Posts tagged with "Artifacts"

Speedway Motors illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Speedway Motors Museum × Darryl Starbird

Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed & Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame Announce Merger

Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed and Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame announced their merger at Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Show in Tulsa, Olka.

“Darryl Starbird is one of the most prolific custom car builders and an artist who was consistently able to gain national recognition for his creations. His customs have been showcased in all of the popular car magazines for decades. This would have been difficult for any builder, but it was even harder to achieve for someone located in the Midwest. His car creations feature a space age futuristic style that people find exciting and memorable. He is certainly king of the bubble top, and like Toad in American Graffiti explains, any car as good as Starbird’s Superfleck Moonbird has to be amazing!” said Tim Matthews Curator, Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed. “Custom car fans now have two places to see Starbird’s fabulous creations.”

Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed, located in Lincoln, Neb., is home to over 150,000 square feet of display space over three levels. The museum was formed to present a continuous chronology of automotive Racing Engine and Speed Equipment development and to preserve, interpret and display items significant in racing and automotive history. Founded in 1992 by “Speedy” Bill and Joyce Smith, the collection results from their personal involvement in racing and hot rodding, and their lifelong passion for collecting and preserving racing an automotive history over the past 100 years.

“In addition to the collection the Smiths have built over the years the museum has also been the recipient of many generous donations from vehicles to important artifacts in racing and automotive history,” Matthews added. “The relationships continue to lead us to opportunities to acquire important pieces furthering our mission to preserve, interpret and display items significant in our industries history.”

The museum is currently home to four Darryl Starbird vehicles including the Li’l Coffin Car originally built by Dave Stuckey and restored by Starbird. The museum also features many other displays including the largest collection of vintage pedal cars, gas-powered miniature race cars, automobile themed toys, fine art, lunchboxes and more.

“Having my work on display at Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed has allowed it to be appreciated by even more people,” said Darryl Starbird, Founder of Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame. “Our conversations started over 15 years ago and I’m pleased to officially announce the merger giving fans two places to see my collection.”

Located in Afton, Okla. Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame is the home of over 50 one-of-a-kind full size exotic vehicles, including twenty-five of his own creations on display, as well as automotive artwork, photographs and auto memorabilia displayed throughout the 40,000 square foot facility.

The museum is also home to the National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame. Every year in June an anniversary celebration is held to recognize and induct two additional custom and rod builders into the National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame.

For more information about Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Hall of Fame please visit their website.

For more information about Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed, museum hours or displays visit their website.

About Speedway Motors Inc

Speedway Motors is a proud supporter of the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed. Known as America’s Oldest Speed Shop, Speedway Motors was founded in 1952 by “Speedy” Bill and Joyce Smith. Their four sons Carson, Craig, Clay and Jason continue to run the family-owned business.

Speedway Motors is a manufacturer, retailer and distributor of high-quality automotive parts and racing products. Since 1952, Speedway Motors has been committed to providing a broad selection of high-quality, affordable automotive parts—delivered quickly, efficiently and without any hassles. Their products and expert advice are available to customers by calling 1.800.979.0122, online or at retail stores in Lincoln, Neb. and Tolleson, Ariz.

About Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed

The Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed is a federally recognized 501 (c) (3) private foundation located in Lincoln, Neb. Founded in 1992 by “Speedy” Bill and Joyce Smith, the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed was formed to present a continuous chronology of automotive Racing Engine and Speed Equipment development and to preserve, interpret and display items significant in racing and automotive history.

About Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame

The National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame located in Afton, Okla. is set up as a national 501 (c) (3) nonprofit foundation & is a nationally recognized tribute to the leading street rod and custom car builders throughout the country.

Photo Credit:  Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed

Art in the Garden illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Calling All Art-Fanatics!

Calling All Art-Fanatics: 18 Exciting Art Happenings Across the Country

Destinations News:

California

  • Presidio “My Park Moment” Photo Contest: The Presidio in San Francisco has launched “My Park Moment” photo contest, where the public can submit a photo of their favorite park memory through May 28—a family picnic, a camping trip, their last hike in the Presidio or anything else they love to do in their favorite park. This fall, approximately 400 photos will be selected for a free and family-friendly outdoor photo show at the future home of the Presidio Tunnel Tops. Debuting in spring 2022, the Presidio Tunnel Tops project, comprising 14 acres of new national park land—will be an iconic “must see” San Francisco destination. 
  • LACMA Partners with Snapchat: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and Snapchat recently debuted the “Monumental Perspectives” experience, which brings together artists and technologists to create virtual monuments that explore some of the histories of local communities in an effort to highlight perspectives from across the region. Visitors can experience the augmented reality monuments online or at site-specific locations across Los Angeles including LACMA’s Wilshire Boulevard campus, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and more. 
  • Napa Wrap Art and Art Walk: Napa Wrap Art is a new outdoor public art project debuting this spring, featuring transformed utility boxes into works of art around Downtown Napa. Thirteen regional artists were selected to create diverse designs that provide an opportunity to turn ordinary objects into something special that both locals and visitors can enjoy. Later this summer, Downtown Napa will welcome a new rotation of the Napa Art Walk sculptures – a true outdoor treasure hunt for art that is a perfect activity for kids of all ages. 
  • Desert X: The third installment of the internationally acclaimed biennial desert art exhibition returned in 2021 through May 16. The 2021 Desert X artist lineup includes a diverse group of 13 artists ranging from locals like Kim Stringfellow to international representatives like Zahrah Alghamdi. Visitors can explore new outdoor art installations across the desert region for an exciting socially distant experience.

Texas

  • San Antonio’s McNay Art Museum just opened Limitless! Five Women Reshape Contemporary Art, which includes an ever-popular infinity mirror room installation. San Antonio Museum of Art opened No Ocean Between Us, featuring art from Latin American artists of Asian descent, while the Briscoe Western Art Museum will open Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western in time for Memorial Day Weekend.
  • Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts completes a decade-long campus redevelopment project. Opened to the public in late 2020, the building finishes a trio of spaces that make up one of the largest art museums in the country. On the first floor is a black-box gallery dedicated to immersive installations. Second-floor galleries highlight photography, decorative arts, prints and drawings, and the top floor features thematic exhibitions on art from the 1960s onward. Additionally, the space features a 215-seat theater and a fine dining restaurant. 
  • The Dallas Museum of Art recently unveiled Cubism in Color: The Still Lifes of Juan Gris, the first US exhibition in over 35 years dedicated to the Spanish artist Juan Gris, this exhibition reconsiders the legacy of this important yet underappreciated modernist master. Co-organized by the Dallas Museum of Art and the Baltimore Museum of Art, Cubism in Color: The Still Lifes of Juan Gris highlights the artist’s pioneering and revolutionary contributions to the Cubist movement by focusing on his fascination with subjects drawn from everyday life.

Rapid City, South Dakota

  • “Legends in Light” Laser Show at Crazy Horse Memorial – Beginning Memorial Day weekend and occurring nightly through Labor Day, the “Legends in Light” laser show at Crazy Horse Memorial turns the carved mountainside into a 500-foot remarkable display. Each night at 9:30 p.m., viewers can take in the story and rich heritage of Native Americans.The show presents colorful animations and features music with choreographed lasers and sound effects.  
  • Gift From Mother Earth Art Show – Every June, Crazy Horse Memorial hosts The Gift From Mother Earth Art Show – an exhibition that celebrates a blend of arts and crafts that represent Native American cultures and the New West. From Friday June 18th – Sunday June 20th, artists of custom-made clothing, jewelry and other similar items will showcase their pieces starting at 8 a.m. each day. 
  • Native POP: People of the Plains – Featuring original Native work by established and emerging Native American Artists, Native POP is a one-day fine art show located in Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City. This cultural celebration will take place on Tuesday, July 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 8 pm. and will feature Native culture bearers sharing their Native knowledge and artistry. Visitors to Rapid City can also experience Native American art, culture and history at Prairie Edge or Journey Museum and open-air murals painted by local artists at Art Alley throughout the summer. 

St. Pete/Clearwater, Florida

From museums devoted to big-name artists to incredible street murals adorning the buildings around St. Pete’s Central Avenue, art—and the cultures it celebrates—is all around in St. Pete/Clearwater. Spring/Summer 2021 is an exciting season for St. Pete art, with new exhibitions, venues, and events to explore. 

  • From Margins to Mainstays at Museum of Fine Arts St. Pete – This exhibition, on display April 24 – September 26, features masterworks from MFA’s photography collection that were made by artists whose careers and personal lives were sidelined, ignored, or impacted by their gender, race, sexuality, or nationality. From Margins to Mainstays illustrates how the canon of photography has changed since the medium first began being shown in museums in the 1940s, with particular emphasis on rectifying the small percentage of women and artists of color historically acquired by and displayed in public collections. The exhibition includes works by Berenice Abbott, Lotte Jacobi, Carrie Mae Weems, Lee Miller, Cornelius Marion Battey, James Van Der Zee, and Manuel Álvarez Bravo.
  • Fairgrounds St. Pete at The Factory – Art enthusiasts will fall in love with The Factory, an 8-warehouse St. Pete arts center spread over 6.5 acres in the heart of the Warehouse Arts District. Fairgrounds St. Pete, opening Spring 2021 at The Factory, is a 15,000 square foot artist-made environment. Fairgrounds functions as an immersive, choose-your-own-adventure experience where visitors are invited to explore a world of playful art and technology exhibits that highlight weird, wacky, and wonderful Florida. The inaugural installation gives 60+ local and nationally recognized artists a platform to showcase their work and experiment with the unexpected. Fairgrounds aims to compensate artists fairly for their contributions by paying not only for their work, but also a portion of the profits from ticket sales while their work is on view. Through exhibits, events, workshops, and creative education programs, Fairgrounds will be a leader for arts innovation and an economic engine for local artists and craftspeople.

Hotel/Attraction News:

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa

Kicking off in May, Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa has partnered with local artists and galleries to create the “Art in the Garden” exhibit. The gallery spread out across the property’s 10 acres of gardens will be open to both guests and the local community, free of charge, and Estancia will be providing a guided art brochure that showcases the various pieces and maps them out across the property. Art pieces including murals, statues and galleries have been created and provided by locals including Channin Fulton, Stefanie Bales, Billy Pease, Thomas J. Galleries and more.

New Orleans – The National WWII Museum

The National WWII Museum’s newest special exhibit “SOLDIER | ARTIST: Trench Art in World War II” explores the unique military pastime of creating art, souvenirs and tools out of the discarded materials and waste of war. Featuring more than 150 artifacts, many of which have never been exhibited, the collection also includes a background on the creators, providing a rare glimpse into the circumstances of war and the ingenuity and resourcefulness of servicemembers in the field. Such items range from souvenirs, such as ashtrays and jewelry made by servicemembers for their loved ones at home, to forbidden items like radios and musical instruments made by prisoners of war. The exhibition will be open to the public through January 2, 2022.

Daxton Hotel – Birmingham, Michigan

Daxton Hotel has opened its doors in the affluent community of Birmingham, a city 30 minutes north of Detroit. The hotel features a minimalist-luxe design with more than 400 original pieces of cutting-edge art curated from around the world by renowned  Saatchi Art. The incredible collection of mixed media brings whimsical and energetic flair throughout as vibrant colors flood spaces throughout the hotel, featuring a chartreuse lobby, deep-burgundy guest rooms and lavender parlors, an ideal composition juxtaposed with the art collection, avant-garde architectural lighting and furniture in bold shapes. Daxton Hotel brings a blend of provocative yet sophisticated style, offering artistic freedom of expression throughout the use of light rays, shadows and reflections creating an ethereal mood. The hotel offers a Beauty + Bubbles event, where visitors get an intimate tour of the public art collection curated by Saatchi Art on the first Friday of every month. The tour features work from 160 artists representing nearly 40 countries. The artwork crosses multiple mediums including painting, photography, collage, drawing and sculpture of some of the best international, national and regional artists.

The MC Hotel – Montclair, NJ

Located just 45 minutes outside of NYC, the 159 room MC Hotel is at the intersection of culture and community in the heart of Montclair’s thriving artistic community. With art curated from established and up-and-coming artists in every room, the hotel is part art gallery, part meeting place. Currently on display are pieces from painters Ryan Chin and Siona Benjamin-Kruge as well as mixed-media artist Basia Goszczynska to name a few. At guest check-in travelers will be met by a sculpture of a flower from Karen Kimmel that stretches across two walls. The sculpture features textiles that were meticulously hand-punched then painted onsite. On the lobby wall of the bar guests will see a sculpture from Goszczynska which is made from salvaged oyster farming bags, marine rope and steel wire. He also continues this unique interpretation of upcycling to shelves of the bar which displays Rainbow Collections, a piece featuring crowdsourced microplastics and salvaged baby food jars.

Crossroads Hotel – Kansas City, MO

With 2,000 square foot dedicated to public art, local artists and artists with historic ties to Kansas City, Crossroads is not just community-driven but art-driven. The gallery program is a thoughtful effort to reflect and contribute to the surrounding art district. Exhibitions, artist commissions, performances and unexpected artist-driven experiences intimately connect visitors to the creative scene thriving in the area. Along with the public gallery and local creative contributions to the interiors, amenities and delicacies, Crossroads is thrilled to support an artist in residence program. Curated by Hesse McGraw (director at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston) and Kansas City’s el dorado inc., the hotel’s architecture firm, the program provides another meaningful way for Crossroads to contribute to and support the artistic, social and cultural flourishing happening in the city. Current artist in residence Nick Miller is showcasing Wild Stallion, is a sculptural installation representing unseen and unstoppable algorithmic forces of technological innovation done with duct tape. Previous exhibits have come from Peggy Noland whose car makeovers are nothing short legendary and Glyneisha Johnson whose Watering Place paidhomage to the plants as a source of refuge for Black, Brown and Indigenous people.

Hewing HotelMinneapolis, MN

Since opening its doors in 2016 the 124-room luxury lifestyle Hewing Hotel has provided an unmistakable all-Minnesotan experience in the bustling North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. The former farm implements showroom and warehouse built in 1897 has been reborn as a cultural center for the community retaining its original brick and timber rustic charm. Immersing guests in Minneapolis, the hotel offers unique experiences with Minnesotan flair such as a monthly music series, Alley KAT! Perkins Pop Up Concert in the adjacent alley with season 6 The Voice semi-finalist Kat Perkins. The visual art of the area is on display through regularly rotating installations of local artists. The current collection includes works from Minneapolis-based artists Roko and Toni Gallo reflecting the beauty and talent within the area.

Spiro illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Spiro Exhibition

Ancient Mysteries Revealed: Groundbreaking Spiro Exhibition to Debut at The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

The Spiro site contained one of the greatest collections of prehistoric American Indian artifacts ever discovered in the United States.

The Spiro Mounds are one of the United States’ most important ancient Native American sites, as well as an archaeological find unmatched in modern times. Yet, despite creating a sophisticated ancient culture, the Spiro people are nearly forgotten in the pages of history books. How did these incredible works of art and other treasures from all over North America end up hidden for hundreds of years, and why? Opening February 12, 2021 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, “Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World” will seek to answer these questions and more in the first major presentation on the Spiro Mounds ever undertaken by a museum, representing the first, and possibly last, time these artifacts will be reunited from various collections across the country.

“We are incredibly pleased to announce this unparalleled exhibition, which will give proper honor and representation to the culture and historical impact of the Spiro people,” said Natalie Shirley, The Cowboy president and CEO. “Our staff has worked for years to create a world-class, exciting and collaborative presentation of a people who have been overlooked for too long.”

This exhibition will share the art, history and culture of the Spiro people through approx. 175 objects, as well as an accompanying publication, website, public symposium and panel discussion. It was created in collaboration with representatives from the Caddo and Wichita Nations, the descendants of the Spiroan people, and with contributions by 17 humanities scholars from nearly a dozen universities and museums from across the United States.

The Spiro Mounds were the location of one of the largest and longest episodes of looting at any American archaeological site in history—comparable to that of Mesa Verde in Colorado and, sadly, several others across the country. Both looting and New Deal/Works Progress Administration (WPA) archaeological excavations came together in a near-perfect storm at Spiro. In 1935, the public’s imagination was peaked when the Kansas City Star called the site’s discovery a “King Tut’s Tomb in the Arkansas Valley,” and identified it as the greatest source of Mississippian iconographic material ever found. Embossed copper plates, wooden sculptures, thousands of pearls and beads, large human effigy pipes and engraved shell gorgets and cups are just some of the items found at Spiro. In fact, nearly 90% of all known engraved shell created during the Mississippian period (900 – 1650 AD) was discovered at this one site. This exhibition will include the reunification of a range of items looted and archaeologically excavated at Spiro that have not been together since the early 1930s and 1940s.

“The quality and quantity of material found at Spiro is unprecedented,” said Eric Singleton, Ph.D., Museum Curator of Ethnology. “We are grateful to have the support of the Spiroan descendants, the Caddo Nation and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, as we prepare this exhibition. Without them, this exhibition would not be possible.”

The Spiroan people, along with other Mississippian groups across the eastern half of North America, created a world equal to that of the Aztec, Maya or Inca, consisting of trade networks and highly developed social, political and religious centers. The exhibition will explore the archaeology and history of Spiro and its relationship to other contemporaneous Indigenous communities in North and Central America, highlighting community development, religious and ceremonial activities, farming and hunting practices and daily life. It will also illustrate how ecological factors, specifically the occurrence of the “Little Ice Age” beginning in 1350 AD and lasting until 1650 AD may have led to the site’s decline and ultimate abandonment. The exhibition also showcases contemporary Indigenous art pieces that explore the ideas of origin and connect the art and artistry of the Spiro people to their modern descendants.

Following the exhibition, the online component and educational materials will be available on the Museum’s website and in our permanent Native American gallery. In addition, the Museum will give both the Caddo and Wichita Nations all interpretative materials to use at their discretion in their respective tribal museums.

The exhibition will debut at National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum February 12 – May 9, 2021, before traveling to the Birmingham Museum of Art (October 5, 2021 – March 11, 2022) in Birmingham Alabama, and the Dallas Museum of Art (April 15, 2022 – August 5, 2022), in Dallas Texas.

Visit Spiro Mounds for more information, including photos, maps and a calendar of associated programming.

The Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World has been made possible in part by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Henry Luce Foundation, as well as support from the Kirkpatrick Foundation.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this press release do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

About the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City is America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture. Founded in 1955, the Museum collects, preserves and exhibits an internationally renowned collection of Western art and artifacts while sponsoring dynamic educational programs to stimulate interest in the enduring legacy of the American West. For more information, visit the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

BeBe Shopp illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Miss America Partners with Rowan University

Miss America Partners with Rowan University for 100th Anniversary Archival Project

With an eye on history and ideals of beauty, students digitize Miss America archives

“There she is…”

One hundred years of artifacts from the Miss America Competition—from jeweled crowns and velvet capes to programs, photographs, judges’ books, oil paintings, films, and business records—tell more than the story of the competition.

They also provide a rich look at both American and New Jersey history and help illustrate how ideas surrounding beauty and women’s roles in society have changed over a century. 

Now, through a unique partnership with the Miss America Organization, Rowan University students are sifting through the organization’s expansive archives and digitizing the artifacts. Their work, currently underway in the Digital Scholarship Center at Campbell Library, will be the cornerstone of the new Rowan Digital Collections.

Scholars worldwide eventually will have access to the artifacts through the archive, hosted by Rowan Libraries.

Currently, the massive Miss America collection is tucked away in storage in South Jersey. The storage contains a treasure trove of floor-to-ceiling artifacts from the competition.

The Miss America Organization will continue to retain the physical artifacts. But the digitization, which began with program books and some oil paintings of former winners, will ensure the artifacts are categorized and documented–and available widely to future scholars.

The preservation partnership was orchestrated by University administrators, who were approached by the Miss America Organization.

‘An enduring feature of American culture’

“We’re excited Rowan is doing this, and we’re thrilled the University sees value in this project,” says Shantel Krebs, chair of the board and interim president and CEO of the Miss America Organization.

“This is New Jersey history. The digitization project will help others learn more about the quintessential competition and its evolution from a ‘bather’s revue’ into a nationally recognized non-profit that offers scholarship assistance and helps thousands of young women from America to improve their communities through service.”

The project will be a crucial resource to scholars and students, notes College of Humanities & Social Sciences Dean Nawal Ammar.  

“The Miss America competition has been an enduring feature of American culture, producing idealized images of female beauty and achievement,” says Ammar.

“However, the pageant also has been a space to challenge those images, both inside and outside the competition hall. This collection will be an invaluable source for the study of American history, culture, women’s history, business history, media studies, and many other topics.”

Project manager Katie Turner, a professor of history and American Studies, says Rowan students working on digitization are gaining first-hand experience of the archival process. 

“This is a great opportunity for our students to get their hands on history and to really see what goes into making a collection,” adds Turner. “Everything today is digitized for students. They often don’t get to see and touch historical documents. When you sift through paper and do research in an archive, there’s a real commitment to the work.”

Founded as a bather’s revue by businessmen in 1921 as a gimmick to lengthen the summer tourist season in Atlantic City by capitalizing on popular American ideals of female beauty, the competition in its early years was often a steppingstone for women who wanted to pursue show business careers. More than 100,000 people swarmed onto the Atlantic City Boardwalk the first year to watch 16-year-old Margaret Gorman be crowned.

Candidates in the 1920s were rated by judges on everything from the construction of their heads to their “grace of bearing” to their eyes, hair, torso, and hands. Every measurement—from ankles to biceps to head—was recorded by judges and assessed on a points system.

By the 1950s, the competition, under the leadership of Lenora Slaughter, the program’s director for more than 25 years, had been transformed into a source of scholarships for contestants. In 1958, more than $200,000 in scholarships were awarded.

A crown jewel for Atlantic City.

But the competition, a crown jewel for Atlantic City, has not been devoid of controversy. In 1968, it was the site of the first major women’s liberation protest in the United States, when the New York Radical Women, some 400 strong, protested on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. They maintained that the competition objectified women and upheld female stereotypes.

Protestors through the years also objected to the program’s exclusion of women of color. The first Black Miss America, Vanessa Williams, was crowned in 1983—more than 60 years after the competition’s founding.

That isn’t lost on Rowan senior English and writing arts major Destiny Hall, who is working on digitization. She started with the 1984 Miss America magazine, where Williams is featured prominently. Hall, a women’s and gender studies minor, says work on the project has been eye-opening as she explores her own views of feminism.

“Part of being a feminist is allowing women to be whatever they want to be. I have a complicated history with Miss America. In the beginning, I saw it as sexist. Now, I see it as a celebration of womanhood. Many of these women compete to further their careers,” says Hall, 22, who will attend graduate school at Columbia University in the fall as she pursues a career writing fiction for women.

“Through this project, I feel like I’m preserving history and I really appreciate that. It’s important to have this information and to have access to it.”

Freshman English major Grace Fox, who is pursuing the Thomas N. Bantivoglio Honors Concentration in the Honors College, is digitizing program books.

“I’m hoping I’ll find one nugget…something nobody knows about,” says Fox. “I’m definitely looking at the advertisements, the kinds of products they marketed, the images of fashion. There’s so much value in this work. It’s so applicable to things we talk about in class, including how societal views on women’s bodies are enmeshed in the culture we see.”

Robert Hilliker, interim associate provost and director of research engagement and scholarship at Rowan Libraries, and Michael Benson, digital scholarship specialist, are overseeing the digitization work. Additionally, Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication Director Julie Haynes, whose research focuses on depictions of gender in popular culture, is involved in the project.

About the collection

While programs, photos, and other ephemera are being scanned, other artifacts, such as crowns, trophies, and a Waterford scepter carried by winners, will be photographed. Scores of oil paintings and sketches of winners, including some sketches by renowned portrait artist Everett Kintsler, whose work includes official White House portraits of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, will be digitized under the guidance of Rowan art historians.

Rowan’s Department of Radio/Television/Film may assist in digitizing hundreds of films and slides, some of which were donated by shore-area residents who religiously attended the annual Miss America parade on the Boardwalk.

“Prioritization of the digitization will be quite a project,” Hilliker notes. “The collection is so special from an archivist’s standpoint because it contains varied materials. That will make for some interesting research projects, but it also presents a lot of technical challenges. For our students, this project certainly will be an excellent apprenticeship in digital preservation.”

The collection is an eclectic mix.

The same storage that currently houses the unwieldy Golden Mermaid trophy, presented in the early 1920s to the winner, also includes the crown of 1955 winner Lee Meriwether, who went on to a successful television career. Then Miss California, Meriwether was the first Miss America to be crowned on television, an event that drew 27 million viewers.

Stars flocked to the competition over the years. Grace Kelly was a judge. Marilyn Monroe was the grand marshal of the parade in 1952. Eddie Fischer was a host before Bert Parks, famed singer of the “There She Is” Miss America theme, emceed for 24 years.

The collection also includes Slaughter’s personal scrapbooks. Some of her other papers are housed at the Smithsonian Institution.

Some of the artifacts, such as the film of Meriwether being crowned, were lost during an Atlantic City Nor’easter some years ago. That makes the digitization project particularly valuable, Krebs notes.

BeBe Shopp, Miss America 1948, says she’s delighted Rowan students are preserving Miss America’s legacy.

“This will make it easier for anyone to view our history and learn how Miss America has grown and become even more vital to young women today,” says Shopp, who represented Minnesota in the competition. “This is important. What an experience the students must be having combing through hundreds of thousands of documents and learning about our past. At my age, I’m thrilled that they are going to preserve me for ages to come.”

Supporting the archival work

The Miss America Organization has established a campaign to help fund the digitization project and preserve the thousands of artifacts in the organization’s 100-year history. Visit the organization’s funding site to learn more about supporting the work.

World Art Day illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

World Art Day Travels

In honor of World Art Day on April 15, 2021, here are some of the best destinations and hotels for curated art experiences from around the world. Whether it be an outdoor mural scene, a hotel’s private art collection, an artist-in-residence program, or new exhibits scattered throughout a country, there are many ways to celebrate World Art Day! And while safe travel may not be possible yet for everyone, virtual experiences are a great way to show appreciation and support. 

DOMESTIC

Hamilton Princess & Beach Club – Hamilton, Bermuda

Known as “The Pink Palace” from its iconic pastel exterior since 1885, it’s the interior of Hamilton Princess that is inside the hotel that makes it fit for royalty. A little-known secret is that the property is home to one of the most comprehensive contemporary art collections in the world. The vast and ever-evolving collection has an estimated multi-million dollar value. There really is no other resort where you can see an 18 ft tall KAWS sculpture or an original Banksy up close. Hamilton Princess has created the Escape Artist Package which includes a private tour of the contemporary art collection including pieces by Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Banksy, KAWS, Julian Opie, Yayoi Kusama, and Ai Wei Wei ,  complimentary passes to the island’s art museums with private tours upon request, complimentary Twizy electric car rental to get to and from the museums, and an assortment of art-inspired amenities and gifts, including a limited edition Mari Andrew print. 

St. Pete/Clearwater

Quickly becoming a museum mecca with 30+ museums in the destination, downtown St. Pete also boasts over 500 outdoor murals created by local and international artists throughout the hip Central Arts District. The newest additions are showcased during the annual mural festival SHINE St. Pete and can be experienced with a guided walking tour. This alfresco art experience has also been modified for COVID-19 safety as travelers can now discover them independently with this comprehensive, ever-growing list and through the app, PixelStix. And not to be forgotten, the most popular museum in the destination, The Dalí Museum, will continue to host the immersive Van Gogh Alive exhibit through June 13, 2021. The exhibition features more than 3,000 Van Gogh images at an enormous scale, viewed through high-definition projectors and synchronized to a powerful classical score. Advanced-purchase, timed-tickets are required to visit. 

Providence, Rhode Island

Known as Rhode Island’s creative capital, Providence is one of the country’s most diverse and vibrant cities for the arts, due in large part as the home to The Rhode Island of School of Design (RISD) which cultivates a creative community. Providence’s artistic offerings are best experienced on foot via Avenue Concept, Rhode Island’s first privately funded public art program. They offer two self-guided tours offering comprehensive stops with dozens of murals and sculptures to visit in Downtown and South Side/West End. As of August, a new latinx-led public art banner project honoring the healthcare workers who have helped manage the COVID-19 crisis has launched throughout the city. 

New Orleans – The National WWII Museum

The National WWII Museum’s newest special exhibit “SOLDIER | ARTIST: Trench Art in World War II” explores the unique military pastime of creating art, souvenirs and tools out of the discarded materials and waste of war. Featuring more than 150 artifacts, many of which have never been exhibited, the collection also includes a background on the creators, providing a rare glimpse into the circumstances of war and the ingenuity and resourcefulness of servicemembers in the field. Such items range from souvenirs, such as ashtrays and jewelry made by servicemembers for their loved ones at home, to forbidden items like radios and musical instruments made by prisoners of war. The exhibition will be open to the public through January 2, 2022.

Daxton Hotel (Birmingham, MI) 

Opening in April 2021, Daxton Hotel features a monochromatic palette in rich, saturated color to showcase avant-garde lighting and furniture in bold shapes. This backdrop is juxtaposed with an art collection of over 400 pieces curated from across the world by Saatchi Art. The thoughtful collection is inspired by the street art found throughout the city of nearby Detroit and reflects the movement and energy of Motor City’s local scene. In addition to the distinctive art originating from across the world including Peru, Macedonia and South Korea, each guestroom is outfitted with a custom headboard backdrop from local floral muralist, Ouizi. Art in public spaces includes the restaurant Madam’s large-scale painting series of 12’ portraits in a feminine, a suspended wire installation in the conference room encouraging dialogue, a full-sized mechanical horse and 9’ pink metallic bunny. Art tours for the building are offered the first Friday of the month, providing the opportunity to engage and experience some of the Daxton Hotel’s significant works. 

The MC Hotel – Montclair, NJ

Located just 45 minutes outside of NYC, the 159 room MC Hotel is at the intersection of culture and community in the heart of Montclair’s thriving artistic community. With art curated from established and up-and-coming artists in every room, the hotel is part art gallery, part meeting place. Currently on display are pieces from painters Ryan Chin and Siona Benjamin-Kruge as well as mixed-media artist Basia Goszczynska to name a few. At guest check-in, travelers will be met by a sculpture of a flower from Karen Kimmel that stretches across two walls. The sculpture features textiles that were meticulously hand-punched then painted onsite. On the lobby wall of the bar, guests will see a sculpture from Goszczynska which is made from salvaged oyster farming bags, marine rope and steel wire. He also continues this unique interpretation of upcycling to shelves of the bar which displays Rainbow Collections, a piece featuring crowdsourced microplastics and salvaged baby food jars.

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa – Atlantic City, NJ

Within a two-hour drive of New York and an hour drive of Philadelphia, head toward the Las Vegas of the East Coast known for its bustling boardwalk, glitzy high-rise resorts, five-star restaurants, four-mile-long boardwalk, and six-mile-long beach. In search of an indulgent escape, this fast-paced resort is an art lover’s dream. Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa features numerous extravagant glass sculptures that seem to drip effortlessly from the ceiling and rise majestically from the resort’s floor. Those colorful works of art are none other than world-famous Chihuly glass, created by master craftsman Dale Chihuly, and some of our guests come to our resort just to take in the signature pieces by the American artist. Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa houses a number of stunning Chihuly pieces across the property, from the main entrance of the casino to the corridor connecting Borgata to The Water Club. Take a look at the gallery of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa’s Chihuly, and the next time you visit, play a game of trying to find all of the signature artwork throughout the resort. As the artist himself one said, “Glass has the ability, more than any other material, to bring joy and a certain happiness to people.” Chihuly, who was born in Washington in 1941, has had countless exhibitions of his work across the globe, from Venice to London to the Netherlands, and blew his own glass until he had a tragic car accident in 1976. Afterwards, due to challenges with his eyesight, Chihuly began serving as a director of a team of artists, who have created hundreds of massive glass installations found in buildings across the globe. 

Fitler Club, Philadelphia, PA

Fitler Club is Philadelphia’s ultimate “work/stay/play” destination, where hotel guests are granted exclusive access to all the club’s amenities for the duration of their stay. The club encompasses 136,000 square feet and includes a world-class gym and spa, a 14-room boutique hotel (The Rooms at Fitler Club), collaborative workspace (Offsite), indoor pool and a movie theater. Art lovers will enjoy the Fitler Club’s Collection, which has works by famous artists featured throughout the property. The collection includes pieces by Damien Hirst, Alex Katz, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Pamela Hanson, Mel Bochner and more. Fitler Club’s Artist In Residence program, bringing the work of Philadelphia artists, acclaimed and up-and-coming, to people’s everyday lives. Fitler Club assembled a vast collection by local artists, within a non-traditional gallery space that is Offsite, Fitler Club’s expansive workspace. Artists include King Saladeen, Eileen Neff, Elizabeth Osborn and more. Each of the artworks are on loan by the artists and every piece is for sale. In addition, those who are unable to visit the gallery in person can still enjoy the collection through an interactive virtual experience on the club’s website, which gives information on each piece located throughout the property. 

California

California is gearing up for a culturally enriching year, as various art happenings are slated to open throughout 2021. Peppered across the state, here are some key art events that visitors may enjoy for a uniquely artistic and local experience, showcasing the history and vibrancy of California:

  • Desert X + Outdoor Art in Greater Palm Springs: The third installment of the internationally acclaimed biennial art exhibition, Desert X, returns in 2021, starting March 12 through May 16. The 2021 artist lineup includes a diverse group of 13 artists ranging from locals like Kim Stringfellow to international representatives like Zahrah Alghamdi. Visitors can explore these new outdoor art installations across the desert region for an exciting socially distant experience. While in the region, be sure to check out the region’s booming art scene by walking or driving through various neighborhoods to check out artworks like the “PS I Love You” Sculpture, permanent pieces created for Coachella Music Festival, like “Etherea” and more. Find additional outdoor art in the Greater Palm Springs area here
  • The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA): The OMCA will unveil its newly refreshed garden and outdoor amphitheater space in spring 2021 as part of its multi-phased campus improvement project. This beautiful renovation will include updated outdoor sculptures, revitalized landscaping with native California plantings, new ADA accessible ramps and a permanent stage for outdoor performances- encompassing the Bay Area’s natural beauty. 
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Art:The Santa Barbara Museum of Art will reveal a new, multi-floor wing in spring 2021 that will be home to new photography and contemporary art galleries, as well as renovated galleries, as part of its multi- year, $50 million renovation. The museum hired Kupiec Architects’ Bob Kupiec, who is known for his projects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Times Square, Bryant Park and more. 
  • Carmel Mission:To mark Carmel Mission’s upcoming 250th anniversary, the Carmel Mission Foundation is renovating the Mission’s main entrance and restoring a 100-year-old adobe museum that sits adjacent to the renowned Basilica. Additionally, The Harry Downie Museum at Carmel Mission is also planned to open in October 2021, showcasing “the Evolution of Carmel Mission” photography exhibit.
  • San Francisco Music Hall of Fame:Slated for this spring, the halls of the music-themed Music City Hotel will feature a gallery of transcendent local musicians including a curated collection of photographs from Getty Images, The San Francisco Chronicle and numerous local, respected photographers. A dozen local and national music writers were hired to create original one-of-a-kind gallery text that accompanies each photo. Visitors can listen to a playlist of songs by artists featured in the gallery, which includes a guided audio tour with local DJ Mike Waterman.

Texas

The art in Texas is top notch, specifically noting the art of the major cities along with other safe havens for creatives such as Marfa and which have recently gained traction. A few examples of the major cities and more of the unknown include: 

  • San Angelo, an oasis in West Texas off the beaten path, has quickly grown as a Texas art hub, with a lot of the art outdoors and accessible to the community at all times. Highlights like the Chicken Farm Art Center, where local artists are set up in refurbished farm buildings, as well as Paintbrush Alley, where over 50 artists have donated their time to create artwork in the downtown alley, are stand-alone destinations worth checking out when in San Angelo. Lastly, the Pop Art Museum which is also outdoor murals has been positively received by the community, with 31 pieces done by local artists throughout a former bowling alley, including a piece from James Gill who worked directly with Andy Warhol at the forefront of the Pop Art movement. 
  • The diversity and affordability of Houston has created an internationally acclaimed art scene, home to graffiti parks, modern museums and everything in between. Highlights include: 
  • James Turrell’s Skyspace Structure, an interactive installation which will test your perception of light and color. Wednesday through Monday weekly, the “Twilight Epiphany” sequence will take place, changing colors of lights from the built-in LED system. Guests can peer through the roof’s square-shaped aperture and into the darkening sky. Admission is free and seat reservation can be made in advance
  • Sawyer Yards, a creative campus located in Houston’s historic First Ward is set in a working train yard and made its home in a former industrial complex with several rice silos at the complex’s center. On the second Saturday of each month, the warehouses are open to the public allowing for individuals to meet the artists and explore their work, varying from paintings to sculptures to jewelry. 
  • Many people don’t often think of Dallas as an art-centric destination, but the cosmopolitan city is home to the largest contiguous urban arts district in the nation. Though to experience art in Dallas one never has to enter a gallery; during a quick trek through any of the city’s walkable neighborhoods murals and iconic sculptures will reveal themselves. Here are a few:
  • Fair Park is home to many well-known works of public art, but the Crystal Chandelier at the Music Hall, by artist William Martin is often cited as a favorite.
  • Dallas City Hall Plaza boasts the large bronze sculpture The Dallas Piece by renowned British sculptor Henry Moore. It was given to the City in 1978 by W.R. Hawn in memory of his wife.
  • Deep Ellum is known for its eye-catching murals. The murals give life to otherwise mundane walls and buildings and reflect the life and times of the residents. As a result, Deep Ellum has evolved into its own exhibition of sorts and visitors have enjoyed exploring and discovering them all. Click here for a look at some of the murals and this map provides directions.

Sensei Lāna’i, A Four Seasons Resort

Set within the secluded island’s 90,000 acres, Sensei Lāna’i, A Four Seasons Resort is a one-of-a-kind wellness retreat, founded by Larry Ellison and Dr. David Agus, with the goal of helping people live longer healthier lives. At the heart of the retreat is the Sensei Way, which distills preventive health science, data and research into three simple paths for everyday living: move, nourish, and rest. These principles go beyond just healthy eating and exercise, encouraging guests to nourish their mind, body and soul, starting with an extensive art collection that inspires a creative spirit and enhances relaxation. With design envisioned by Todd-Avery Lenahan of TAL-Studio, the resort blends a sense of seclusion with wide open spaces surrounded by the forests in the spiritual uplands of Lāna’i. Intentionally placed among expansive garden foliage, the retreat houses a premier outdoor sculpture garden that includes larger-than-life pieces from renowned artists like Botero, Plensa, Lobo and more. As guests venture further, Ju Ming’s “Tai Chi Arch” opens to an onsen garden and Robert Indiana’s iconic “Imperial LOVE” sculpture ignites a sense of joy and rejuvenation. The artwork throughout the hotel was commissioned expressly for the retreat and here, art-loving guests will encounter these pieces for the very first time, stimulating thought and reflection. Other featured artists include David Ellis, Miya Ando, Haure Shimomoto, Sky Pape, Brooks Shane Salzwedel and Lauren Collin.


Rapid City, South Dakota

In the small town of Rapid City, South Dakota, where there’s no shortage of bucket list outdoor art experiences, you’ll find Art Alley,a functioning alley that was transformed into a place for artists to create and share their work with the public. The walls are covered in pieces from local artists, many anonymous, and are constantly changing as new works pop up, providing a new experience every visit. Before this area became known as Art Alley, local artists used to hang canvas artworks on the walls and eventually this evolved into painting murals. It wasn’t until a group of passionate artists and community members worked with city officials to nurture this organic art form into the Art Alley we know today. Other art-centric experiences in Rapid City include the City of Presidents, a collection of life-size bronze sculptures of past presidents placed along the city’s streets and sidewalks, the Dahl Arts Center and more.

Hewing Hotel(Minneapolis, MN)

Since opening its doors in 2016 the 124-room luxury lifestyle hotel has provided an unmistakable all-Minnesotan experience in the bustling North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. The former farm implements showroom and warehouse built in 1897 has been reborn as a cultural center for the community retaining its original brick and timber rustic charm. Immersing guests in Minneapolis, the hotel offers unique experiences with Minnesotan flair such as a monthly music series, Alley KAT! Perkins Pop Up Concert in the adjacent alley with season 6 The Voice semi-finalist Kat Perkins. The visual art of the area is on display through regularly rotating installations of local artists. The current collection includes works from Minneapolis-based artists Roko and Toni Gallo reflecting the beauty and talent within the area. 

INTERNATIONAL

Costa Rica

Mesoamerican, South American and Indigenous influences are reflected in Costa Rica’s rich art history and colorful culture. Visitors can explore Costa Rica’s capital city and cultural hub of San José which is home to some of the country’s most important art museums, consisting of diverse collections of painting, drawing, sculpture, pottery, wood carvings and more. 

  • Museo de Arte Costarricense: The Costa Rican Art Museum offers free admission and boasts a permanent fine arts collection of over 6,000 pieces from Costa Rican artists, spanning almost two centuries. One of the most intriguing displays at the museum is the outdoor sculpture garden, where visitors can see works by renowned Costa Rican artists like Jorge Jiménez Deredia, Edgar and Francisco Zuñiga, José Sancho and Max Jiménez. 
  • Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo: Costa Rica’s Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MADC) is situated on the site of the country’s old national liquor factory. MADC has four exhibition rooms for rotating and permanent collections of contemporary hispanic art, an auditorium and an open-air terrace for performances and events. There are approximately 900 pieces housed in the museum’s permanent collections. Currently on display at MADC is the “Inferno Tropical” special exhibition, which consists of works by six Latin American women artists from Costa Rica, Cuba, Venezuela, Panama and Brazil. Inferno Tropical is part of a series of exhibitions called “Female Voices of Latin America,” representing the largest mega-exhibition of living Latin American women artists in recent times.

Dominica

Presented by The Waitukubuli Artist Association (WAA) “WhoOosh!! 2” virtual exhibit is the first of its kind in Dominica, showcasing photography, sculptures and paintings created by local artists. The exhibit was filmed using a 360° camera in the abandoned Roseau Anglican Church, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The exhibit is an immersive experience that allows the audience to experience this real place from afar. Just like in a video game, virtual attendees can look around in any direction, interact with objects and people and examine the art up close. The exhibition is themed around the impacts that recent hurricanes have had on the artists’ way of life, interpreting their very own experience of resilience in various artistic forms. To attend, head to kubuliarts.com.

Victoria, Australia

With its brightly-colored bustling laneways, world-class theater district and inspiring art and cultural museums, Melbourne is a city fit to fulfill any art-lovers dreams. The city’s laneways are works of art in themselves while also leading inquisitive city strollers into quirky bars, old-school restaurants and hipster eateries, and hidden art galleries where there’s even more art to absorb. Those looking for a grander stage can find jaw-dropping performances in Melbourne’s theater and musical stages like the Princess Theater and Her Majesty’s Theatre in the East End Theatre District, or the inventive Malthouse Theatre. Melbourne’s art museums span the gamut – from Aboriginal art at the Birrarung Gallery or Ian Potter Centre, to modern and contemporary art at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art or National Gallery of Victoria. When it comes to art – whether it be public, modern, Aborginal or performance – there’s always something inspiring to view in Melbourne, Australia.

Argentina

Known as South America’s capital of culture, Buenos Aires, Argentina, was appointed as UNESCO’s first City of Design with the opening of the Metropolitan Design Center.  Not only that, but the city was also the birthplace of Tango, which first originated in Buenos Aires dance halls in the 1880s. Now, travelers can witness world-class tango each year during the city’s International Tango Festival and World Cup. In 2013, Argentinian artist Alfredo Segatori painted what was then the longest mural in the world, located in Barracas. And, finally, if you didn’t need more artistic inspiration to visit this lively city, Buenos Aires also hosts the world’s most important collections of Latin American art. The Museum of Latin American Art is home to the Fundación Costantini art collection which consists of 400+ masterpieces including paintings, sculptures, photography, and engravings by famous 20-century Latin American artists.