Museum busy with repairs, CD-ROM over the summer

Free CD-ROM will contain most of AMAM's collection

The Allen Memorial Art Museum reopened Tuesday, Aug. 25 after undergoing the second phase of major repairs in a series of three. The opening marks the beginning of a big year for the museum; AMAM has two new exhibits, a new CD-ROM of the museum's collection, as well as a new director.

The summer repairs focused on the 1917 Cass Gilbert building and the 1977 Venturi building. The project included the replacement of the flat roof above the King Sculpture Court, located in the Gilbert building, as well as all the windows surrounding the Sculpture Court.

The Venturi building, which houses the Ellen Johnson Gallery, saw the restoration of its exterior masonry panels due to moisture entering the building, as well as the replacement of all its windows.

The third phase of renovation has not yet been scheduled but major reconstruction of the original tile roof is planned.

Despite ongoing construction, the museum was able to open in time for the start of the semester. Leslie Miller, the education intern at AMAM, feels the construction is only a minor obstacle and hopes it will soon be finished.

Along with the reopening of the permanent exhibits, there are also two new exhibitions: Ansel Adams and the 19th Century Landscape Photograph and Prints Since 1960.

The museum staff also spent the summer designing a CD-ROM containing a catalog collection of almost all the artwork in its permanent collection.

All students will receive a free copy of the CD-ROM. There will be an open house to celebrate the CD-ROM on Thursday, Sept. 10. "We'd like as many students as are able to come and join us in the celebration," Miller said. "There will be refreshments."

Several major contemporary exhibitions have also been planned for the 1998-'99 year, including a series of special time-based media projects featuring the work of Diana Thater and Gary Hill-recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship-as well as performance artist Karen Finley.