Hudson Valley MOCA Presents Art History With a Twist

Hudson Valley MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) presents a three-part lecture series, Art History With a Twist, led by artist and art historian Marcy B. Freedman. Each lecture focuses on works of art that relate to an unusual topic not often examined in art history.  Freedman then connects those works to the politics and cultural values of their time. A slideshow accompanies each lecture, which will be infused with humor and expertise.

First, “Inebriation in Western Art” looks at the presence of alcohol in visual art, from a woman who drinks beer in an ancient Egyptian wall painting to depictions of Dionysus, the god of wine (12/9). Next, “Representing Dance in Visual Art” examines techniques used by artists to suggest movement: for instance, Degas’ famous ballerinas and Nick Cave’s Sound Suit performances. This lecture will be accompanied by a dance performance by Andrea Elam (1/6). Last, “Bodily Functions as Subject Matter” observes the use of bodily functions, such as blood, semen and urine, in contemporary and modern art. This lecture discusses controversial works like Chris Ofili’s The Holy Virgin Mary, which incorporated elephant dung, as well as works by Hermann Nitsch, Vito Acconci and more (2/3). For more info, visit hudsonvalleymoca.org.

A version of this article first appeared in the December/January issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.