FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 8, 2008
Contact: Morgan Devlin
Newport Restoration Foundation
401-849-7300 x14
morgan@newportrestoration.org
Zoo Exhibit at Rough Point on Display during Newport Gallery Night
(Newport, RI) — Rough Point has joined the diverse array of artistic offerings showcased during Newport Gallery Night, held the 2nd Thursday of each month from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. On display in the Galleries at Rough Point is Zoo in the House: Animals in the Doris Duke Art Collection, a new exhibit featuring animal imagery in fine art and sculpture; photographs and home movie footage of Doris Duke with her animals; and artwork from Newport Public School students. The first Gallery Night at Rough Point will be on Thursday, April 10. Admission is $10.
Visitors to the Galleries at Rough Point will see items ranging from the 4th century BC to the mid 20th century. Animals are depicted as companions, as wild life, and as allegorical creatures. Learn about the cultural and religious significance of animal imagery and the history of animals in art through the lens of this very personal collection. Highlights of Zoo in the House include a Tang dynasty earthenware horse and camel, a bronze lion by Barye, a painting by Julien Dupre, and several Audubon prints.
Unleashed! A Community Art Gallery is a special section of the exhibit dedicated to artwork by local youth. In a collaborative project with the Newport Public Schools, supported by the Newport Public Education Fund, students from 3rd grade, 8th grade and high school will visit Rough Point to participate in art education activities and learn about the significance of animals in art. They will then create original artwork inspired by their experience which will be displayed in the exhibit.
Rough Point will be open for Newport Gallery Night from April – October 2008. Zoo in the House is also included in full house tours of Rough Point through November 8. House tours are $25. From April 10 – May 10, house tours are offered Thursday-Saturday from 10:00-2:00.
From May 13 – November 8, house tours are offered Tuesday-Saturday from 9:45-3:45. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.newportrestoration.org or call (401) 847-8344.
Rough Point was willed to the Newport Restoration Foundation by Doris Duke – heiress, animal lover and art collector – upon her death in 1993, complete with all of its contents. According to her wishes, it was opened to the public as a house museum in 2000. Founded by Miss Duke in 1968, the Newport Restoration Foundation, a non-profit institution, was formed with the express purpose of preserving, interpreting, and maintaining landscape and objects reflecting Aquidneck Island’s 18th and 19th century architectural culture. The foundation continues to be actively engaged in educational efforts, scholarly research and historical preservation.
For more information on Newport Gallery Night and a complete list of participating galleries, visit www.newportgalleries.org.
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