Our Newspapers are Literally "Hot" Off the Presses!

Have you ever wondered what happens to the Art Library's old newspapers? You can see them in action at the Chrysler Museum of Art's Glass Studio! About once a month a stack of Virginia Pilots, New York Times and Wall Street Journals are transferred from the library to the glass studio so that the glass blowing artists can use them in their work. Generally, 4-5 newspapers are folded and cut into thick, square layers that fit in the artist's hand. The papers are then soaked with water and used by the artist to shape the glass. Although the water prevents the paper from burning, the immense heat of the molten glass often causes the paper to smoke.

The Chrysler is thrilled to welcome world-renowned glass artists Benjamin Moore, Dante Marioni and Janusz Pozniak to the Glass Studio this week as part of the Chrysler's Visiting Artist Series. Stop by the studio to watch a free demonstration, and see the Library's recycled newspapers in action! Space is limited, so make sure to arrive early:

Friday, March 2 10:00am-1:00pm, 2:00-5:00pm
Saturday, March 3: 10:00am to 1:00pm
Sunday, March 4: 2:00-5:00pm

World-renowned glass artist Janusz Pozniak uses wet newspaper to shape hot glass at the Chrysler Museum of Art Glass Studio.
Copyright Chrysler Museum of Art, all rights reserved.

What's new?

There are many exciting new things happening at the Chrysler, and the library is no exception! Take a look at what the library and museum have been upto :

In order to celebrate the opening of the Chrysler's new Glass Studio, the library has purchased a number of excellent books on the art of glass making. Learn how to make glass beads, figurines, dinnerwear, christmas ornaments, jewelry and more! And make sure to sign up for one of the classes or workshops being held weekly at the studio, or stop by for a free demo!

You may have noticed that two of the Chrylser Museum's new exhibitions feature library materials:

Mark Rothko, No. 5, Untitled, 1949, oil on

canvas. From the Chrysler Museum collection.

© 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher

 Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS),

New York.

The exhibition Mark Rothko: Perceptions of Being, which is on view from Sept. 28 to Jan. 8, 2012, is accompanied by one of the library's monographs on Mark Rothko. The exhibition includes the Chrysler’s own No. 5 (Untitled), 1949, that serves as the centerpiece of this focused exhibition of work by the great abstract expressionist. Other works include five paintings on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.—each a gift of the Mark Rothko Foundation. By displaying the library book along with the paintings, viewers are able to learn more about what they are seeing.

You may also have noticed library materials are featured in the new exhibition remix! The exhibition is ambitious undertaking by Amy Brandt, the Museum’s McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “remix examines the distinct ways in which artists from many different backgrounds and generations respond to a common subject, theme or historical phenomenon,” says Brandt. The library was pleased to contribute a copy of Life magazine featuring the pop art exhibition American Supermarket.