OKCMOA presents "Van Gogh's Bedrooms" on March 23

Art Institute of Chicago Curator Gloria Groom, Ph.D. presents "Van Gogh's Bedrooms". (Photo Provided)

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Art Institute of Chicago Curator Gloria Groom, Ph.D. will present "Van Gogh's Bedrooms" at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art on Tuesday, March 23 at 6 pm. Part of the James C. Meade Friends' Lecture series, Dr. Groom's talk will focus on Van Gogh's "The Bedroom," arguably the most famous "chambre" in the history of art.

"We are eager to hear more of Dr. Groom's fascinating research into one of Van Gogh's most iconic images," said Tracy Truels, Director of Learning and Engagement. "Dr. Groom's exhibition, which is currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago, provides a wonderful opportunity to reexamine the meaning behind this master work and its creator."

Van Gogh painted the first version of "The Bedroom," now in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, just after moving into his "Yellow House" in Arles. So important was this composition that after his hospitalization, Vincent returned to this canvas and made two distinct copies: one almost identical and on the same scale, now at the Art Institute of Chicago; and a smaller version, in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, which he made as a gift for his mother and sister.

In this lecture Dr. Groom will offer an insider view of the exhibition "Van Gogh's Bedrooms," which opened for an exclusive run at the Art Institute in February and will close May 10, 2016. She will look at the way these paintings, which will be reunited for the first time ever in North America, fit into the artist's life, and the documentary, scientific, and physical evidence pertaining to all three versions. She will also explore the significance of the motif for Vincent-as refuge, nest, creative chamber, and finally, as a physical reality.

Groom currently serves as the Chair of European Painting and Sculpture and David and Mary Winton Green Curator at the Art Institute of Chicago.

The James C. Meade Friends' Lecture Series supports the Museum's mission of enriching lives through the visual arts. Named for Lifetime Trustee and Friends supporter James C. Meade, the series features internationally recognized speakers, including curators, critics, collectors and cultural figures that engage and educate audiences with current perspectives in the visual arts. 

The lecture is free for Museum members and $5 non-members. Seating is limited; tickets are required for the lecture and will be available at the door. The lecture will be held in the Samuel Roberts Noble Theater at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

About the Oklahoma City Museum of Art:

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art serves over 135,000 visitors annually from all 50 states and more than 30 foreign countries and presents exhibitions drawn from throughout the world. The Museum's collection covers a period of five centuries with highlights in European and American art from the 19th and 20th centuries, a growing collection of contemporary art, and a comprehensive collection of glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly.

The Museum boasts the region's premiere repertory cinema, which screens the finest international, independent and classic films, and is home to the Museum School, which offers classes for students of all ages as well as art camps for children. Amenities include the Museum Store, a roof terrace and the Museum Cafe, a full-service restaurant, offering lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, afternoon tea, a full bar and catering services. For more information, visit okcmoa.com. 

The Gayly - 3/9/2016 @ 10:19 a.m. CST