It’s a pretty cool gig for your second year of college. This month, UA sophomore Emma Kleiner is overseeing her first project as a curator of art. Her debut exhibit is a series of 10 surrealist prints by German artist Max Klinger, entitled “”Max Klinger: The Glove.””
Kleiner, who studies English, history and art history, is a curatorial intern for the UA Museum of Art. She has been working under the supervision of Lauren Rabb, the museum’s head curator, since August. “”It basically means that I help out with research, and Lauren let me design this exhibit,”” Kleiner said. She has also helped set up other exhibits in the museum. “”It’s a lot of fun,”” Kleiner added.
Last semester, Kleiner and Rabb were interested in featuring an exhibition of prints. Kleiner found one of Max Klinger’s pieces and then discovered that there was an entire series of the works. “”Once we saw all of these prints together, we both thought that it would make a great exhibition. It’s a really wonderful story. It’s very bizarre and kind of eerie, but I think that it really connects to audiences,”” Kleiner said.
The prints themselves work almost like a comic strip. Ten separate images follow a sequence of events, telling the story of a male protagonist who finds a mysterious white glove. Although the images begin realistically, the glove takes on a life of its own and ultimately launches the man into the realm of fantasy. “”It’s unusual,”” Rabb said. “”It’s kind of like taking a fairy tale and writing one for adults.””
Max Klinger might not be the most famous artist around, but this fantastical collection was influential in the progression of artistic movements all across the world. Klinger made these prints in the 1880s — nearly 40 years before the surrealist movement took off. His dream-like images and explorations into the subconscious mind later influenced artists such as Salvador Dali and Edvard Munch.
“”As a current student of art history, what I liked about (Klinger’s work) is that it’s a story. You can really delve into learning about the artist in a unique way.”” Kleiner said. She encourages students to visit the exhibit and the museum in general. “”The UA Museum of Art is a spectacular place. We have about 6,000 pieces here.””
The exhibition only runs until Jan. 30, so consider stopping by in time to see “”Max Klinger: The Glove.”” The museum is closed on Mondays but opens Tuesday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tickets are free to UA students, faculty and staff with ID.
As for Kleiner, this is only the beginning of her career in the artistic community. “”Right now, I’m really enjoying working at the museum and having a hands-on learning experience about art history. I’m not quite sure what the future holds for me, but I hope to keep studying art. The more I learn, the more I’ll discover the right path for me.””
