Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami: hang out with the greats
Published: Apr 13, 2009
You don't have to head north to New York City or west to Los Angeles to catch a glimpse of a paintings by post-modern painter Roy Lichtenstein, Spanish master Francisco Goya or French Impressionist Paul Gauguin. Works by these greats and many others are as near as the University of Miami in Coral Gables.
The permanent collections of the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami include pieces from the Greco-Roman period, the Renaissance and the Baroque periods, 17-19th century European art, 19th century American art, Modern and Comtemporary art, as well as art from Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Native America.
As you pass through the lobby, the Lowe's contemporary art collection fills up the first halls. Duane Hanson's Football Player stares at you — a strikingly realistic human figure made from oil and polyvinyl.
Greco-Roman pieces such as drinking vessels and mixing bowls from the 500 B.C., as well as 4th century B.C. busts and sculptures give insights into the daily lives of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.
The Latin American collection houses Carlos Alfonso's Lifetime, a beautiful oil-on-linen painting full of abstract, stream-of-consciousness imagery. It also boasts Las Frutas, a bloated still life by Colombian artist Fernando Botero.
Art from the Ancient Americas features artifacts from the Incan and Mayan empires.
Don't skip the Palley Pavilion, a recent addition to the Lowe, which features glass, comtemporary and three-dimensional art. Click here to view the Lowe's layout.
A gift from philanthropists Joe and Emily Lowe in 1950 allowed the Lowe Art Museum to open to the public in a free-standing facility in 1952. Before that time, the museum occupied three classrooms on Univerity of Miami's campus. The Lowe Art Museum was the South Florida's first art museum.
Want a more social way to visit the museum? Come to LoweDown the first Thursday of every month. For $10, you can hang out in the gallery, mingle with like-minded people, and enjoy an open bar and hors d'ouevres. Other activities at the Lowe, including films and lectures, can be found here.
Lowe membership has it perks: Family membership is $65, individual membership is $50, and academic (student or educator) membership is only $30 per year. This deal includes a year's free admission to the museum, lectures and special events, and the LoweDown Happy Hours. Members also receive 10 percent off at the Museum Store and invitations to museum previews, receptions and other programs at the Lowe.
You can view a map of the museum here.
- by Jessica Bates, Miami Reporter for HelloMetro
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