Join us on February 28 for the second* Verso University exploration of the CT Art Trail with the Yale University Art Gallery. The talk, by John Stuart Gordon, the Benjamin Attmore Hewitt Curator of American Decorative Arts, will focus on the exhibit Sheila Levrant de Bretteville: Community, Activism, and Design, on view from February 16 through June 23, 2024.
*Information about first Yale University Art Gallery talk, on January 31 HERE.
This event will take place in the Komansky Program room on the Library's main level.
Founded in 1832, the Yale University Art Gallery is the oldest university art museum in America. The museum is open to all, free of charge, and is committed to engaging audiences through thoughtful, creative and relevant exhibitions programs, and publications.
About the exhibit:
Sheila Levrant de Bretteville: Community, Activism, and Design is the first exhibition focused on the influential graphic designer, public artist, and educator Sheila Levrant de Bretteville (born 1940, MFA 1964). De Bretteville, who has long championed principles of advocacy and inclusion through her community-based and politically informed work, is well known for her contributions to the field of feminist design and education. The rich array of materials on view in the exhibition is drawn from de Bretteville’s personal archive and highlights pivotal moments in her multifaceted and trailblazing career. De Bretteville served as director of Graduate Studies in Graphic Design at Yale from 1990 to 2022 and is the first woman in the Yale School of Art to be awarded tenure. This monographic exhibition reinforces her role as a quiet leader and visionary role model who has shaped a new generation of graphic design.
About our Verso University presenter:
John Stuart Gordon is the Benjamin Attmore Hewitt Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Yale University Art Gallery. Dr. Gordon attended Vassar College, received an MA from the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture and a PhD from Boston University. He is enthusiastic about all aspects of American decorative arts, in particular design since 1850 and precious metals. His exhibitions for the Gallery include The Architect’s Table: Swid Powell and Postmodern Design (2007–2008), A Nation Reflected: Stories in American Glass (2019), and Gold in America: Artistry, Memory, Power (2022). His publications include A Modern World: American Design from the Yale University Art Gallery, 1920–1950 and American Glass: The Collections at Yale as well as essays in John La Farge’s Second Paradise: Voyages in the South Seas, 1890-1891 (Yale Press), Postmodern Design Complete (Thames and Hudson), A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes (Cooper-Hewitt) and numerous articles. He is currently working on a book about gold in America. In addition to his curatorial work, Dr. Gordon teaches a survey of American silver at Yale.
Image: Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, Women in Design: The Next Decade, 1975. Diazotype. Courtesy Sheila Levrant de Bretteville
***
Each month, Verso University will bring individual curators and/or museum directors, from the CT Art Trail membership to the Library for a deeper dive into that museum’s particular mission and exhibits — past and present. Participants will have an opportunity for deeper learning and gain an insider’s view of the museums, their collections and history, along with an invitation for an on-site visit. The Connecticut Art Trail is a nationally recognized partnership between 23 world-class museums and historic sites, created to promote Connecticut’s rich cultural assets.
Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.
Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.
