*Tickets will be available for members on 11/11 at 11 AM and nonmembers on 11/18 at 11 AM.
This winter, revisit three pivotal moments in American history through newly considered perspectives. These live, online talks highlight key periods that had a significant impact on American society, including our nation’s artistic communities. Participants will have an opportunity to view examples of contemporary art produced in these periods and hear how the ICA, through its 90-year history of artistic leadership and stewardship, fits into a broader narrative of America.
These presentations will feature guest speakers from the ICA, U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, and more.
Registration for this online series is required in order to receive web links. Presentations will be live on Zoom and will not be recorded. Registration includes all three live sessions. Zoom links will be sent the morning of each online session.
Focus
Week 1: Feb 2, WWII and the Exit of Modernism
How does a significant generational event impact a recently formed art museum in Boston? Get a glimpse of the intersection between art and military history in WWII from Corine Wegener, a retired U.S. Army Reserve officer and founding director of the Smithsonian’s Cultural Rescue Initiative and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield. Wegener is regarded as a 21st Century Monuments Woman for her accomplishments protecting cultural objects and heritage. ICA’s Barbara Lee Chief Curator Ruth Erickson follows Wegener’s presentation with examples of how the ICA was transformed during and immediately after the war.
Week 2: Feb 9, Effects of Industrial Expansion
The end of WWII expanded the global economy at fever pitch. Many American families and industries witnessed spurts of economic prosperity, abundance, and consumption after the war. Artists were not immune to this post-war economic boom and the opportunities and conditions it created for them and others. Learn from ICA Assistant Curator Tessa Bachi Haas how artists and the ICA made sense of this unique period starting in the 1950s and how cultural production shifted in a new direction by the ’60s and ’70s.
Week 3: Feb 23, 1980-90s Culture Wars
In the 1980s and early 1990s, art and progressive culture, and deeply held values of expressive freedom, became targets as religious and political conservatism were on the rise. From public debates around Salman Rushdie’s publication of his Satanic Verses (1988) to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” song and video (1989), art and culture entered a period of widespread contestation and censorship. Hear from ICA Mannion Family Curator Jeffrey De Blois how the ICA stepped into the national conversation on censorship through its highly anticipated participation in a travelling exhibition featuring the photographic works of Robert Mapplethorpe—The Perfect Moment (1990).
