An American Journey: The Life and Photography of James Presley Ball – Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Hi everybody! I thought as a special gift since I have been slightly behind schedule on getting posts out that I would treat you to a short, but great blog on a small, but terrific exhibit at my home museum Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.

James P. Ball

Proving that museums can make great exhibits out of small galleries, An American Journey: The Life and Photography of James Presley Ball is an exhibit of only about 500 square feet that delivers unprecedented exhibitry regarding the life and times of a middle class African American from the nineteenth century. The exhibit “invites you to explore the United States during a turbulent and fascinating century through” Ball’s lens, and it does not disappoint.

From the lobby you can see props that would have been common in a photographer’s studio during the Victorian era. There is a beautiful chair, and – my favorite – the head brace to hold your head still during exposure as to not produce a blurred image.

This pint-sized exhibition teaches that Louis Daguerre introduced the Daguerreotype in 1839, and that it was only one of many options in early photography. This exhibit is full of daguerreotypes, photo albums, and Carte de Visites that even First Lady Lincoln was known to have collected. You even learn that Ball took one of the most prominent images of Frederick Douglass during a visit to Cincinnati by Douglass in 1869.

Frederick Douglass

The Cincinnati Museum Center has an extensive J. P. Ball and Partners Photograph Collection of over 400 images by Ball, Alexander Thomas, and other partners. Of course we couldn’t put the entire collection on display, so there is a monitor with images that were unable to put into the exhibit rotating so you can see even more great photography from the Ball studio.

My Professional Opinion –

This is a no brainer. The exhibit is FREE and makes an amazing companion exhibit to America I AM: The African American Imprint. The exhibit is well laid out in a single loop format and does not overwhelm you by trying to put more into the space than needs to be to adequately tell this riveting story; nor is the exhibition just “old pictures.” Photography shop props and other artifacts help add texture to the narrative of this great African American Cincinnatian.

Did you want to see it while you visit America I AM? Well you’d better hurry. An American Journey: The Life and Photography of James Presley Ball closes Sunday, October 24, 2010. (Yet, America I AM will be around until January 2, 2011.)

Website: http://www.cincymuseum.org/explore_our_sites/special_exhibits_events/current_exhibits/Ball.asp

Twitter: @cincymuseum

 

Textural Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition – National Underground Railroad Freedom Center – Cincinnati, Ohio

If you were looking for a post on the newest exhibit to open at Cincinnati Museum Center, America I AM: The African American Imprint, well, you have to either come see it yourself, or wait until August. This week, I want to highlight another new exhibit that recently opened in Cincinnati at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

On June 15, 2010 the NURFC opened Textural Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition, Contemporary African American Quilts. This makes my second visit to the NURFC, and to be invited to write about an exhibit is really a big deal to me.

Textural Rhythms Banner

So, I put on a brand new shirt, sport coat, and drove over to the beautiful riverfront facility. When I arrived not only did I have a pre-printed nametag, but also it actually identified me as a blogger, and came with a lapel pin. Stoked? Absolutely! I headed upstairs just in time to hear Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi the exhibit’s curator share her thoughts about the exhibit. Her passion about the exhibit and viewpoint of the quilts as “cultural documents” is evident when she is speaking. The exhibition has been traveling for two and a half years, and is an interpretation in fabric of a jazz group, song, or artist. The quilts were made by the Women of Color Quilters Network, a group founded by Dr. Mazloomi. Their mission is “to foster and preserve the art of quilt making among women of color.” So I knew before stepping into the exhibit that this wasn’t going to be any run-of-the-mill quilt exhibit.

The first thing I noticed when entering the gallery is the familiar video introduction done by the Interpretive Services Manager and the Museum’s Curator. The video, like the one for Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America set the tone for the exhibition. The first few quilts I encountered supported my theory that these weren’t the traditional Amish quilts I was familiar with exhibiting. Many of the quilts throughout the exhibition are made from not just one or two media, but many! Some have cotton, rayon, and silk, but many have three-dimensional attributes like beads, and small antique items that help visually communicate the artist’s vision.

While the 3000 square foot floor plan remained the same from Without Sanctuary, when I reached the former breathing room I realized that it had been transformed! Gone were the tissues and sparse walls, they have been replaced by more amazing artwork, and instead of a quiet experience, upbeat music fills your ears as you make your way through the exhibition.

Linda Gray's "Tribal Melody"

Out of the 68 quilts in the exhibition, some of the most awesome quilts in the exhibition are Rosalyn Thomas’ “Cotton Club” and, Indianapolis artist Linda Gray’s “Tribal Melody” is vibrant, full of color, and does not follow the traditional square or rectangle quilt formula. The advancements in jazz by women such as Etta James and Billie Holiday are articulated in a piece entitled “Thirty-Eight Women in Jazz.” All of the pieces articulate a different element. While some project rhythm, others mood, others promote celebration. Looking for local connections? Of course! Many of the quilts were created by members of the WCQN living and working right here in Cincinnati!

My professional opinion –

After seeing such a powerful exhibit months before, and returning to see this, I urge you to check it out! Having had an exhibit in my career on Amish quilts from the great Amish Communities of Northern Indiana, and now seeing this, this exhibit is not you’re mother’s quilt exhibit! As Dr. Mazloomi said, the “Quilts have jumped off the bed and onto the wall.” The exhibit is exciting, well laid out, and well worth the ticket price. The exhibit is currently open to the public until August 14, 2010 so you don’t have a lot of time to see it, and the new riverfront parking garage is open so parking to visit the Freedom Center is easy!

"Satchmo"

Credits:

I would like to thank Rhonda, Dina, Katie, Richard, and the entire crew at THE National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for making me feel welcomed, and special thanks to Jamie for the invite! I look forward to working with you all soon!

For more information:

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Website: http://www.freedomcenter.org Twitter: @freedomcenter

Women of Color Quilter’s Network

http://www.wcqn.org/index.html

Dr. Carolyn L. Mazloomi

http://www.carolynlmazloomi.com/index.html