26 



Annals of the Smithsonian Institution 1999 



1936— 1949: Photographs by Constance Stuart Larrabee," 

 and "Claiming Art/Reclaiming Space: Post-Apartheid Art 

 from South Africa." 



The first level also houses the Point of View Gallery that 

 ptesents small temporary exhibitions that focus on specific 

 themes of objects. On view were "African Forms in the Fur- 

 niture of Pierre Legrain," "Sokari Douglas Camp: Church 

 Ede, A Tribute to Her Father," and "Hats Off: A Salute to 

 African Headwear." Also featured on the first level was "New 

 Acquisitions: Gifts from the Lawrence Gussman Collection." 



The museum hosted, in its large second-level gallery, 

 "Baule: African Art/Western Eyes." In addition, the gallery 

 was the site of one component of the exhibition "Wrapped in 

 Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity," a 

 unique collaboration between two Smithsonian museums, 

 the National Museum of African Art and the Anacostia Mu- 

 seum and Center for African American History and Culture. 

 The two-sited exhibition offered visitors not only a glimpse 

 into the history and meaning of the colorful African textile, 

 but provided both programming and interactive activities 

 that engaged diverse audiences. School groups and teachers 

 from hundreds of schools took advantage of related program- 

 ming including exhibition tours, weaving demonstrations by 

 master weavers from Ghana, and teacher workshops. 



Four large cast concrete screens by Nigerian artist Adebesi 

 Akanj, donated to the museum in 1994 by Mr. and Mrs. 

 Waldemar A. Nielsen, were restored by the museum's con- 

 servation department. The screens will be featured in an 

 exhibition on several artists from the important Oshogbo art 

 movement in southwestern Nigeria. 



The museum's educational offerings, which spring from 

 the permanent collections and special exhibitions, provide 

 audiences with provocative and insightful views of the world 

 of African art. An array of tours, workshops, and focus pro- 

 grams gave students of all ages their first encounters with 

 real works of African art. 



Highlights included a family day on the arts and culture 

 of Ghana with food, music, song, dance procession, games, 

 demonstrations, and storytelling; and a conservation clinic 

 open to the public in which conservation staff advised visi- 

 tors on the proper care of their collections. A South African 

 film series that accompanied the "Claiming Art/Reclaiming 

 Space" exhibition attracted standing-room-only audiences. 



The museum's extended summer hours drew hundreds of 

 visitors on Thursday nights as part of "Art Night on the 

 Mall." Youngsters made colorful hats and then showed them 

 off as they paraded to the exhibition "Hats Off!: A Salute to 

 African Headwear," while art lovers had the opportunity to 

 talk with South African artist Rudzani Nemasetoni. In addi- 

 tion, the museum's entrance pavilion filled with the sounds 

 of musicians from Cameroon and South Africa. 



In addition, workshops and demonstrations by practicing 

 artists engaged attentive audiences eager to meet and talk 

 with African artists. For example, Nigerian artist Sokari 

 Douglas Camp conducted a two-day workshop for reachers 

 in which participants cteated sculptures from ordinary mate- 

 rials and Pamela Botchway of Ghana taught visitors how to 

 tie their own African headwraps in a public demonstration. 



The museum also continues to make itself accessible to 

 people with special needs. Tours for hard-of-hearing visitors 

 wete made possible through a portable FM Assistive Listen- 

 ing System. This system also allowed hard-of-hearing visitors 

 to participate in educational programs in the workshop and 

 lectute hall. Sign language interpreters for deal visitors were 

 available upon request for all museum programs. 



Publications 



Throughour the year, the museum published informational 

 materials to accompany exhibitions. 



Photographic Archives and Library 



The museum continues to be a leading research and reference 

 center for the visual atts of Africa. The Warren M. Robbins 

 Library, a branch of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, 

 contains mote than 20,000 volumes on African art and ma- 

 terial cultute. The Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives 

 specializes in the collection and pteservation of visual mate- 

 tials on Afncan art, culture, and the environment. 



National Museum of American Art 

 (Smithsonian American Art Museum) 



Elizabeth Broun, Director 



The 1999 fiscal year was significant for award-winning exhi- 

 bitions and on-line technology, accompanied by advances in 

 education, research, and intern programs. Planning contin- 

 ued for the upcoming renovation of the Old Patent Office 

 Building, with discussions focusing on gallery allocations 

 between SAAM and NPG The roof replacement project pro- 

 ceeded with some delays, preventing the reopening of the 

 Lincoln Gallery before the year 2000. By the end of the year, 

 the skylights in the gallery and along the South Wing had 

 been replaced and judged a great success. 



Having consulted with the Smithsonian Secretary, Provost, 

 General Counsel, and othet officials, the National Museum 

 of American Art decided to begin using the name Smithson- 

 ian American Art Museum for all exhibitions, loans, and othet 

 activities, effective January 2000. This change was recom- 

 mended by the museum's Commission in otder to link the 

 museum more closely to the Smithsonian, shorten the name, 

 and avoid confusion arising from the term "National." If the 

 new designation proves effective, the Smithsonian will seek 

 formal approval from the Congress for the change. 



The SAAM Collections Committee approved the purchase 

 of Horace Pippin's Old Black Joe. which will enhance the mu- 

 seum's exceptional and growing collection of African 

 American art. 



The Smithsonian American Art Museum presented two 

 complementary exhibitions that examined the California Gold 

 Rush in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the discovery 

 of gold in California. "The Art of the Gold Rush" featured 



