UM Museum to Launch Docent Tours in New Building
MISSOULA – Less than one week after officially opening its new facility, the Montana Museum of Art and Culture will kick off regular Docent Tours of the Permanent Collection and its new facility starting Oct. 3.
The MMAC’s 17,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is the first permanent home for the MMAC holdings, the largest and deepest collection of art in Montana.
Docent Tours will run from noon to 12:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays – save for Griz football game days – and focus on highlights from the museum’s Permanent Collection.
The MMAC also will offer Special Docent tours focused on specific themes within the Permanent Collection from 2 to 2:50 p.m. on Friday. Special Docent tours for October are:
- 6: Mary Engstrom, “The Backstory: Two Artistic Legacies”
This tour focuses on Fra Dana and Rudy Autio, two iconic Montana artists and their professional lineages. Of different generations, both shared a mission of artistic exploration and innovation and cultivated creative communities around them. This tour provides an opportunity to discuss the backstories of these two significant artists.
- 13: Cay Drew, “Listening to Art: a Sense of Sound”
Works of art communicate more than just visual ideas or challenges. They can provoke multiple senses, including sound. In this tour, participants will "listen” to works from the Permanent Collection that span many centuries, genres and media. Through observation and conversation, participants will discuss how artists often create a multisensory experience to communicate sound.
- 20: Jean Belangie-Nye: “Amphora to Autio: the Evolution of Ceramics”
This tour is an examination and discussion of the changes in attitudes toward ceramics over the centuries and the acceptance of ceramics as an art form. Visitors will explore important work from an ancient Greek amphora and a 15th-century Italian vase – all the way to works of 20th-century masters.
- 27: Rosella Mosteller: “Warp and Weft: Photographic Narrative”
A discussion of the fabric of photography could begin with the “warp” of light woven with the “weft” of narrative. This tour, focused on masterpieces of photography in the Permanent Collection, allows visitors to see the best photographs, both descriptive or abstract, as “weaving” these two important elements.
- 3: Dolly Browder: “Leading the Way: Women Artists in Montana”
Female artists in Montana inspired countless artists in their genres. This tour discusses the importance of a group of pivotal artists, their backgrounds, techniques and personal statements, as well as the sociopolitical atmosphere of their time. Highlighting the work of these women artists rebuilds a more balanced history that supports all artists.
No reservations are needed for Docent Tours, which are free of charge. For more information, call Dagny Walton at 406-243-2019 or email dagny.walton@mso.umt.edu.
Editor's note: The new 17,000 square-foot MMAC building opened to the public in September. The privately funded project is made possible by the generosity of many donors, including a contribution of $12.5 million from longtime UM donors Patt and Terry Payne.
###
Contact: H. Rafael Chacón, director, UM Montana Museum of Art and Culture, 406-243-2019, hrafael.chacon@umont