On Saturday, September 14, the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College will host a special “Return to the 19th Century: A Night at the Museum” event in conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibition, “Across the Atlantic: American Impressionism through the French Lens.”
The free carnival-themed event — which is to take place from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Museum — will feature a carnival experience in the style of the late 19th century, including an arcade, food vendors, games, and other entertainment, as well as a brief interactive history of French-versus-American Impressionism and the opportunity to view the Museum exhibition. The event is open to all ages. Game tickets and food will also be available for purchase throughout the event.
The carnival will expand on the theme of French-versus-American culture of the period by featuring popular French and American performance forms from the 19th century, including ragtime and French cabaret-style entertainment, along with period games, food, and drink.
“We want to encourage the whole community — children, adults, and specifically area college students — to become more active participants and visitors to the Museum,” said Laura Putnam, the Museum’s manager of exhibitions and adult programs. “What more fun way to learn about the rich cultural history of the 19th century than through art, food, carnival games, and live entertainment?”
This special “Return to the 19th Century” event is being presented with generous support from Art Bridges, a foundation whose mission is to share works of American art with wide audiences.
“Across the Atlantic: American Impressionism Through the French Lens,” which opened on August 10and runs through October 13,explores the origins of Impressionism in the 1860s and ’70s as an art movement in France and examines how that movement crossed over to American artists at the turn of the 20th century. More than sixty-five paintings and works on paper from the Reading Public Museum collection explore the techniques and subject matter associated with Impressionism. Among the featured artists are pioneers of the movement such as Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Mary Cassatt, as well as early influencers of the American Impressionist movement such as John Singer Sargent and William Merritt Chase.
While audiences may be familiar with the Impressionist movement, many may not be aware of how American Impressionism differs from French Impressionism or how the two histories intermingle. “Across the Atlantic” and its corresponding “Return to the 19th Century” carnival aim to teach the community more about the history and style of Impressionism while engaging all ages in a fun carnival environment.
“We thought this exhibition and its popular theme of Impressionism presented a great opportunity for us to push the boundaries of typical museum programming and to try to bring art and art history to life for all of our audiences,” said Dr. H. Alexander Rich, Polk Museum of Art’s executive director and chief curator. “We knew we wanted to immerse visitors somehow in the past and re-create, in an exciting way, the era presented in the exhibition.”
About the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College
The Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, is a private, not-for-profit academic fine art museum dedicated to promoting inspirational and engaging arts experiences for all. It is one of the Top 10 art museums in the State of Florida, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the only art museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums serving the 666,000 residents of Polk County. Museum hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesdays – Saturdays; 1-5 p.m. Sundays (closed Sundays June 1 through Labor Day) and closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is free for everyone year-round, thanks to the following organizations: Southern Homes/Amy & Ed Laderer; the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation; and the Share Foundation. The museum is fully accessible.