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Les Visionnaires
In the Modernist Spirit
January 30 – July 26, 2024
Emily Lowe Gallery
Drawn from the Museum’s permanent collection and the Howard L. and Muriel Weingrow Collection of Avant-Garde Art and Literature from the University’s Special Collections, this exhibition examines the persisting influence of the French avant-garde. With a forward-thinking ethos, artists such as Arp, Cocteau, Chagall, Dalí, Ernst, Gilot, and Miró explore the uncharted terrain of surrealism, dada, automatism, and spiritualism, among others. Unexpected examples of their artwork highlight their interdisciplinary nature through the use of various mediums such as bookmaking, film, pottery, printmaking, photography, set design, and typography. Political and societal events of the early 20th century influenced their creative endeavors, artistic methodologies, and camaraderie. Paris is at the center of their transformative vision, which in turn finds its future and influence in the post-WWII American art world.
This exhibition is planned in conjunction with the Society for French Historical Studies Annual Conference hosted by Hofstra University on March 14-16, 2024.
View Interactive PDF of Exhibition Catalog
The Hofstra University Museum of Art’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
Press Release: New Exhibit Celebrates the French Avant-Garde
HUMA in the News: Exhibition Celebrates Female Artists
Salvador Dalí
(Spanish, 1904-1989)
Untitled, from Memories of Surrealism
Portfolio, 1971
Etching and lithograph
20.75 x 16.25 in.
Hofstra University Museum of Art
Gift of Benjamin Bickerman, HU93.12.3
© 2023 Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Artists Rights Society
Related Programs
PUBLIC PROGRAM
Opening Reception
Thursday, February 1, 2024,
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Emily Lowe Gallery, Behind Emily Lowe Hall, South Campus
Join us in celebrating the opening of the exhibition Les Visionnaires In the Modernist Spirit.
Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free. RSVP to 516-463-5672
PUBLIC PROGRAM
Panel Discussion
AI’s Threat to the Arts and Creativity
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law, Room 308, South Campus
Join us for a panel discussion focusing on the potential threat of artificial intelligence to the arts and the creative process; topics will include copyright infringement, intellectual property, and possible legal implications. After a Q&A, the event will culminate in the Emily Lowe Gallery to view the exhibition Les Visionnaires In the Modernist Spirit and for an informal conversation with panelists and attendees. The event is co-planned with the Hofstra Intellectual Property Law Association (HIPLA).
Light refreshments will be available.
Admission is free. RSVP to 516.463.5672
Co-sponsored by the Hofstra Cultural Center.
PUBLIC PROGRAM
Film Screening
Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête)
93 min, English subtitles
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Student Center Theater, Sondra and Davis S. Mack Student Center
Join us for a screening of Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête). Directed by Jean Cocteau and featuring Jean Marais and Josette Day, this 1946 French fantasy film offers a surrealistic take on the classic fairy tale. Cocteau’s work explores themes of love, transformation, and beauty in the magical world of this black-and-white masterpiece.
Moderated by Sally Charnow, PhD, chair, Department of History, Hofstra University
Followed by Q&A
Light refreshments will be available.
Admission is free.
RSVP to 516.463.5672
PUBLIC PROGRAM
Exhibition Tour
Les Visionnaires
In the Modernist Spirit
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Emily Lowe Gallery, Behind Emily Lowe Hall, South Campus
Join Museum director, Sasha Giordano, for a talk about the current exhibition Les Visionnaires In the Modernist Spirit. The discussion will explore the political, economic, and cultural shifts that inspired a new forward-thinking attitude in artists who, in turn, discovered radical innovations in aesthetic forms, techniques, and content.
Admission is free.
RSVP to 516.463.5672
Gallery Location and Hours
Emily Lowe Gallery
Behind Emily Lowe Hall, South Campus
Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. • Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.