“Knowing the West” exhibit at Crystal Bridges prompts new ways of thinking
To quote the character Dorothy in the film, The Wizard of Oz, “If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard.” When it comes to seeing fantastic art, Midwest residents can look as close as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. …
To quote the character Dorothy in the film, The Wizard of Oz, “If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard.”
When it comes to seeing fantastic art, Midwest residents can look as close as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Crystal Bridges houses artwork from the 18th century to the present. It includes painting, sculpture, outdoor sculpture, works on paper and Indigenous art
Dr. Mindy Besaw is Director of Research, Fellowships and University Partnerships and is Curator of American Art at Crystal Bridges. She holds a Ph.D. in American Art History from the University of Kansas.
She says Knowing the West is an expansive exhibit incorporating textiles, painting, pottery, sculpture, baskets and beadwork and more from 1785 to the 1930s.
“While the artwork can be 100 years old, the ideas are very relevant today,” Besaw says.
“Anyone who knows the West – whether you know it through the movies and popular culture or perhaps you lived there – there will be something that resonates in this exhibition.”
One work she finds particularly memorable is a small beaded suitcase created by Native American Artist Nellie Two Bears Gates (1854-1935). The beads in the case are a beautiful periwinkle blue with images of roping and wrangling observed on Gates’ reservation at Standing Rock on one side.
The other side is a courting scene including with figures, horses, fires and teepees.
“We also have some wonderful paintings,” she says. “One of these is an expansive vista of the Sierra Nevada Mountains by artist Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902),” Besaw states.
“The painting includes a wide range of details, including an expansive view of the American West and the Rocky Mountains.”
Besaw says Knowing the West can be enjoyed by just about everyone.
“You need no prior knowledge of art to enjoy this exhibition. You can wonder at the details and just be curious and this would satisfy that. You can be a history buff and an art lover. This would satisfy that. You could be a kid. There are hands-on areas where you can do your own drawing and engage with some I-Pads that tell you more about the object. It really is for everyone. No prior knowledge needed.”
Knowing the West runs through January 27th.
“This really is an exhibition unlike anything you’ve seen. Maybe you have a taste of what the American West can look like in art but the wide range of material is not usually in this kind of combination. It really prompts new ways of thinking.”
Crystal Bridges is located at 600 Museum Way in Bentonville. It is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Crystal Bridges trails and grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
The museum will be closed on Christmas Day.
The price for adults is $12. However, people age 18 and under, Indigenous people, veterans and members can enter at no cost.
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