Location: The Frick Pittsburgh Museums & Gardens in Point Breeze
Featured guests: Dawn R. Brean, chief curator & director of collections, and Christina Cichra, collections manager
3 things that surprised me:
1. The artworks in this exhibition, “The Scandinavian Home: Landscape and Lore,” all belong to David and Susan Werner of State College, PA, and this is the first time they’ve lent out so much of their Scandinavian collection. Dawn pointed out that it’s interesting to be showing off another private collection, as the artwork that’s usually on view in the gallery is Helen Clay Frick’s private collection.
2. There are more than 100 works of art in the show, and each piece must be carefully evaluated before the exhibition opens. In an impressively organized binder, Christina has created a section for each artwork. Any imperfections, cracks or blemishes are noted to ensure that nothing degrades during the exhibition. Many of these pieces will continue on tour to a few other cities, and they’ll be accompanied by Christina’s binder so that they can continue to ensure the safety of all the objects.
3. The team at The Frick Pittsburgh wanted to create a homey feel in their galleries so they had a member of their design team create a pattern, using elements from Scandinavian art, and wallpapered the space with it. Christina explained that these little details make the museum feel so different from previous shows.
One thing that didn’t make the final cut: When you visit this exhibition, the work is displayed behind glass and on pedestals, but at the Werners’ home in State College, they’re using these pieces of Scandinavian furniture in their living room. I asked if their home is empty without all the objects, but Christina assured me that they were able to bring other furniture and artwork out of their basement so their house doesn’t feel too bare.
Additional info: You can learn more about the exhibition and buy tickets at The Frick Pittsburgh website.
Want more Yinzer Backstage Pass? Check out our visit to Idlewild and learn the fascinating history behind our region’s oldest amusement park.
