Date: Jan 26, 2010

Hofstra University Museum Presents "Children’s Pleasures: American Celebrations of Childhood"

Exhibition Depicts American Childhood Pastimes and Pleasures From Early 19th Century to Early 21st Century

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – This original exhibit, “Children’s Pleasures: American Celebrations of Childhood,” consists of 51 works by renowned American artists. The exhibit is divided into eight thematic sections and portrays children experiencing pleasures of family and friends, the world of make-believe, holiday celebrations, games and toys, outdoor play, music and dance, and childhood mischief. Children’s Pleasures is on view from February 2 through April 18, 2010 in the Hofstra University Museum’s Emily Lowe Gallery, south campus and is guest curated by Hofstra Professor of Foundations, Leadership and Policy Studies Donna Barnes, Ed.D. A curator’s talk and reception will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 1 p.m.

Among the various media on display are oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas, cast aluminum, cast stone, charcoal, etching and aquatint, ink and pencil and watercolor on paper and works are on loan from collections of the Brooklyn Museum; the Long Island Museum of Art; History and Carriages; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and the Norman Rockwell Museum among a number of other art institutions. A fully illustrated four color catalogue, Children’s Pleasures: American Celebrations of Childhood with essays by Dr. Barnes and Howard P. Chudacoff, Ph.D., Brown University, accompanies the exhibition.

“This art historical survey of artists’ depictions of American childhood and its pleasures provides an important opportunity for reflection of the value of play in children’s lives past and present,” stated Hofstra University Museum Executive Director Beth E. Levinthal. “Donna Barnes has carefully selected works of art that give viewers an exciting glimpse into the varied pastimes that have defined the joyful pursuits of children over the past two centuries.”

 In conjunction with the exhibit, a two-day interdisciplinary scholarly symposium, Child’s Play, Children’s Pleasures, Interdisciplinary Explorations, will be held at Hofstra University March 19 and 20, 2010, which will be sponsored by the Hofstra Cultural Center, the School of Education, Health and Human Services, and the Hofstra University Museum. Historians, art historians, cultural anthropologists, teacher educators, specialists in child development, and specialists in children’s literature and play will join the children’s librarians, museum educators, and children’s book illustrators in exploring the historic and present-day importance of play in children’s development and lives.

Additional public programs are planned including an artist’s talk on February 9, 2010 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. in Emily Lowe Gallery with Philemona Williamson, whose artwork is represented in the exhibition. A one-day educator’s workshop Stop Look and Learn: Connecting your Curricula with Museum Objects will be held on March 24, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The children’s Visual Scavenger Hunt and Group Story is scheduled for March 20, 2010 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. in Emily Lowe Gallery. Deputy director and chief curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stephanie Haboush Plunkett will present An Insider’s View on April 9, 2010 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. in Emily Lowe Gallery.

Hofstra University Museum gratefully acknowledges the following exhibition and symposium sponsors: New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, New York Community Bank Foundation, Friends of Donna Barnes and The Tilles Family.

For more information on this exhibit and other programs offered by the Hofstra University Museum please visit www.hofstra.edu/museum

The Hofstra University Museum has been awarded the highest honor a museum can receive, continued accreditation by the American Association of Museums (AAM). Approximately less than 4 % of museums nationwide have earned this distinguished recognition. Accreditation certifies that the Hofstra University Museum operates according to professional standards, manages its collections responsibly and provides quality service to the public.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services;  and honors studies, as well as a School of Law.