DALLAS TRIP RECAP
By EAS and FoAA member Jim Gordy
Members of Friends of American Art and the European Art Society came together to enjoy a weekend in Dallas and six of the area’s museums. The journey began at the Nasher Sculpture Museum and then across the street to the Dallas Museum of Art. After a curator-led tour, the group got to see the special exhibit, Yayoi Kusama, All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins, an infinity Mirror Room reflecting her series of acrylic yellow gourds covered in black polka dots. It is a unique experience that is not soon forgotten. The next day was spent in Fort Worth with a behind-the -scenes discussion with renowned conservator Claire Barry of the Kimbell Art Museum. Her lab was fascinating and her talk very enlightening. She was instrumental in the Kimbell purchasing an early painting believed to be by a very young Michelangelo, and she then went on to prove it was. Claire has also conserved paintings for the BMA. After touring the Kimbell the group walked over to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for lunch and an independent tour, and then on to the Amon Carter Museum of American Art for a curated tour.
Sunday morning began with local collectors Nancy and Randy Best in their well-appointed mansion north of the downtown area. Their focus is European Art, but Randy also has a large natural history collection and an impressive antique gun and rifle collection. After the visit the group headed downtown for brunch before adding SMU’s Meadows Museum to the itinerary to see the special exhibit of Zurbarán: Jacob and His Twelve Sons, Paintings from Auckland Castle. These were recently conserved by Claire Barry for this exhibit. Overall, a whirlwind trip to enjoy the delights of Dallas!