Friends of Art to offer spring trip to Louisville

This April, Friends of Art will be offering a two-day trip to the Louisville Speed Art Museum to see a collection of paintings by great French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists.

The exhibit, “Renoir to Chagall: Paris and the Allure of Color,” is a collaboration of both the Speed Art Museum and Memphis’ Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

“It presents this amazing example of the ‘who’s who’ of that time period,” said Kirsten Popp, a public relations representative at the Speed Art Museum.

“The end result is more than 80 paintings, including things that have been stored in private collections.”

Friends of Art, an organization that supports students in the School of Fine Arts through scholarships, is no stranger to semester trips. Minneapolis, St. Louis and Nashville, Tenn., have been a few of their past destinations.

“Louisville is really only two hours away,” said Suzanne Halvorson, long-standing member on the board of directors and one of the organizers of the trip.

 “So, I think it’s important for students to realize there are major art destinations within a very easy distance from Bloomington.”

In addition to the exhibit, students will also be spending one night in Louisville’s 21c Museum Hotel, which is what Halvorson calls “a major draw” of the trip. The hotel features the world’s only museum dedicated solely to 21st century modern art.

“What is special about us is that the hotel and the museum are not separate things,” 21c Communication Manager Stephanie Greene said. “There is truly ‘art around every corner.’ The art starts on the street, before you even go in. It’s an unexpected experience.”

Greene said the modern art is thought-provoking, interactive and that much of it features multimedia aspects.

Along with the art exhibits, however, Halvorson said she hopes the trip can also provide means for individuals to network.

“I hope those who go walk away with relationships,” she said. “I think it would be wonderful to have students and more senior members of the Friends of Art to get to know one another.”

To attend, members must send a non-refundable check of $50 to Friends of Art as soon as possible. The deadline to pay in full is Feb. 15.

“Everyone seems to really love the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist period,” Halvorson said. “To have such an outstanding exhibit of world class art in our backyard is really a wonderful opportunity. So, it was kind of a no-brainer.”