September 25 marks the 10th Anniversary of Dartmouth's Hood Museum of Art, and who would have believed so much could be achieved in those quick ten years. In this time, the Hood has established itself as a major educational and cultural resource for the College and the entire Upper Valley region.
The museum's completion in 1985 was made possible by a major contribution from Harvey P. Hood '18 and his family.This "auspicious event," in the words of Museum Director Timothy Rub, "not only made possible the consolidation of the College's extensive fine art and ethnographic collections under one roof, but also held out the promise...of what the museum might become both for Dartmouth College and the community."
The building itself is widely recognized as one of the finest museums designed within the last decade. The work of Charles Moore and Chad Floyd of Centerbrook Architects, the post-modern creation won the American Institute of Architects' Honor Award in 1987.
The museum, according to the Institute, "exerts a subtle attraction to its visitors by luring them through its public spaces outside and offering the promise of mysteries within."
Rub has been very pleased with the building's utility during his tenure as Museum Director.
"It is a pleasure to work with a building rather than against it," Rub said. The galleries, he notes, "are remarkably flexible" and "extremely adaptable for a broad range."
Since 1985, 5400 pieces have been added to Dartmouth's permanent collection of art and artifacts.
Although the Hood building provides 12,000 square feet of exhibition space, there is not enough space for all 60,000 pieces in the collection.
"Only 2% of our permanent collection is ever on display at one time," said Public Relations Coordinator, Adrienne Hand. "Most don't seem to realize the extent of the art collection right here on campus," said Hand.
Over the past decade, the Hood's mission has been to provide a cultural service to both the College and the upper New England area.
Besides strengthening its permanent collection, the Museum has reached out to surrounding communities through educational initiatives and collaborations with public schools. As the Museum is first and foremost a teaching endeavour, it has devoted several facilities specifically to this purpose, including the Harrington Gallery, Sanders Seminar room, and Loew Auditorium.
Through a 1992 Education Department grant, the museum has also been able to work within 15 school districts in a 30 mile radius to promote awareness and use of the permanent collection.
Although the collection and the Museum have come a long way in the past decade, there are still challenges to be faced in the years to come, especially in the face of decreased government funding for the arts. Rub said the Museum is always "trying to fill gaps in the collection."
Particular strengths include Native American art, 19th and 20th century American painting, and modern art, but the collection "tries to represent all styles."
The Museum is celebrating the anniversary with a year-long series of exhibitions focusing on its permanent collection, as well as several public programs addressing the role of the teaching museum in society today.
The "Issues of Native American Identity" exhibit is kicking off the celebration for the Fall term, examining the nature and construction of Native American identity across time and cultures. The exhibit features both Native and non-Native artists.
Several Dartmouth students often don't fully realize the cultural asset at their fingertips right here on campus.Providing an important service to the entire region, The Hood Museum of Art hopes, in the coming years, to further the significant cultural accomplishments achieved in the past decade. And if the past predicts the future, we have much to look forward to.
