Stream "Know the Score" featuring Daniel Heyman

If you missed Iowa Public Radio's powerful Dec. 5 "Know the Score" program, which featured UIMA visiting artist Daniel Heyman and others in a panel discussion about torture, worry no longer. You can now stream the program online at IPR's website. This program was completely gripping and worth another listen.

Deaccessioning -- Who makes the rules?

This article from the New York Times is particularly interesting in light of this summer's events surrounding the possible sale of the UIMA's celebrated Abstract Expressionist masterpiece, Mural, by Jackson Pollock. Check out these old posts for more information: Michael Judge on Pollock; Pollock Furor; Mural will not be sold.

UI Painting Professor Recieves Award

Congratulations are in order for UI Painting Professor Susan Chrysler White, who has received a $25,000 grant. The UI's painting program is one of the top in the nation. Below you will find the University News Service Release.

UI painting and drawing professor receives Mitchell Foundation grant

University of Iowa faculty member Susan Chrysler White was awarded a $25,000 Joan Mitchell Foundation 2008 Painters and Sculptors Grant. The grant will be used to enhance her studio and develop new work.

The nonprofit foundation supports painters and sculptors who create exceptional work, who are under-recognized for their artistic achievements, and whose career would benefit from the grant. The foundation was established honor of painter Joan Mitchell, a leading New York City abstract expressionist who died in 1992.

White is an associate professor of painting and drawing in the School of Art and Art History, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She holds an M.F.A. from the University of California at Davis. Her work has been showcased at numerous art museums, and reviewed in ARTFORUM, Art in America, Art News, and Arts Magazine.

A panel of prominent curators, art educators and artists judged images of the nominees' work through an anonymous process. Application was by nomination only.

Click here to go to the UNS page.

Daniel Heyman exhibition EXTENDED to Jan. 18

The University of Iowa Museum of Art (UIMA) will extend the run of the current exhibition Eye Witness: Daniel Heyman's Portraits of Iraqi Torture Victims through Jan. 18.

The show, which is on display in the Old Capitol Museum's Hanson Family Humanities Gallery on the UI Pentacrest (map), had been slated to close Jan. 4. The two-week extension provides additional viewing opportunities, as the Old Capitol Museum will be closed for maintenance Dec. 22 through Jan. 5.

Heyman, a Philadelphia-based artist, has used his recent work to address human rights issues surrounding the Iraqi war. Since 2006 he has traveled to the Middle East on multiple occasions with a team of lawyers to witness interviews with former Iraqi detainees. Drawing on these first-hand experiences, he created spare, expressionistic portraits of more than 25 released prisoners of all ages, occupations and backgrounds, telling their stories by inscribing their words in the space surrounding their figures. Visit Heyman's website for more information on his work.

Heyman recently visited the UI to speak with classes and participate in several free, public events. See these previous blog entries for more information on Heyman's visit:
* "UIMA on 'Know the Score LIVE!'"
* "Gallery Talk: Daniel Heyman"
* "Eye Witness Exhibition on display"
* "Daniel Heyman's Visit"

Gazette archive blog features UIMA

I just stumbled on this new blog from The Gazette that showcases archive issues of the newspaper. They must have posted this link to a cover story about the opening of the UIMA in conjunction with today's big post-flood feature story. Very cool! It's great to get those archives up online where people can see them.

-- Maggie Anderson, UIMA Marketing and Media Manager

How the Univ. of Iowa Saved its art collection

A wonderful article about the rescue of the UIMA's collection, written by Diane Heldt, is featured on The Gazette's homepage today. It's accompanied by a short video by Michael Barnes that really captures the feel of the UIMA's current exhibition, Eye Witness: Daniel Heyman's Portraits of Iraqi Torture Victims.

Here's just a taste of the story, titled "How the Univ. of Iowa saved its art collection":

"So it has come to this, Jeff Martin thought.

"Removing an art collection from its home is a major undertaking. Packing precious works and loading them onto trucks, seeing a museum stripped of life and left with bare walls is unsettling.

"But the alternative on this Monday, June 9, was much worse. Martin, manager of exhibitions and collections at the University of Iowa Museum of Art, knew this.

"The nearby Iowa River was rising, higher and faster than anyone expected."

Read the rest of the article online.

Gazette Flood Anniversary coverage

This week the Cedar Rapids Gazette is rolling out a series of stories commemorating the 6-month anniversary of the flood. Keep an eye out for Wednesday's paper -- Diane Heldt's story about the UIMA is slated to appear then.

In the mean time, here are some other arts-related flood anniversary stories:

* "STATE OF THE ARTS: Area arts organizations in various stages of recovery"
* "State of the arts -- 6 months after the flood"
* "Getting back to business harder than it sounded"
* "Eastern Iowa cities still hobbled by flood"
* "The face of flood's frustration"
* "Half of flooded Univ. of Iowa buildings back in use"
* "Iowa City, Coralville making progress, but questions remain"

Flood documentary

I haven't had a chance to watch these yet, but they look interesting -- the Big Ten Network has put out a series of YouTube videos on the Flood of 2008. I'm guessing the UIMA will make an appearance of some sort.

Vid. #1:


Vid. #2:


Vid. #3:


Vid. #4:


--Maggie Anderson, UIMA Marketing and Media Manager

UIMA on "Know the Score LIVE!"

Artist Daniel Heyman and UIMA curator Kathleen Edwards participated in a broadcasted panel discussion on Iowa Public Radio’s "Know the Score LIVE!" Friday evening. The two discussed the artwork in the Eye Witness exhibit with host Joan Kjaer, as well as panel participant Joshua Casteel, a UI Playwrights Workshop and Nonfiction Writing Program student who served as a military interrogator at Abu Ghraib and has written a play and a nonfiction book about his experiences there. Heyman, Edwards, and Casteel each presented their perspectives on how art can respond to political and human rights issues.

During the second hour of the program, UI Professor Paul Kramer (author, The Blood of Governments: Race, Empire, the United States, and the Philippines, 2006), Nancy Pearson, director of the New Tactics in Human Rights Project for the Center for Victims of Torture, and former U.S. State Department Attorney-Advisor Damon Terrill discussed governmental and systematic approaches to the issue of torture and how change can be made.

Overall, the dialogue offered valuable insight into the disturbing prevalence of the United States’ torture practices, deepening the discourse that Heyman brings about with his portraits.

Gallery Talk: Daniel Heyman

As part of his two-day visit to Iowa City, Daniel Heyman gave a lecture about his work in the Eye Witness exhibition on Thursday night. In the Old Capitol Senate Chamber, the artist spoke about the development of his art in addressing issues of torture at Abu Ghraib, as well as his personal experiences meeting the former detainees and listening to their stories.



Heyman said he was driven to devote his artwork to the topic after he saw Seymour Hersh’s article in The New Yorker in 2004.

“It really struck me, as an American,” Heyman said in his lecture, “the idea that this war was such a failure from the American ideal.”

After Heyman’s presentation, the audience asked questions and toured the exhibit with the artist.

Heyman will also participate in a broadcasted panel discussion on Iowa Public Radio’s “Know the Score LIVE!,” tonight at the Old Capitol from 5-7 p.m. Other panel participants include UI Playwrights Workshop and Nonfiction Writing Program student Joshua Casteel (author, Letters From Abu Ghraib, 2008), UI Professor Paul Kramer (author, The Blood of Governments: Race, Empire, the United States, and the Philippines, 2006), Nancy Pearson, director of the New Tactics in Human Rights Project for the Center for Victims of Torture, and former U.S. State Department Attorney-Advisor Damon Terrill.

The panel is free and open to the public, so make sure to attend to hear what will undoubtedly be a thought-provoking discussion on art, human rights, and current political issues.

Eye Witness exhibit on display in Old Capitol until Jan. 18

If you haven’t seen the UIMA’s current exhibition, Eye Witness: Daniel Heyman’s Portraits of Iraqi Torture Victims, located in the Old Capitol, make sure to stop by before the show ends on Jan. 18.

The exhibit presents watercolors and prints made during the artist’s time in Amman, Jordan and Istanbul, Turkey, where he created portraits of former Iraqi detainees who were victims of torture in Abu Ghraib.



After seeing the photographs from Abu Ghraib that surfaced to the American public in 2004, Heyman became determined to use his art to restore the human identities of the released prisoners. In swirling lines of text around the Iraqis’ faces, Heyman transcribed verbatim the accounts he heard while listening to the former detainees' testimonies with U.S. lawyer Susan Burke. The end result is artwork that has the power to communicate these people’s stories through their own voices and return the dignity that was taken from them through physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Read more about the exhibit in the press articles that were published after the exhibit’s opening in November:

The Gazette, “Daniel Heyman’s ‘Eyewitness’ exhibit at UI publicizes torture victims’ stories”

The Des Moines Register, “Abu Ghraib portraits draw on interviews”

The Daily Iowan, “Heyman’s artwork face to face with the heart of darkness”

The Iowa City Press Citizen, “Not all art is just pretty to look at”

Corridor Buzz, Review: “Setting Enhances Searing Portrayal of Torture Victims”

Little Village, "Freedom Through the Press"

Daniel Heyman's visit

Philadelphia artist Daniel Heyman's first stop on his visit to the UI campus was speaking with Professor Julie Hochstrasser's "History of Prints" class this morning.



Daniel has incredible stories to tell -- don't forget to stop by his artist's talk TODAY at 4 p.m. in the Old Capitol Museum's Senate Chamber to hear for yourself!

More thoughts on Daniel's visit coming soon...

UIMA Store SALE!

Don't forget to stop by the UIMA store sale today until 7 p.m. at the Studio Arts Building, 1375 Highway 1 West, Iowa City!



We've got some great merchandise for sale -- t-shirts, jewelry, art posters, books, etc. Great for Christmas presents. Things are going really fast, so if you can, try to make it out today. We'll be open again tomorrow from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. to sell what's left.