I 4D - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - Fall 2004 ARTS Legacy of notorious family fills museum September 26, 2003 By Lynn Hasslebth Daily StaffWriter Behind the scenes A look into the ubiquitous 'U' Productions . On Sunday, the University of Michigan Museum of Art unveiled an exclusive exhibition of European art collected by Russia's most notorious royal family. The exhibit, emphasizing the diverse artistic tastes and political goals of the Romanov family, stands as the core of the University's six-month celebration of St. Petersburg's bicentennial. "The exhibit tells the story of the Romanovs' personal relationship to collect- ing. It is a narrative of nationalism seen through a visually compelling experi- ence" said museum art curator James Steward. On loan from the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, this diverse exhibit displays 140 works including painting, sculpture and ceramics as well as tapestry and furniture. French, English, Dutch and German works are displayed, representing artists of both the Romantic and Enlightenment periods. The exhibit tracks the family in chronological order from Peter the Great to the last surviving Russian tsar, Nicholas II, representing over 300 years of art collecting. Through their extensive pursuit of art, the Romanovs sought to elevate Russia and create a commanding sense of national identity. Peter the Great established this trend by founding St. Petersburg in 1703. As the nation's revived capital city, St. Petersburg became a center of cultural and political prestige. Catherine the Great secured the connection between art and politics. As a true . Enlightenment monarch, her tastes gravitated toward neo-classicism, a style that conjured up visions of ancient Greece and Rome. In the first gallery, paintings of Greek goddesses and Roman architecture depict the height of Greek civilization. Catherine's political goal was to create an image of rational democracy, while in reality she led a highly centralized and dictatorial government. While such paintings attempted to legitimize Catherine's somewhat autocratic government, art was also used to assert Russia's military dominance. Catherine * CC 'y i 4% 4% k Courtesy of the UM MA I don't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out. All I got is Floyd. persistently acquired the art collections of other Western powers as a means of belittling her political opponents. France was the most consistently humiliated, as Russia purchased many of Napoleon's collections after the French Revolution. The exhibit displays a suite of four French paintings collected by Nicholas II that depict the private life of Napoleon. While this represents Russia's military pride, it also uncovers a certain obsession with France's leading monarch. Nicholas's preference toward more personal and private scenes suggests his overall discomfort with world politics. The distinction between public endeavors and private life is evident through- out the exhibit. Much like a private gallery, the collection displays selected pieces rather than a massive presentation. This layout is reminiscent of the origi- nal Hermitage, a suite of private rooms Catherine used to display her pieces to prominent dignitaries. While the expanding Romanov collection was meant to foster national pride and political competence, the Imperial Hermitage remained closed to the public for most of the Romanov dynasty. Steward describes this ultimate paradox: "The uneasy tension within the royal family grew out of a desire to be of their time and acknowledge democratic val- ues amidst a fundamental distrust of the people. Nonetheless, this exhibit seeks to humanize a complex and tragic family history." October 3, 2003 By Melissa Runstrom Daily Staff Writer There is a claustrophobic room, in a little-known prop shop on Fletcher Street, which houses thousands of shoes worn by countless actors. A little further down are ethereal costumes, freshly dyed and drying. In another room, men are busy sawing and painting New York skyscapes. Workers are creatively mak- ing these things look "real." Just as actors immerse themselves into charac- ters that become true, the props cease to be props and become real items. This prop shop is a small part of Univer- sity Productions, a multifaceted organiza- tion that was developed in 1985 after the theater and dance departments became part of the School of Music. Now it servic- es the School of Music as well as produc- tions that use the space they oversee. University Productions handles the True- blood Theater, the Lydia Mendelssohn The- ater, the Power Center and Hill Auditorium by maintaining all the buildings and verify- ing that they are up to code -all this while also preparing its own productions and training students. "There is a lot of value in people teaching and not just being consumers," University Productions Director Jeffrey Kuras said. Students can directly participate in over 45 events every year. Positions include work study, ticket takers, student actors and stage producers. The organization utilizes qualified design students to work alongside designers from University faculty. Kuras stresses that everyone has an opportunity. "There is a progression, and that is how we do it. They can work up and they can build," he said. The group is already excited for this season's schedule, including "Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)" and "Guys and Dolls," both in October, and three pieces in the University's St. Petersburg Festival. Even with a full season, University Productions would love to expand the number of productions and increase the amount of roles offered. "There are many many talented students. It is very competitive for them to get roles on stage," Kuras said. The organization plays an important role in Ann Arbor by adding to the cul- ture of the city and campus with produc- tions, venues and new talent. "The difference between us and University Music Society, for example, is that UMS hires professional artists who are on tour, and our job is to train students to become professional artists," Kuras said. I Stups" -SandwichAe" .Salad -Catering I m I ir Is gm ,._m1 _W T aV_%0%0%A