Thoughts, Things, and Theories…What Is Culture?
“Thoughts, Things, and Theories…What Is Culture?” examines the nature of culture through the exploration of cultural traditions surrounding life stages and universal needs. Runs through May 9, 2014.

Assessing Authenticity: Museum Fakes and Mistakes
This exhibit explores issues surrounding object identification and authentication within museums. Runs through May 9, 2014.

From the Big Bang to the World Wide Web: The Origins of Everything
This exhibit examines history on a large scale, through the exploration of cosmic, biological, and human origins. Runs through May 9, 2014.

Ojibwe Public Art, Ostrom Private Lives
“Ojibwe Public Art, Ostrom Private Lives” explores works by late 20th century Ojibwe artists of Manitoulin Island, Canada, collected by Elinor and Vincent Ostrom. The exhibit was curated by a team of IU graduate students through a project partially supported by the IU College of Arts and Sciences Ostrom Grants Program. Runs through May 9, 2014.

Rhythms of the World Audio Exhibit
Rhythms of the World is a free audioguide tour of musical instruments from around the globe featured in exhibits throughout the museum. The audioguide includes narration and musical clips of the highlighted instruments. Runs through May 9, 2014.

Mather Museum Hours: Tues. – Fri., 9 am – 4:30 pm; Sat. & Sun., 1 – 4:30 pm

Is it magic or is it science? Have great fun exploring the surprising tricks mirrors can play on your brain! This special hands-on exhibition for people of all ages is on display at WonderLab (Tuesday – Sunday) through April 13.

“Art Quilts”
Contemporary works by Jasper, Indiana artist Beth Schnellenberger featuring strong geometric shapes, bold colors, and textured surfaces. Runs through April 12.

Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30 am-5 pm, Sun 1-5 pm

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 – 5:00 p.m. Sunday: Noon – 5:00 p.m.

Focalpoint: Personal Objects: Art from Eastern and Southern Africa
January 14–May 11, 2014 Raymond and Laura Wielgus Gallery of the Arts of Africa, the South Pacific, and the Americas, Focalpoint, third floor From jewelry and headdresses to household objects such as containers, headrests, and spoons, the art of eastern and southern Africa for the most part is intimately connected with the individual. Though these regions of Africa do not have the large numbers of masks and figural sculpture for which western and central Africa are known, the personal objects found there frequently reflect the deep cultural significances and attention to form and detail seen elsewhere on the continent. This installation has been organized to coincide with the A352/A552, Art of Eastern and Southern Africa, a course being taught during the spring 2014 semester in the Department of the History of Art.

New in the Galleries: ‘Max Beckmann’s Woodcuts’
Gallery of the Art of the Western World, Doris Steinmetz Kellett Endowed Gallery of Twentieth-Century Art, first floor
February 4–June 22, 2014
Although the German Expressionist artist Max Beckmann was a prolific graphic artist (producing 374 prints during his lifetime), he created fewer than 20 woodcuts. Most were produced during the 1920s, when Germany was experiencing a revival of interest in the medium. Seven prints from this period will be featured in this installation.

Special Exhibition: Matisse’s Jazz and Other Works from Indiana University Collections
April 2–May 25, 2014
Special Exhibitions Gallery, first floor
In addition to highlighting the IU Art Museum’s rare complete suite of twenty color stencil prints from Jazz—Matisse’s last and greatest book project—this exhibition will include more than thirty other works by this modern master from the holdings of the Art Museum and Lilly Library. Special attention will be paid to the artist’s works on paper and book illustrations from the 1920s through the end of his career.

Special Exhibition: Francesco Solimena: Picturing the World for an Eighteenth-Century Royal Wedding
April 2–May 25, 2014
Judi and Milt Stewart Hexagon Gallery, first floor
Through a selection of pieces coming from the Getty Research Institute, the IU Fine Arts Library, the Lilly Library, and the IU Art Museum collection, this exhibition focuses on one of the IU Art Museum’s masterpieces, Francesco Solimena’s Allegory of the Four Parts of the World, highlighting the painting’s history, patronage, and iconography. This exhibition features a thirteen-minute documentary, The World around Solimena.

Special Exhibitions: Giving Back to Africa: Beta Histoire
April 1–30, 2014
Thomas T. Solley Atrium, second floor
Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo tell stories to each other every night. These stories often have a moral lesson or try to explain something in the world. The storytelling always begins with a child raising his/her hand and saying, “Beta Histoire,” or “I want to tell a story.” Experience the stories told in this exhibition of photographs by students in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Special Exhibition: Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions

April 2–May 11, 2014
Special Exhibitions Gallery, first floor
At 6:30 p.m. during the opening receptions, each exhibitor will give a brief talk about his or her work in the Thomas T. Solley Atrium, first floor.

April 2‒13
Stephen Crimarco, Photography
Alysha Kupferer, Textiles (in Thomas T. Solley Atrium, second floor)
Christina Weaver, Painting
Opening Reception: Friday, April 4, 6:00‒8:00 p.m.

Now on display in the Upper Loft Gallery through April 30: A selection of spring paintings from the Marie Goth Estate Collection. Also on display: Brown County Art Guild’s Member Artists Spring Exhibit; two floors of all new artwork by 45 of the Midwest’s finest artists! Reception: Second Saturday, April, 12, 5-8 pm during the Village Art Walk. Hours: Tuesday– Sat: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 pm (Closed Mondays).

Is it magic or is it science? Have great fun exploring the surprising tricks mirrors can play on your brain! This special hands-on exhibition for people of all ages is on display at WonderLab (Tuesday – Sunday) through April 13.

Museum hours:
Tuesday-Saturday: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Wendy Read Wertz will sign copies of her new book Lynton Keith Caldwell at the Barnes & Noble in Bloomington Sunday, April 6 from 1 to 3 p.m.

An afternoon of painting pottery and wine. Come learn the Italian method of maiolica glaze decoration and create your own 8″ round bread plate! Ceramic artist Susan Snyder will show you easy ways to transfer designs using templates and proper banding wheel use.

Susan has been teaching pottery to children and adults for over 20 years. She completed over 1,100 hours of ceramic training in Faenza, Italy. Her work has been featured on the HGTV show “That’s Clever” and in the books “500 Plates and Platters” and “The Best of 500 Ceramics: Celebrating a Decade in Clay” by Lark Crafts. Her pottery is sold in the Oliver Winery Main Tasting Room.
You can see samples of her work at www.susannaitaliana.com

Purchase tickets by visiting the Main Tasting Room or calling 812-876-5800. All materials will be provided and ticket price includes a glass of wine.

The Bloomington Battle Games Club, a chapter of the national foam-fighting organization Belegarth, meets every Sunday at Bryan Park (weather permitting) to fight. Medieval and fantasy – inspired combat is re-enacted using foam weapons of several varieties. Multiple styles of gameplay are practiced, including team-based and free-for-all. Visit the Facebook page for further information.

Sunday, April 6, 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Woodburn Hall, room 101
Following an introduction by IU Art Museum Director Heidi Gealt, who will talk briefly about royal weddings, Louise Arizzoli, adjunct assistant professor of art at the University of Mississippi and exhibition guest curator, will discuss Francesco Solimena’s Allegory of the Four Parts of the World in the context of the King of Naples’s wedding and in the broader tradition of allegorical representations of the continents, followed by the premiere screening of the film documentary on Francesco Solimena, The World around Solimena.