An Illustrated Self-Guide to the Phillips

For this Thursday’s Phillips after 5 and Saturday’s 90th Anniversary Birthday Bash, I created an illustrated guide to the museum. Visitors will be given a booklet and pencil to sketch what they see as they experience the museum in a new way. Here are a few pictures of my work space, drawing tools, and images that will be in the booklet:

Work space. Photo: Elizabeth Graeber

Supplies. Photo: Elizabeth Graeber

A page from Elizabeth Graeber's Illustrated Guide to The Phillips Collection. Courtesy of the artist

A Jacob Lawrence-inspired page in Elizabeth Graber's self-guide to the Phillips. Courtesy of the artist

The idea and inspiration for this booklet came from the illustrations I created for this blog as well as a book I recently self-published–An Illustrated Guide to Cocktails–which I”ll be selling in the Museum Shop as part of Thursday evening’s program!

-Elizabeth Graeber, Admissions and Museum Shop Associate/Independent Illustrator

Luncheon of the Pumpkin Party

Photo courtesy of Fred Talcott.

During the museum’s blowout 90th anniversary kickoff weekend this past January, I struck up conversation with a very interesting gentleman named Fred Talcott. Among other things, Mr. Talcott is part of a pumpkin carving group that has a very artistic approach to making jack’o lanterns—see the above rendition of Luncheon of the Boating Party with a Halloween theme! The pumpkin carving festival goes on through mid-day today. For more information on where to see these artsy pumpkins, visit The Holtorf Pumpkin Association’s website. Happy Halloween!

Amanda Jiron-Murphy, In-Gallery Interpretation and Public Programs Coordinator

Left Behind: Lernpark #0799

Massimo Vitalli (Italian, b. 1944), Lernpark #0977, 2001. C-print face mounted behind Plexiglas. The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C. Acquired 2010. Photo: Courtesy of the artist and the Bonni Bernubi Gallery

See Katie’s previous post on the exhibition Left Behind: selected gifts from the Heather and Tony Podesta Collection on view through October 2.

Lernpark #0799 spurred great discussion on my tour of the exhibition Left Behind, a selection of photographs from the Heather and Tony Podesta Collection. A striking photograph by Massimo Vitali, the image shows a view over the Volkswagen factory’s Lernpark, an area where children can drive their own miniature Volkswagen cars.

Visitors and I discussed the image as an investigation of contrasts: the size, bright colors, and whimsy of the cars stand against the large, industrial, brown factory. I questioned the visitors as to what in this image is “left behind.” The factory, as a symbol of work, is left behind for the Lernpark, a place for amusement, one suggested. Another felt that we have abandoned our morals by commodifying children’s play. A third felt that people are left behind — factories have become so mechanized that the only place for humans is in such amusement-focused areas. A seemingly simple photograph, Lernpark #0799 drove discussion as we worked through its many potential meanings.

-Katie Klein, Gallery Educator