing favorite artworks is like a mother choosing a favorite child. Adding to the difficulty of my task was the great success of my predecessors in this exhibition series: Bob Rockwell Jr., for the Collector's Perspective, and Tom Buechner, for the Artist's Perspective. Previously, these two giants in our community had selected some of the best, most prestigious works in our collection to manifest their own perspectives of our collection.

But a curator's perspective is fundamentally different from that of an artist or a collector. Though I know Bob, Tom, and I share deep fondness and respect for this fine collection, I am responsible for understanding and caring for more than favored works. I try to approach the entire collection similarly, that is with admiration and curiosity for all it has to communicate about its history and ours. Like most curators, I am schooled in art history, though my particular expertise lies in iconology, or the study of symbols. Understanding symbols is like learning a secret language; studying them like deciphering an ancient code. And since symbols are ultimately forms of communication, my calling is to facilitate that transmission of knowledge.

Symbols surround us and proliferate. Not a day goes by when we don't see a Nike© "swoosh" or an American Flag. We see them so often that we usually forget to ponder their deeper meaning. This is especially true with symbols in art and even more so with modern and contemporary art, where symbols abound. Frequently, when confronted with confusing or difficult symbols in works of art, people are quick to dismiss the entire piece, in preference of something more easily interpreted. I am convinced, though, that most people are only uncomfortable because they do not understand what they are seeing.

So, to give the viewer a peek into what I see when I look at art and to elucidate some of our more perplexing works, I have chosen from our collection art work filled with symbols. Around the gallery, in more detailed labels, I have sought to unveil their meaning so that viewers might better understand their significance. Look closely and consider the deeper meanings. In the end, like them or not, I hope that all who choose to will at least have a greater understanding and appreciation for what each artist is trying to communicate and for what I see when I look at art.

Welcome to the Curator's Perspective: Symbols & Symbolism. Enjoy the show.
- Sheila K. Hoffman, Curator of Collection