More than any single living cartoonist, Dean Haspiel has presented slivers and full looks at both his life and others through his work. The master of the “semi-autobio” comic, Dean has presented his life directly in Opposable Thumbs, partially in Street Code, and through the lens of a fictitious avatar in his successful comic book and digital strip Billy Dogma. Dean’s work has also graced the biographies of authors Harvey Pekar (American Splendor), Jonathan Ames (The Quitter), and Inverna Lockpez (Cuba). This presentation chronicles the cartoonist from his early days as an assistant in the industry to his current position as a digital comics pioneer.
Archives
Leaping Tall Buildings: The Origins of American Comics
Irving performs a reading of his book with Seth Kushner, accompanied with a slideshow of comic book creator portraits that starts with Captain America co-creator Joe Simon and ending with emerging comics talent. Irving conveys verbal snippets of the history of the American comic book, straight from the mouths of the creators themselves. Subjects include Stan Lee (Marvel Comics, Spider-Man), Frank Miller (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns), Art Spiegelman (Maus), Chris Ware (Building Stories), Harvey Pekar (American Splendor), and Dennis O’Neil (Batman).
It’s Your Art
Docents and members of the Council of VMFA take the museum into the community by presenting a very visual introduction to its history, services and facilities. Speakers interpret images from the permanent collection and preview coming exhibitions. Service clubs, church fellowships, women’s clubs and senior citizen groups will find that this FREE program at your location provides an excellent enrichment program and prepares the audience to visit VMFA, a world-class museum that belongs to all Virginians.
That’s (Not) All Folks: Classic Cartoons and Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics to animal or non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts. Examples include animals, plants and forces of nature such as winds, rain or the sun depicted as creatures with human motivations, and/or the abilities to converse. The word derives from the combination of the Greek words for “human” and “shape” or “form.” Anthropomorphism is also referred to as “personification.” It is strongly associated with art and storytelling, where it has ancient roots. Most cultures possess a long-standing fable tradition with anthropomorphized animals as characters that can stand as commonly recognized types of human behavior. Many of the stereotypes of animals that are recognized today, such as a proud lion, can be traced to ancient fables, stories that impart a moral or practical lesson and usually feature animals. This lecture links those traditions with Classic Cartoons, including Looney Tunes, Mickey Mouse and the Pink Panther.
Printing on the Kitchen Table
This lecture covers four distinct “low tech” printing processes that are fun, easy and produce amazing prints. Ms. Belle will discuss how to adapt these techniques for classroom application by addressing the issues of practicality, cost, the “messiness factor”, low cost supply alternatives and age appropriateness. Physical examples of supplies and prints will be examined and a handout with pertinent highlights is included for easy recall. This lecture can include a hands-on element if desired.
Worth the White
The color white remains a significant, yet often overlooked, color in art. White serves to highlight, delineate, enhance, and emphasize within a multitude of mediums. This visual presentation examines the invaluable use of white in a variety of works – from quilts to Rothko.
What a Relief: How Prints are Made
Join artist and the Thomas C. Gordon Jr. Director of the VMFA Studio School Mary Holland as she shares examples of original relief prints from her extensive print collection. She will also show the step-by-step process of image design, transfer, carving the plate, inking the plate, and printing. The history of relief prints, the oldest method of the printmaking processes, will be covered. This is a great lecture/demonstration for students, artists, and people who want to learn more about how art is created.
Enrollment limit: 20
Stranger than Fiction: Great Art Heists in History
Discover what Japanese gangsters, bear spray and daring boat getaways have in common with noteworthy art thefts. In this lecture, you will travel the globe learning why museums from Amsterdam to Zimbabwe have been targets for thieves and what tools they used to elude detection. Find out who got caught…and who did not
Art Looted in the Nazi Era: An Opening Journey to Resolution
Issues of looted art and restitution, particularly of art misappropriated during the World War II era, continue to be very prevalent topics in art news coverage and remain important concerns for museums worldwide. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Karen Daly provides a historical overview of art looting in the Nazi era and the subsequent response of the museum community. Furthermore, she considers how recovery and restitution efforts have evolved to the present day including a discussion of VMFA’s experiences in resolving two art restitution claims.
Faking it – a Look at the History of Art Forgery
The motives behind forging art are simple. Art objects are often worth a great deal of money, and those who want to buy them can’t always recognize the difference between an original and an imitation. Some of the most interesting and outrageous episodes in the history of collecting art have been instigated by forgers and their victims. This lecture outlines forgery from ancient Rome until modern times. Recounted are scandals involving artists as famous as Michelangelo, and stories of forgers who bested some of the great collectors and museums of modern times.