Some critics wondered if the new Meadows Museum would measure up to its hype. Two years after the museum opened, senior art history major Lizanne Garrett thinks that it has.
“It is a really good environment for students,” Garrett said.
The Meadows Museum originally opened in 1965 in the Owens Fine Arts Center with a collection of Spanish art. The museum went through various renovations and eventually needed a larger facility.
In April 1998, the Meadows Foundation awarded the university $18.5 million for the construction of a new building. The new museum opened on March 25, 2001.
After walking past The Wave, museum visitors are greeting by a massive black metal sculpture by the current featured artist, James Surls.
“These sculptures contrast with the museum’s red brick, white molding traditional architecture and distinguish it from the other new buildings,” junior art history major Karla Lopez said.
The museum hosts class visits, special lectures, an internship program and a class for the art history master’s program, Lisa Lombard, assistant curator for education said.
Clay Oehschlaeger, a senior art history major, goes to the museum regularly. Most art history professors send students to a local museum to write research papers or analyze works of art.
Students can choose to go to either the Meadows Museum or the Dallas Museum of Art.
“I think it’s great they have [the Meadows Museum] on campus for convenience,” Oehschlaeger said.
Classes outside the arts department also visit the museum. Oehschlaeger went to the museum with his Spanish class a few weeks ago. They discussed the history behind the art.
Oehschlaeger appreciates the fact that the museum features Spanish art, especially since SMU is located in the Southwest. Students normally see Mexican art, which is unlike its Spanish counterpart.
“Some people think that because [Spaniards and Mexicans] speak the same language, their art must be identical . . . they are totally different,” Oehlschlaeger said.
The Jordan Internship program is another advantage of having the museum. The internship allows art and art history majors to work in the museum under the supervision of the museum’s staff for an academic year.
Garrett, a Jordan intern, compiles information for the docents (tour guides) and handles the library’s internal checkout system.
Although some students find the new space convenient, others are not completely satisfied. Jana Evans, who recently graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in ceramics, liked the museum more when it was upstairs in the Owens Fine Arts Center.
Evans liked the small size of the old museum and the accessibility to the artwork. Now students have to cross the street and security is tighter.
Getting a closer look at pieces is still possible but requires some additional procedures.
“Before there was just a man with white gloves holding the pieces for students to see,” Evans said.
She wishes students had more access at the new museum, but she still believes the strengths of the new museum outweigh its weaknesses.
Moving the museum allowed for much needed space for the art department. Before, only seniors were allowed to have studios to work in and store their work. Now even first-year students can have private studios.
At museum-hosted lectures, both art and art history majors can meet art critics. The best aspect of the lectures – centralized location.
In the old museum the lecture, slide show and reception were usually held in different rooms.
While the new museum mostly benefits art students, other students can learn from it as well.
For example, Oehlschlaeger believes that business majors could learn a lot about selling art.
“Anyone will tell you there is money in art,” Oehlschlaeger said.
