Wendell Castle: About Time
September 20 - December 21, 2008 | Central Court
American furniture artist and sculptor Wendell Castle, a KU alumnus, will install five of his exquisite clocks in the museum’s Central Court as part of the Spencer’s Fall 2008 focus on concepts of time in visual art. This exhibition will be accompanied by a book featuring an interview with Castle and a major essay on Castle’s art by Charles C. Eldredge, KU’s Hall Distinguished Professor of American Art and Culture.
The publication accompanying the exhibition is supported by the Price R. and Flora A. Reid Foundation.
In his essay entitled “Of Time and Materials: The Art of Wendell Castle,” Dr. Eldredge writes, “More than by traditional clock- or cabinetmakers, Castle has…been inspired by scientists, especially Alan Lightman whose Einstein’s Dreams, ruminations on the concept of time, is often cited by the artist in discussion. Unlike the traditional clockmaker’s concern with accurate timekeeping, or the contemporary furniture maker’s with artfully designed and constructed objects, Castle is intrigued by the scientific concept of time. ‘They (scientists) think about things like, time doesn’t move in a consistent way,’ he explained. ‘Actually, it moves in fits and starts.’ Or at variable rates, depending on velocity, or altitude, etcetera. ‘If you’re moving at the speed of light, time will stand still; if you’re moving very fast, it slows down. If you live on top of a mountain, you’ll live longer than if you live at sea level; time is different, it will move more slowly.’”
About Time is organized by Lara Kuykendall, the Spencer’s 2007-2008 European and American Art Intern, and Susan Earle, Curator of European and American Art.
Public Programs
- 9.27
- It Starts With Art! Childrens art appreciation classes for ages 5-14: It’s About Time
- 10:30 AM & 1:30 PM / Central Court & Galleries
- Artist Wendell Castle explores the scientific concept of time with his art clocks and students will do the same, building their own clock from found objects. / $ / To enroll, contact Jessica Johnson, SMA Education Department, 785.864.0137 or smakids@ku.edu or visit our website to enroll online
- 10.2
- Opening Reception: Time/Frame and Wendell Castle: About Time
- 5:30-7 PM / SMA Galleries
- 10.2
- Artist Lecture: Wendell Castle on An Idea in Transition
- 7 PM / SMA Auditorium
- In conjunction with Wendell Castle: About Time / Murphy Lecture Fund / Co-sponsored by Department of Art History
- 10.10
- Town & Gown Forum: Time/Frame
- 10 AM / SMA Central Court & Galleries
- Co-sponsored with KU Hall Center for the Humanities / Join KU faculty members Adrian Melott, cosmology/astrophysics/astrobiology, Mark Landau, psychology, Larry Martin, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and Susan Earle, SMA curator of European and American art for a series of gallery presentations from their perspectives about the SMA exhibitions Time/Frame and Wendell Castle: About Time / Amanda Martin-Hamon, moderator
- 12.1
- KU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute: It’s About Time
- 2 PM / SMA Central Court & Galleries
- Join KU faculty members and others for a series of gallery presentations about the exhibitions Time/Frame and Wendell Castle: About Time / Amanda Martin-Hamon, moderator / Class sponsored by KU Continuing Education. Enrollment required. Please contact University of Kansas Continuing Education, 785-864-KUCE(5823) www.kuce.org or kuce@ku.edu
Press
The Spencer thanks Emprise Bank and The World Company for their support of Wendell Castle: About Time.
