Beach Museum of Art offers virtual exhibitions of Gordon Parks, Doug Barrett installations
Monday, Dec. 6, 2021
This 2017 gelatin silver print of Gordon Parks' "Mrs. Jefferson," taken in 1950, is a gift to Kansas State University from the photographer and the Gordon Parks Foundation. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Two gallery exhibitions at Kansas State University’s Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art are now available online as virtual exhibitions.
The virtual exhibitions complement the Beach Museum of Art's "Gordon Parks: Homeward to the Prairie I Come" and "Doug Barrett: Find Your Voice" installations and can be enjoyed at beach.k-state.edu/explore. Each virtual exhibition is offered with a 3D touring option and with special features created by Luke Dempsey, the museum's technology lead.
"We're excited to offer these virtual installations, which are accessible to viewers from anywhere in the world and convenient for anyone to enjoy," said Linda Duke, Beach Museum of Art director. "You'll never miss another show because of distance, weather, mobility challenges or simply a busy schedule."
The virtual installations have interactive opening screens with significant images from the exhibitions. Viewers may hover over an image to bring up related images from each thematic section. Small icons alongside the images allow access to the object's label with additional details about the artwork. Viewers may also access the special sections of text and poetry included throughout both exhibitions.
In addition to dynamic presentations of the artworks and written information in the two exhibitions, the virtual versions allow online visitors to roam the galleries at will, with the ability to stop, turn or even step near for a close look. These 3D tours were made possible by The Alms Group, a Manhattan-based realty firm with a philanthropic mission to support education. An Alms Group cameraman used Matterport technology to video capture the actual gallery spaces.
The Parks exhibition features photographs donated by the artist to K-State in 1973. It was the first time that the artist personally curated a set of photographs to donate to a public institution, a kind of self-portrait directed toward the home crowd.
Barrett is a photographer and videographer based in Manhattan. His work demonstrates how Parks continues to inspire contemporary artists. Barrett's first museum solo exhibition features three series: "Homeless Veteran Project," "Yuma Street" and "George Floyd Protest." Barrett wrote the text that accompanies each of his photos.
More information on the Parks and Barrett gallery exhibition is available at k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2021-09/Gordon-parks-doug-barrett9121.html.
Along with viewing the virtual exhibitions, don't miss these upcoming related events:
• "Let's Talk Art: Considering the Dance Film 'Martin' by Gordon Parks," a virtual event with dance historian Theresa Ruth Howard at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Register at ksu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JF9HYpGYQri6_x3KGWwdrA. This event is organized in collaboration with the Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College, Fort Scott, Kansas, which offers two programs at the Ellis Fine Arts Center Theater: a dance tribute to "Martin"by the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, and a screening of "Martin" at1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. Check the Gordon Parks Museum website for details.
• "Art Matters Now: Three Artists Reflect: Terence Blanchard, Andrew Scott and Kevin Willmott" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in McCain Auditorium. Admission is free and no ticket is required.
• "Presence of Absence: Gordon Parks Through an Empathic Lens," Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective in concert, with a dynamic projected stage set by K-State students under the direction of Andrew Scott and Mathew Gaynor at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, 2022, at McCain Auditorium. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Obtain tickets at the auditorium or online at mccain.k-state.edu.
• The Beach Film Club also will offer virtual discussions, one on African American short films in February and one on the movie "Shaft," directed by Gordon Parks, in April. Dates for both events, which will start at 7:30 p.m., will be announced.
The museum is at 701 Beach Lane on the southeast corner of the K-State campus. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Free parking is available adjacent to the building. To catch a livestream event or view exhibitions online, go to beach.k-state.edu/explore, or watch videos of the museum's special programs and events on its YouTube channel, beach.k-state.edu/videos. For calendar of events in the Art in Motion annual program series visit beach.k-state.edu/calendar.
