Horizons Fall 2016

15 NSU HORIZONS The museum has now added a third collection, and one supremely relevant for our area: works by Latin American artists. Clearwater calls this art priceless. A bequest from Dr. Stanley and Pearl Goodman brought this vast collection of Mexican and Latin art—with works from Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, Leonora Carrington, Gunther Gerzo, and many others—to the museum. THEN THERE’S THE ART Among other factors Clearwater enunciates in choosing artists to showcase are the words “up-and- coming, diverse, and challenging.” She also emphasizes the word “empathy.” For young people especially, “We need to encourage empathizing with others.” “We find art exhibits conducive to that kind of encouragement,’’ she said. “The ability to empathize with others’ experiences. How would you feel?” Swann learned the importance of that approach when she served as a volunteer during a special event for foster children at the museum. “It was amazing, because we observed these foster kids in a setting that they would not normally have been in,” she said. “I remember one student who was very shy at the beginning, not interested at all. But as soon as we put a project in front of her, she came alive. That little girl had the biggest smile on her face. And by the end of the session, she would not stop talking. She had found something she absolutely loved.” Laura Palmer, vice chair of the museum’s board of governors, sees “very exciting unknowns to come ahead in the partnering of the museum and NSU.” Palmer, a board member for more than a dozen years, was on the search committee that chose Clearwater. In addition “to Bonnie’s role as director and curator, she has taken a development role almost single- handedly,” said Palmer. “The future,” Palmer added, “is as wide as the museum and NSU’s imagination can take us.” n EXHIBITIONS During the past three years, popular exhibitions included ones on Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collec- tion and 20th Century Latin American Art from the Stanley and Pearl Goodman Collection. Two other intriguing showcases were Revolu- tion of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television (noted by Vanity Fair ), which showed how early TV drew heavily on the visual avant-garde, with works by Andy Warhol, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Roy Lichtenstein; and Bellissima: Italy and High Fashion 1945–1968 , which featured garments and accessories by legendary designers that went from fashion to film, influencing women’s styles ever since. This season’s notable offerings include two curated by Clearwater, marking her commit- ment to diversity. The exhibition Belief + Doubt: Selections from the Francie Bishop Good and David Horvitz Collection features contemporary works by more than 60 artists focusing on art by women, as well as African American, Latin American, and South Florida artists; it runs through January 22, 2017. Opening November 23, is the first solo U.S. museum exhibition by Malawi-born artist, author, and filmmaker Kambalu. Still from Moses Burning Bush , by Malawai-born, London-based, contemporary artist Samson Kambalu, part of the exhibition featuring recent films Samson Kambalu: Nyau Cinema; courtesy of the artist and Kate MacGarry, London NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale is located at 1 East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Visit nsuartmuseum.org or call (954) 525-5500. The museum has attracted more than 70,000 patrons during 2016.