Today, Robert Morris’ 1969 sculpture Untitled was reinstalled on the north lawn of the AMAM. It had been removed during the museum’s recent renovation project to provide space for the creation of a geothermal well field. The reappearance of the Morris marks the return of the last AMAM object displaced during the 18-month closure.

This is one of two works by Morris currently on view at the AMAM. The second work, also called Untitled, is currently on view in the Ellen Johnson Gallery. Taken together, these works represent two different phases of Morris’ artistic philosophy, with the outdoor work describing his approach to ‘form,’ and the indoor piece, made of eight strips of hanging felt, his notion of ‘anti-form.’ Morris’ use of expanded aluminum for the lawn installation make it constant and geometric—unable to take any other shape—while the felt piece, made of soft, malleable material, can be altered depending on its space.

Largely acquired through the insightfulness of Oberlin College Professor of Art Ellen Johnson and AMAM Curator of Modern Art Athena Tacha, the AMAM’s Minimalist collection now boasts a core group of works by artists (like Morris) who are widely recognized for their major contributions to 20th-century art.

The AMAM receives LEED Gold Certification for its renovation project!

The AMAM has received a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold rating for its recently completed renovations, an ambitious goal established at the outset of the project. Read more in this article from the Oberlin College website (click through on the title above). 

Today’s the day! The museum opened its doors at 10am this morning, and we will be open until 5pm this evening (our normal Tuesday through Saturday hours; Sundays 1pm until 5pm). We hope you get the chance to stop by!And, don’t forget our special “First Thursday” evening hours, this Thursday from 6pm until 9pm. It’s good to be back! 
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Today’s the day! The museum opened its doors at 10am this morning, and we will be open until 5pm this evening (our normal Tuesday through Saturday hours; Sundays 1pm until 5pm). We hope you get the chance to stop by!

And, don’t forget our special “First Thursday” evening hours, this Thursday from 6pm until 9pm.

It’s good to be back! 

Then and Now: two views of the musuem’s Willard-Newell Gallery. On the left, before the renovation project, and on the right, as it is today. Especially noticeable is the updated lighting system, which has been installed in three of the museum’s galleries. The museum would like to thank donors Merrill and Pat Shanks (OC 1961 and OC 1963) and Mrs. Fay Stern for supporting this project. The museum reopens tomorrow at 10am! 
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Then and Now: two views of the musuem’s Willard-Newell Gallery. On the left, before the renovation project, and on the right, as it is today. Especially noticeable is the updated lighting system, which has been installed in three of the museum’s galleries. The museum would like to thank donors Merrill and Pat Shanks (OC 1961 and OC 1963) and Mrs. Fay Stern for supporting this project. 

The museum reopens tomorrow at 10am! 

A look back to another time of renovation and construction - the building of the Venturi addition in 1977.From the museum’s forthcoming collection catalog: “By the 1960s, museum staff were well aware that the Cass Gilbert building was ‘bursting at the seams,’ as the museum’s Bulletin put it in fall 1966… The search for an architect was led by noted Baroque scholar and then-Art Department chair Richard Spear, who was named AMAM director in 1972. The committee unanimously chose Robert Venturi, believing he could solve the difficult problem of respectfully enlarging upon Gilbert’s revered Renaissance palazzo. With characteristic humor, Venturi later called the AMAM commission his ‘first high-falutin’ job.’”
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A look back to another time of renovation and construction - the building of the Venturi addition in 1977.

From the museum’s forthcoming collection catalog: “By the 1960s, museum staff were well aware that the Cass Gilbert building was ‘bursting at the seams,’ as the museum’s Bulletin put it in fall 1966… The search for an architect was led by noted Baroque scholar and then-Art Department chair Richard Spear, who was named AMAM director in 1972. The committee unanimously chose Robert Venturi, believing he could solve the difficult problem of respectfully enlarging upon Gilbert’s revered Renaissance palazzo. With characteristic humor, Venturi later called the AMAM commission his ‘first high-falutin’ job.’”

It’s official – the museum opens two weeks from today! September 6 is the first day of Oberlin College classes, and the first day the AMAM will be open to the public since December 2009. To celebrate, we’ll be posting “then and now” images of the museum and galleries on our Tumblr site every day for the next two weeks!We start today with a photo of legendary Professor of Art History Wolfgang Stechow teaching with Rubens’ “The Finding of Erichthonius.” 
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It’s official – the museum opens two weeks from today! September 6 is the first day of Oberlin College classes, and the first day the AMAM will be open to the public since December 2009. To celebrate, we’ll be posting “then and now” images of the museum and galleries on our Tumblr site every day for the next two weeks!

We start today with a photo of legendary Professor of Art History Wolfgang Stechow teaching with Rubens’ “The Finding of Erichthonius.”