Films Honor Jewish History and Present

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City became a movie house during the first couple weekends in March. The films were shown in the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre at the center.

The first was March 2 as the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education offers up “Four Seasons Lodge.” The feature length documentary explores a community of Holocaust survivors who gather each summer in the Catskills Mountains to mark their survival. Executive Director Jean Zeldin says the film is a charming story. “You get to see survivors socially. It is a celebration of their survival and how they have lived life. They are real people, not icons of the Holocaust. It’s a poignant film and there is sadness as the number of survivors dwindles. We get to see survivors as fully developed characters and just not as survivors only.” This film is available for rental. However, with many documentaries, it might be harder to find. Check local bookstores that also sell movies.

The 12^th Annual Kansas City Jewish Film Festival returned “in house” after years at the Glenwood and Rio Theatres. Cultural Arts Director Tammy Ruder says the decision to move back to the center was partly to be financially responsible and to let the community see what the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City has to offer. “We actually are planning on having films throughout the year, but the plan is to really kick this off with a great whirlwind of a weekend.”

The films shown as part of the Jewish Film Festival are available in rental or purchase. Most of the movies can be found for purchase at such locations as www.amazon.com.

“Saviors in the Night,” a German film by director Ludi Boeken, is based on the memoirs of the now 97-year-old Marga Spiegel, whose family spent three years with German peasants during World War II. “It’s the sort of film that shows almost impossible odds, but how a Jewish family survived because another family decided to believe in what was right. It is about supporting humanity.” “Circumcise Me: The Comedy of Yisrael Campbell” is a comedic documentary looks at standup comedian Yisrael Campbell. Born Chris Campbell, he converted to Judaism from Catholicism. He converted to Reform, then Conservative and finally Orthodox Judaism.

“Children of the Sun” looks at the Kibbutz movement in Israel. German with subtitles “Max Minsky and Me” is a “coming-of-age” film. The lead character, Nelly, would rather study astronomy and Prince Edouard of Luxembourg then prepare for her Bat Mitzvah. When a school basketball championship offers her a chance to meet the prince, Nelly turns to basketball star Max Minsky. “This is a great family film. This year, the four films have great variety. There’s something for everyone. These stories are about people and community, whether it is a story from the past or a story from today. We are part of the world community. These movies, in part, help create an understanding.”

www.jcckc.org

Special Exhibit Unites Midwest Center for Holocaust Education and NARA

If the community wants to explore another aspect of the Jewish story, the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education and the National Archives-Central Plains Region are partnering for an exhibit titled “Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race.” The exhibition is on loan from the U.S. Holocaust Museum in DC and focuses on eugenics and the Nazi medical experiments that led up to the Holocaust and eventual World War II.  The exhibit opens at the Archives March 16 and runs through June 10.

After the German defeat in World War I, those that followed in German leadership believed they needed to weed out the “undesirable” traits and encourage the “right” traits. Historians estimate more than 200,000 children and adults were euthanized because of birth defects and undesirable mental conditions. The use of gas chambers started here. Probably another 400,000 Germans were sterilized at this time too to keep certain hereditary traits out of the German population.

The Center’s Executive Director Jean Zeldin says the chance to bring in the exhibit is serendipitous. “We were looking for a venue and needed exhibit space of about 3,000 square feet. The Archives, next to Union Station, fit the bill.”

Known as the secret enterprise “T4,” the project of sterilization and extermination are part of the sequences that led the Holocaust, Zeldin says. “It is a sober and somber experience to view this exhibit. Medical and scientific minds planned and executed horrific acts. It also shows how a democratic and cultured nation like Germany could become complicit in genocide. Doctors and nurses did so willing and they believed they were doing the right thing for the Fatherland. The exhibit contains the thoughts of other nations’ leaders to this too. We have to be vigilant of this kind of systematic and rational process. We have to speak up when we can speak up.”

Archivist Kimberlee Ried says the public will walk away with knowledge of a horrific time from the near past, but will see some parallels to the current world situation. “This is an exhibit that folks will stop and think. We aren’t sure what the reactions or emotions will be, but it will be educational. There’s a lot of detail to look at and read. It will probably take at least an hour to move through the exhibit.”

www.archives.gov/central-plains/kansas-city

Julián Zugazagoitia Named Director of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Director of El Museo del Barrio Becomes

Fifth Director in the Museum’s 75-year History

An exhaustive international search ended Friday March 5 with the official announcement of Dr. Julián Zugazagoitia being named the fifth director and chief executive officer of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.  Zugazagoitia, 46, an international scholar, museum director and consultant who has served for the past seven years as the director and CEO of El Museo del Barrio in New York. He was the unanimous choice of search committee members and will begin his position Sept. 1.

Board of Trustees Chairwoman Sarah F. Rowland says the museum has seen incredible growth and an improved stature under the direction of Marc F. Wilson, the museum’s Menefee D. and Mary Louise Blackwell director/CEO for the past 28 years. Wilson announced his retirement last year and will step down June 1. During Wilson’s tenure, the Nelson-Atkins became a world-class destination that earned acclaim for its Bloch Building expansion, the new Ford Learning Center, renovated Kansas City Sculpture Park and dramatic new galleries, including recently opened American and American Indian galleries. Zugazagoitia says it’s an honor to follow Wilson who has led in the museum’s transformation into one of the leading national museums.

“A successor to honor the breathtaking array of accomplishments was not easily found, but Julián Zugazagoitia is just such a person” Rowland says. “He is a man of many talents; a man of broad vision, one whom we believe will honor the accomplishments of others. He has the temperament and the training, plus the passion for the arts we need. His energy has delighted all who have met him.”

A committee made up of nine museum trustees began searching for Wilson’s successor more than a year ago, and they encountered strong interest in the position locally, nationally and internationally. They were taken with Zugazagoitia’s energy as a leader, his passion for the arts, and his international background — born in Mexico City and educated in France; Zugazagoitia speaks six languages and has worked at institutions in the Americas, Europe and Africa.

Zugazagoitia holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Sorbonne Paris IV, with a focus on Aesthetics and Modernism in the arts. His work as a consultant, lecturer and curator has involved projects around the globe with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles. From 1999 to 2002, he served as executive assistant to the director for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. During his tenure at El Museo del Barrio, a leading museum of Latino and Latin American art, Zugazagoitia led the institution through a $44 million capital campaign and a full renovation, which opened in 2009 to critical acclaim.

“Julián has been a great leader for El Museo and brought it to new heights, culminating in a major capital renovation,” says artist Tony Bechara, chairman of the board of El Museo del Barrio. “He strengthened our institution financially, and he galvanized the community and art lovers nationally and internationally by bringing superb exhibitions and programs to the museum. While we are sad to see him go, we are also honored that he is pursuing his commitment to the arts in a world-class encyclopedic museum such as the Nelson-Atkins.”

Louis Smith, chair of the Nelson-Atkins search committee, says he was delighted that Zugazagoitia had accepted the offer. “Julián has an impressive national and international background, a passion for the Nelson-Atkins and Kansas City, and the commitment and energy to build on the outstanding work and legacy left by Marc Wilson and his leadership team.”

On his visits to Kansas City, Zugazagoitia has been struck by the vibrancy of the city, especially the arts culture, the university, science and research climate, and the community’s commitment to philanthropy.

“I see a city that offers a high quality of life, a city with a great deal of civic pride and investment in the arts,” Zugazagoitia says. “I look forward to being part of the synergy that exists between the arts, science and business institutions in Kansas City.”

The Nelson-Atkins, he says, holds a compelling history as a museum that has been committed to excellence from its beginnings in 1933 and has built one of the top encyclopedic collections in the country. He learned of Kansas City and the Nelson through referenced works while a student at the Sorbonne in Paris. “I am beginning to learn about the potential of this city. I spent time with Kansas City Symphony Director Michael Stern and looked at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It will be a joy to continue to help prove that the arts are integral to everyone’s lives.”

Zugazagoitia says he has curated many exhibits and collections. “I see myself more as a generalist. With the Nelson, I see different collections talking to each other. I want to see the ensemble rather than the individual piece. There is a dialogue that is created and brings even more to life. We continue to raise the bar and keep in high when people have that one-on-one experience. It is how we help people live these moments.”

He also sees education as critical. Art must be a relevant and transformative experience, he says. He applauded the strengths of the collections at the museum. “I am honored to follow in the footsteps of the visionary Marc Wilson, and I look forward to getting to know the talented staff, the generous patrons and the civic leaders,” he says. “My family and I are so looking forward to joining the community and making Kansas City our home.”

Zugazagoitia is married and has two children, ages 6 and 10.

INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND

Zugazagoitia’s international background includes the following highlights:

• Born and raised in Mexico City, Zugazagoitia’s father was a mathematician and his mother is a stage and screen actress.

• Graduated from L’Ecole du Louvre, with a major in modern and contemporary art and concentrations in Egyptology and Medieval art.

• Educated at the Sorbonne Paris IV in France, earning a Ph.D. in Philosophy, with a focus on Aesthetics and Modernism. His dissertation was titled The Total Work of Art as Horizon Modernity: Wagner, Mallarmé, Monet and Rodin

• Lectured in art history at the Sornas School of Design, Paris.

• Served as Cultural Attaché, Permanent Mexican Delegation to UNESCO, Paris.

• Worked as a consultant with the Getty Conservation Institute, developing European and African projects while based in Paris and Rome, 1991-1999.

• Served from 1997 to 1999 as director of visual arts with the Spoleto Festival, Italy.

• Served as executive assistant to the director at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, organizing exhibitions and conferences, 1999 to 2002.

• Awarded Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres Medal, French Ministry of Culture, 2003.

• Served as a curator for the 25th Sao Paulo Biennale in Brazil in 2002 and the international art fair ARCO 2005.

• Became director/CEO in 2002 of El Museo del Barrio, where he repositioned the museum nationally and internationally as one of the foremost museums on Latin American and Caribbean art and developed major collaborations with such institutions as the Museum of Modern Art, the National Portrait Gallery and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

• Currently serves as vice chair of the Cultural Institution Group, made up of New York City’s top 33 cultural institutions.

• Currently serves as chair of the cultural committee for NYC & Company, the official marketing and tourism organization for the city.

• Has served on the Board of the Association of Art Museum Directors since 2007.

James Brinsfield
Sky Way


DOLPHIN is pleased to present Sky Way, James Brinsfield's first solo exhibition at the gallery, on view March 12 - May 8, 2010.  James Brinsfield was born in 1949 in Chicago, IL. He received his B.F.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for an M.F.A. in studio painting. He has had 14 one-person exhibits...

Jim Leedy; Cosmos

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Arts Alive

Charlotte Matthews (2010 President)

816-665-9849

charlotte.k.matthews@gmail.com

www.artsalivekc.com

Arts Alive to Tour Sonnenschein Art Collection / Attend Bus Stop @ The KC Rep Thursday, March 25^th  at 5:30 pm

Arts Alive is pleased to present a private viewing of the Sonnenschein Art Collection at Sonnenschein Law Firm located at 4520 Main. The group will then attend a performance of the critically acclaimed Bus Stop at the KC Rep’s Spencer Theatre at 4949 Cherry. The pre-event at Sonnenschein will feature cocktails and light appetizers beginning at 5:30 pm. The performance will begin at 7 pm.

Tickets are $25 per person payable via artsalivekc.com. RSVP is required.

For more information and to sign up for our newsletter, please visit www.artsalivekc.com

Upcoming Events:

• Saturday, April 24^th : Tour of Artist Studios @ Livestock Exchange / Christian McBride @ the Folly Theatre
• Friday, May 7^th : Tom Corbin Studio / KC Ballet @ the Lyric Theatre

ArtsAlive is a non-profit organization that promotes the visual and performing arts in Greater Kansas City through social events hosted by a different organization each month. Translation: we're a bunch of individuals who want to learn more about and enjoy the arts while having a good time. For a nominal fee, we meet for food and drink, then attend a play or dance performance, listen to a symphony or an artist talk about his/her work, take a tour through a gallery collection, visit a tattoo parlor or whatever is on the current month's agenda.

THE LONG WINTER 

Exhibition & Performance by Davin Watne

THE LONG WINTER, a new project contained in two phases; the first being a performance or "party" opening night, and phase two consisting of the "party's" residue. Utilizing sculpture, sound, performance, painting, fashion, animation and drawing, the installation will encompass and present a multi-sensory experience for the viewer and challenge their cognitive understanding of visceral empiricism. 

UCM Gallery of Art & Design, Warrensburg, MO

MARCH 11 - APRIL 10, 2010

OPENING RECEPTION: THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 5 PM - 7 PM

WITH A SPECIAL OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCE FROM 5PM TO 7PM

THE LONG WINTER
Exhibition & Performance by Davin Watne
MARCH 11 - APRIL 10, 2010

Hours: Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm, Saturday 12pm - 4pm, Thursdays open until 8 pm
UCM Gallery of ART & DESIGN | 217 Clark St | Warrensburg MO 64093

The Consulate of México and Mattie Rhodes Center present

"Este es mi México"

a collection of children's artwork from around the world

 March 5 - 26

Opening Reception: Friday, March 5, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

"Este es mi México" is a collection of the children's artwork from the 2008 edition of the drawing competition of the same name.  Each year, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs sponors this contest for children between 7 and 11 years of age.  Children create pieces of artwork that express an idyllic México engraved in their memories from their earlier years, their travels to the country, and stories, myths, and songs they have heard.  The use of colors, materials, shapes, and subjects express the full range of emotions that show a deep connection to their lives.