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Mitchell Wolfson, Jr., The Wolfsonian–FIU's founder
Photo: David Almeida |
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DECEMBER 2010
AND SO MUCH MORE TO THINK ABOUT! |
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THE WOLFSONIAN–––
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
1001 WASHINGTON AVE
MIAMI BEACH, FL 33139
HOURS FOR MUSEUM, MUSEUM SHOP & DYNAMO CAKE FACTORY & CAFÉ
Noon-6pm: Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday;
Noon-9pm: Friday;
Closed Wednesday.
Free admission after 6pm on Friday.
PHONE
General information: 305.531.1001
Program information: 305.535.2644
Membership information: 305.535.2631
$7 adults; $5 seniors, students, and children 6-12; free for Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff and students with ID, and children under 6.
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
| The Wolfsonian–Florida International University uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design, to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, historical, and technological changes that have transformed our world. It encourages people to see the world in new ways, and to learn from the past as they shape the present and influence the future. | |
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Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Reflects on Fifteen Years of The Wolfsonian
On the occasion of The Wolfsonian's fifteenth year, it seems fitting to ask the man who started it all to share his thoughts about this anniversary. While Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. (Micky) quickly makes it clear that he is not the least bit interested in milestones of any sort, he readily discusses his motivations for collecting, for sharing his collection with others, and recalls highlights in the museum's history.
"I think collecting is a constant of the human condition and I think I responded to that drive that is within each individual," says Wolfson. "I lit on a period and a vocabulary, and I carved out a singular collection." The primary impetus behind his collecting has largely been nostalgic, he says. "I was born in 1939 and I saw the world around me being lost, either because of war, economic development, or the Eisenhower years that destroyed so much in order to build a bold new world," Wolfson says. "So much was lost, disbanded, deemphasized, or destroyed. I saw that so much of value was vanishing and I felt we should be more careful. I wanted to hold onto things that were being lost. In that sense I became a preservationist. Nostalgia and sadness, a sense of loss—that was the emotional component of my collecting."
There were other motivations as well. Wolfson describes years of exploring various ways of expressing himself creatively during high school and college, devoting time to disciplines such as art, writing, and even football, all of which proved unsatisfactory forms for him. It was through collecting that he found meaning, expression, and a way to create suited to his interests and imagination. He began collecting at the age of twelve, when he purchased a copy of Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Gradually, he delved further into collecting and over time developed what he calls "a language of objects." He compares the objects he collects to books and says that, like books, "I read these objects. Then I put the objects on a shelf and I am thrilled that others use or borrow them to gain knowledge." In sharing these objects, Wolfson hopes to stimulate people's curiosity and encourage people to think about the human experience. "I think that objects made by men and women tell us things about human behavior better than any other form of human expression," he says.
For Wolfson, highlights of the museum's history include any strong emotion The Wolfsonian has elicited. "I love when it's hated," he says. "Of course, I also love when it's loved. I remember articles and criticism in the beginning that considered the collection junk and a con job. I loved all that criticism and terrible misunderstanding and misrepresenting the collection, because it forewarned me of the future." Then came an article by the late New York Times critic Herbert Muschamp, who became a great friend and champion of The Wolfsonian. Muschamp called The Wolfsonian "One of America's most remarkable museums." The initial article by Muschamp, along with the subsequent relationship, was a vindication of sorts. "You couldn't have asked for a more powerful review," Wolfson says.
Wolfson finds himself extremely gratified by the museum's educational efforts, particularly the activities geared toward young students. "When I see children participating, when I know that what they are doing is inspired by objects in the collection and that The Wolfsonian is being used as a teaching tool and as a kind of model, those are very happy moments for me," he says. Likewise, Wolfson is very enthusiastic about the traveling exhibitions the museum has generated, in part because these opportunities allow "other people completely outside of the environment of Miami to associate with and collaborate with the collection," he says.
Despite not being one to comment on an anniversary year, Wolfson notes that the museum's integration into the community has been a positive development. "I like very much how The Wolfsonian is now becoming part of the civic fabric of South Florida," he says. "One feels it belongs here and is here and is accepted and people use it. It is very reassuring to see people's response to The Wolfsonian now." |
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Top: Lauren Gnazzo and Wolfsonian Visionary and Quince chair Gingi Beltran
Bottom: Wolfsonian Visionary Olga Granda-Scott |
| | A Successful Very Wolfsonian Weekend
The Wolfsonian's annual Very Wolfsonian Weekend, which took place this year from November 11-13, was a resounding success. This year's celebration was intensified by the fact that it is the museum's fifteenth anniversary. "We were thrilled with the turnout and the strong sense of support and communal feeling throughout the weekend," says Wolfsonian director Cathy Leff. "While we are very much a forward-looking institution with many goals and exciting plans moving into the future, it is wonderful to take some time to look back at what we've accomplished in a relatively short time. This year during A Very Wolfsonian Weekend we particularly wanted to express our appreciation to the community as well as our strong commitment to our constituents." The weekend kicked off on Thursday, November 11, with a well-attended multinational celebration of the exhibition Speed Limits. The evening also recognized the French Consulate's twenty-fifth anniversary in Miami. At the celebration, The Wolfsonian was joined by the Ambassador of France to the United States, His Excellency Pierre Vimont, along with the Canadian, French, and Italian consuls general. To help honor the French Consulate, French performance artist Laurent Moriceau presented Le Vin des Minutes, a not-to-be-missed "wine" performance. The Wolfsonian's coming of age, or Quince, was organized by the newly formed Wolfsonian Visionaries and took place on Friday, November 12 at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The event's chairs were Gingi Beltran, Adrian De Brasi, and Jaime Odabachian. More than three hundred guests enjoyed the sounds of Latin jazz band Conjunto Progreso and DJ Jody McDonald. The weekend culminated with an afternoon-long thank you to the community for supporting the museum for the past fifteen years. The Free Community Open House included guided tours of the neighborhood, access to the exhibitions, and a participatory culinary performance by French artist Laurent Moriceau, Do you moules à Merveilles?
Quince sponsors included Bacardi USA, Inc., Alhambra (Antiques), New Urban Properties, The Webster Miami, Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Ornare USA, Art Nexus; and Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of The Wolfsonian–FIU.
A Very Wolfsonian Weekend sponsors included Northern Trust; French Consulate, Miami; and Other Wine and Spirits. |
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Woodblock, Border designs, 1928–30
Eric Gill (British, 1882-1940)
Wood
The Wolfsonian–FIU, Miami Beach, Florida,
The Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Collection
84.4.558-560 |
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Dennis Doordan, Museum's Inaugural Visiting Scholar
Thanks to support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation,
architectural and design historian Dennis Doordan spent the fall semester at The Wolfsonian as the inaugural Wolfsonian Visiting Scholar. A professor at the University of Notre Dame with joint appointments in the School of Architecture and the Department of Art, Art History, and Design, Doordan is the author of Twentieth Century Architecture and co-editor of the journal Design Issues. His primary activities during the semester have been co-teaching the FIU School of Architecture graduate-level course "Material and Visual Studies of Modernity" with assistant professor David Rifkind and conducting independent research focused on the work of Eric Gill (1882-1940) and the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic. Gill was a British sculptor, typeface designer, engraver, and printmaker and the central force behind the Guild, a group of artists and designers inspired and influenced by Gill. In addition, Doordan has led two sessions of the Working Group on Visual and Material Culture, a group of FIU faculty and museum staff members who meet regularly to discuss matters of common intellectual interest.
"This has been a wonderful experience for me. To come here and be able to focus on my research and my work has been very productive. I've had a lot of fun here doing the things I like—research, teaching, and discussing ideas with diverse groups of people," Doordan says. "I've particularly enjoyed being here on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary. I was here at the beginning [Doordan contributed to The Wolfsonian's inaugural exhibition as a consultant, and also wrote an essay for Designing Modernity: The Arts of Reform and Persuasion, 1885-1945, the exhibition catalog for the exhibition, and has worked on Wolfsonian projects since then], and it is wonderful to know that so many scholars have been here and so much research has been generated. As a research scholar, I really appreciate the impact The Wolfsonian has had on my field in just fifteen short years," he says.
In the classroom, Doordan has consulted with several students on their research projects, which involve selecting and researching objects in the collection. "This has been a very positive educational opportunity for the students. The chance to work with real objects and get behind the scenes at a place like The Wolfsonian is really exciting for them and has an impact on their educational development," Doordan says.
Doordan is in the early stages of a substantial research project on Gill's work. Gill is perhaps best known to most people today as the designer of the Gill Sans typeface, among many others, and a sculptor whose work is in Westminster Cathedral and the BBC building in London. "One of the things that makes Eric Gill so interesting to me as a design historian is that he started out in an Arts and Crafts manner but began to move away from that to explore other ways of designing modern type and modern sculpture," Doordan explains. In addition to several anticipated articles for scholarly journals, Doordan's research will contribute to an online research tool on Gill that the University of Notre Dame is developing to digitize the Gill material in its archive. Doordan explains that The Wolfsonian's holdings include not only include a deep and rich collection of Gill's work, but also a very good amount of Guild material, which allows him to conduct substantial comparative research. "This is giving me a better idea of where Gill fits in the larger picture of English art and design—one of the strengths of The Wolfsonian's collection is the ability to do comparative research," Doordan explains. |
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Photo: Sonja Garnitschnig | |
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Welcoming The Dynamo's New Caterer, Shiraz Events
The Wolfsonian is pleased to announce that it has a new caterer for the museum's café and special events. Shiraz Events is an innovative contemporary event company that provides catering, design, and production of events nationally, with offices in New York and Miami. Events produced by Shiraz include American Ballet Theatre's fall galas, Belvedere's Maceration Launches, the 140th anniversary of Harper's Bazaar, the 100th anniversary of The Plaza, and the Piaget Gold Cup Polo Tournament. Shiraz has renamed the museum's café The Dynamo Cake Factory & Café and introduced a brand-new, creative menu featuring savory and sweet cakes, ranging from chicken curry cake to polenta beef cake to—of course—cupcakes (red velvet is the featured cupcake for the month of December). Other menu items include sandwich specials including the Dynamo meatball sub and a goat cheese and pesto combo on a baguette as well as a daily ½ sandwich and soup special. The café also serves Nespresso cappuccino.
Shiraz is programming a series of special events, many of them family-friendly, such as the October 23 cupcake decorating bash for kids in honor of Halloween. In the works are plans for a regular story time, and the café will be available for customized children's birthday parties. "We love The Wolfsonian and we’re very excited about the new partnership. We love the design of the café and feel that it is a unique and special place. We are honored to complement the café's upscale and relaxing atmosphere with high quality food and coffees," says Yaniv Cohen, vice president and creative director of Shiraz. Shiraz is in the process of applying for permitting to transform the Bridge Tender's House in front of the museum into a cupcake depot and information booth, so stay tuned—we'll keep you informed of programming and other developments as they unfold. The Dynamo Cake Factory & Café's hours are the same as the museum's hours: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from noon to 6pm; Friday from noon to 9pm; and closed on Wednesday. For more information about The Dynamo Cake Factory, contact Michael Phelps, mphelps@shirazdesign.com or 305.535.1457. |
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Wolfsonian Visionary Ashlee Harrison. Photo: Luis Hellmand |
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Talking with Visionaries Member Ashlee Harrison
Ashlee Harrison is director of marketing for DCOTA (Design Center of the Americas). Among other responsibilities, she is involved in the creation of the DCOTA DesignHouse, which this year features installations based on iconic Hollywood movies created by approximately twenty design firms. DesignHouse is on view from January 19 through July 15, 2011. Proceeds from the even benefit three cultural institutions in South Florida, including The Wolfsonian.
How did you come to be involved in this type of work?
I grew up exposed to the arts and design—they were always an influence in my life, partly because my mother is passionate about them. Growing up outside Philadelphia, I had great access to many wonderful collections and museums. I volunteered at the Philadelphia Art Museum when I was younger and I majored in design and art history in college, which has definitely translated into the work I do now.
What role does design play in your everyday life?
Design is my everyday life.
What attracted you to join The Wolfsonian's Visionaries Group?
I have a lot of respect for The Wolfsonian. I find it very accessible, very fresh, and I admire its sense of integrity. Its emphasis on design and the social influence of design really resonates with me. I joined the Visionaries because I was impressed by how dynamic and interesting the group is. I like how it is possible to be so involved with the museum.
What are your goals for being a member of the Visionaries?
On a personal level, I want to grow my awareness of and understanding of design within the community. In terms of the greater community, I feel that a lot of people don't really know what The Wolfsonian is. It is such a gem, and there are not many institutions like it. I hope to help increase community awareness of The Wolfsonian.
What is your favorite object in The Wolfsonian?
That's a tough one. There are certain areas I really respond to, including the industrial objects, the graphic design, and the political campaign imagery. I am very interested in the collection as a whole—there's such breadth, it's so interesting, and it's so unique.
When in life are you most aware of design?
When it makes my life easier. That's the thing about good design. The design of the iPhone is so simple and direct, so easy to understand and to navigate, so rational. That, to me is good design. It's the same thing with my Nespresso coffee machine—I love it because it's so easy, and it's clean and beautiful. Good design is aesthetically pleasing, conceptual, and also functional. |
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Tour participants at the Bacardi Bottling Plant, Mexico City; designed by Félix Candela
Photo: Armando Molina Garcia |
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Travels with The Wolfsonian
A group of several Wolfsonian donors, including members of the museum's advisory board, museum staff members, and contributors to the recently published Mexico theme issue of The Wolfsonian's Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts traveled to Mexico City and Pueblo on a Wolfsonian–Florida International University Alliance excursion from October 26-November 3. The trip focused on visits to significant exhibitions and private collections, with a concentration on decorative, propaganda, and applied arts in The Wolfsonian's time frame of 1885-1945. The tour was led by primarily by James Oles, a specialist in twentieth century Mexican art, senior lecturer the Art Department at Wellesley College, and a contributor to the Mexico theme issue. Segments of the tour were also led by other contributors to the Mexico theme issue and by Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Particular attention was paid throughout the tour to architecture and murals. Examples of just a few excursions (the tour was action packed from morning to night) include: a walking tour of the Centro Histórico concentrating on post-Revolutionary muralism with a viewing of Diego Rivera's first mural (Creation, 1922); a visit to the Ministry of Health, a classical-Deco building designed by Carlos Obregón Santacilia (1925-29) as a keystone project of the post-Revolutionary government, with stained glass windows and a mural cycle by Diego Rivera; the architectural site of Cacaxtla, famous for surviving murals in buildings on a great acropolis that reveal connections between Central Mexican and Maya culture in the eighth century AD; and colonial monuments in Puebla. The trip was organized in part around the Mexican launch and celebration of the Mexico theme issue of the Journal, hosted by Museo Franz Mayer on October 27. The launch included a panel discussion on art and design in twentieth-century Mexico featuring seven contributors to the issue.
"The education was boundless. I couldn't have asked for a better intellectual trip," says participant Suzi Rudd Cohen. A transplanted New Yorker, Rudd Cohen has lived in Miami Beach for about five years and is an active member of the museum's book club. Among the highlights, for her, were visiting Frida Kahlo's family home ("I'll never look at a Frida Kahlo painting the same way again"), touring the Bacardi rum distillery, with the office building (Mies van der Rohe, 1957-61), and bottling plant (Félix Candela, 1960) ("it was absolutely the opposite of what you think of as a factory, with light coming in and shining on the glass bottles"), and Luis Barragán’s elegant Convento de las Capuchinas Sacramentarias ("the light was shining on a pink cross with an orangey wall—it was an emotional slam in the chest"). "Every day was a revelation. I would pack up tomorrow morning and go again, anywhere The Wolfsonian wants to go," she says. "This trip really had an impact on me. I wish that everybody could have had this opportunity."
Wolfsonian donors on the trip were: Gonzalo Acevedo, Rebecca Campbell, Suzi Rudd Cohen, Peter Corsell, Betsy Cragon, Sherwin Goldman, Rei Henriques, Anita Herrick, Sharon Lombard Miller, Joanie and Finlay Matheson, Michele Oka Doner, Phil Scaturro, Sandy Seligman and Gil Glassberg, Sara and Martin Solomon, Sue and Doug Wartzok, and museum founder Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. In addition, the editor of the Mexico theme issue, Lynda Klich, joined the group. Wolfsonian staff members on the trip were Michael Hughes, Marianne Lamonaca, Cathy Leff, Jon Mogul, and David Skipp. |
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Large hand-carved Lucite ram's head cuff, a signature piece from Patricia von Musulin |
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The Dynamo Museum Shop, always a great source for carefully curated, unusual gifts at a range of price points, has ramped up its selection for the holiday season with great choices for all ages and budgets. A new product that is getting rave reviews is the Artecnica Lady in Wonderland candlestick holders ($89), designed by Stephen Johnson. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, these cast iron, matte white holders are fun and whimsical. The white ceramic, anti-war Peaceful Bomb Vase ($52) by Taiwanese designers Owen Chuang and Cloud Lu along with their Hope Helmet Bowl ($180) are deceptively simple—place flowers in the "bomb" or oranges in the "helmet" and observe the thoughts that arise from this unexpected juxtaposition. For that very special someone, the shop just stocked up on several unusual pieces by jewelry designer Patricia von Musulin (rings, bracelets and necklaces, $240-$1,800), known for her powerful originality and for creating jewelry with strong symbolism and psychological associations. Got a very young homemaker in your life? The Welcome Home Dollhouse from Educo ($130) is a clever, well-designed, two-story, wood contemporary home complete with furniture (fleece bean bag chair included), for ages three to eight. For the most colorful MP3 speakers on the block, check out the portable Balloon Speakers designed by Yuen'To ($45). The delicate 3D designs of the Charming Necklaces, designed by Tord Boontje, combine several related charms (plated in either 18K gold or silver) on a cord (beehive, $39; butterfly, $36; deer, $31). Anticipating someone on your gift list having trouble getting back into the routine post-holiday season? The clocky alarm clock ($45) jumps off your nightstand and wheels away from you as it rings and rings…and rings. Along those lines, the tocky MP3 alarm clock ($79) does the same, while playing your favorite MP3s or recorded messages. By the time you roll out of bed to silence the runaway clock, you may as well get up and go to work…or head out for more shopping. For more information: paola@thewolf.fiu.edu or 305.535.2680. |
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| | Going Soon/Coming Soon
• The Wolfsonian hosts a unique version of The Nutcracker on Sunday, December 12 at 2pm. FIU's Amernet String Quartet performs, accompanied by actors from the FIU Department of Theatre, a guest dancer from ROXY Performing Arts Center, and Brian Schriner, dean of the College of Architecture + the Arts making a guest appearance as Dr. Drosselmeyer. Co-presented with the FIU College of Architecture, School of Music and Department of Theatre, and the FIU Hope for Haiti Task Force. For more information: regina@thewolf.fiu.edu or 305.535.2649.
• The next meeting of The Wolfsonian's Visionaries group takes place on Monday, December 13 from 6–8pm at the museum. Anyone interested in joining or in additional information should contact ian@thewolf.fiu.edu or 305.535.2631.
• Racking your brain to come up with juicy resolutions for the new year? We can help. Add this to your list: Join The Wolfsonian's Book Club. Meet one Friday each month to discuss provocative literature related to themes in the museum's collection. Start on Friday, January 7 at 7pm with 97 Orchard: An Edible History of Five Immigrant Families in One New York Tenement, by Jane Ziegelman. For information contact lydia@thewolf.fiu.edu or 305.535.2644. |
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On view in the museum's lobby and auditorium | |
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On view through February 20, 2011 | | | | |  | |
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The Wolfsonian–FIU gratefully acknowledges our current publication, program, and exhibition supporters:
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; the Jerome A. Yavitz Charitable Foundation; the Rockefeller Foundation; FIU Division of Information Technology: University Technology Services; James Woolems and Woolems, Inc.; National Endowment for the Arts; Institute for Museum and Library Services; Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation; Isabel and Marvin Leibowitz; Bulgari; The Batchelor Foundation; Robert Mondavi Winery; Frances L. Wolfson Fund at Dade Community Foundation; The Cowles Charitable Trust; Youth Arts Enrichment Program of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and The Children's Trust, The Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County; Bentley Motors; Braman Motors; FPL FiberNet, a leading provider of fiber-optic solutions; Northern Trust; Tui Lifestyle; Carnival Foundation; Rene Gonzalez Architect; the South Florida Group of Northwestern Mutual; Funding Arts Network; French Consulate, Miami; TotalBank; Other Wine and Spirits; Shiraz Events; Sotheby's; Art Nexus; and The Wolfsonian–FIU Alliance.
The Wolfsonian–FIU thanks the following supporters of the Speed Limits exhibition:
The Wolfsonian–FIU thanks the following supporters of the Speed Limits Celebration and The Wolfsonian Quince:
The Wolfsonian–FIU is proud to receive ongoing support from:
The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; the William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation; Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of The Wolfsonian–FIU; Bacardi USA, Inc.; and Arrowood Vineyards & Winery. 
ePropaganda is published monthly by The Wolfsonian–FIU.© 2010 The Wolfsonian–FIU.
Art Direction: Tim Hossler; Communications Manager: Julieth Dabdoub; Editor: Andrea Gollin; Photographer: Silvia Ros, unless otherwise noted. |
  
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