The Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art has three upcoming exhibitions this fall that showcase art ranging from abstract paintings to pieces from Roman history.
A look into Roman history
The first exhibition is “Portraits of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna: An Exploration of Roman Imperial Identity and Power.” Visitors can find the exhibit in the Ancient Asian and Islamic Art Gallery on the second floor of the Eskenazi Museum.
The exhibit will be open from Aug. 3, 2024 to March 30, 2025.
This exhibit will display significant coins from Roman history and marble portraits of Septimus Severus and Julia Domna. Severus was the founder of the Severan dynasty and a Roman emperor, and Domna was his wife. Their portraits were purchased by Thomas T. Solley in 1975 for the IU Art Museum, which was renamed as the Eskenazi Museum of Art in 2019.
The exhibit will explore politics, family lineage and image building during the reign of Septimus Severus (193–211 C.E.). It delves into a concept that people often ponder about: one’s image and how they are perceived by others. History lovers and visitors can also pick up “Imperial Colors: The Roman Portrait Busts of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna,” a book written on these two portraits which is available in the Herman B Wells Library.
Abstract art
The next exhibition, “Amplitude: Terry Winters Prints Since 2000 from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation,” will open in the Rhonda and Anthony Moravec Gallery, Center for Prints, Drawings and Photographs on the third floor of the museum.
The exhibit will be open from Aug. 9 to Dec. 15.
Terry Winters is an acclaimed American painter who integrates elements of mathematical systems, architecture and nature into abstract art and has been crafting prints for over 40 years.
“You come away with the sense that although these are abstract, he’s really engaging with the world around him, ” Danielle Johnson, the director of curatorial affairs at the museum, said.
Honoring John Mellencamp
The last exhibition is especially exciting for rock music lovers, as it explores a different, artistic side to the famous American singer-songwriter, John Mellencamp. Visitors can find “Crossroads: The Paintings of John Mellencamp” in the Featured Exhibitions Gallery, Henry Radford Hope Wing, on the museum’s first floor.
The exhibit will be open from Sept. 5 to Dec. 15.
It is a celebration of John Mellencamp's long-term residency in Bloomington. It gives a chance for students, residents and faculty to see a rich collection of his oil portraits and multimedia pieces. He began painting in the 1980s and was influenced by the works of Otto Dix and Max Beckmann. His pieces flow with the same harmony and rhythm that is seen in his music and capture the essence of the country he calls home, America.
This article is part of the Source Visitor’s Guide, an IDS special publication.
