If it’s somehow flown under your radar, the Joslyn Art Museum, located at 2200 Dodge Street in downtown Omaha, has been a staple of Omaha since November 1931. The museum reopened in September after two years of renovation, and it’s hard to miss because of its sheer size – and its location right next to Omaha Central High School. I was sent to scope out what’s new, using the eyes of somebody who hasn’t seen the Joslyn for a handful of years, and who also enjoys staring at art for long periods of time.
When I walked in, I felt somewhat unfamiliar with it, since the walk-in looked completely different to me. I got some more clarity when I walked farther into the building, and stared down a long hall, where I saw a sculpture hanging from the ceiling. It looked like a collection of giant, colorful marbles, all clustered together, and that’s how I knew I was in the right place. I remembered looking at that exact piece several years ago.
Like before, the Joslyn museum was broken up into sections – the Joslyn Building, the Scott Pavilion, and the Hawks Pavilion (all helpfully color coded on the map).
We started at the ground level at first, wandering into a small gallery made up of smaller rooms; including a hall full of art by museum visitors. This was one of the first things that stuck with me, because I thought it was nice to see visitors given a chance to collaborate and share their own creations.
After we left this area, we went upstairs to explore the plentiful art in all of the galleries. There were a lot of pieces to choose from, but I wanted to choose a few to highlight from each gallery and give some insight about them.
Beginning with the Joslyn section, we got the chance to see European Art, American Art, Asian Art, and Ancient Mediterranean Art. One of the most eye-catching pieces in the section, particularly one of the European pieces, was “The Repentant Magdalene,” by Peter Wtewael. It was thought to be commissioned by a private chapel, and depicts the biblical figure of Mary Magdalene, tearfully looking to the sky in repentance and contemplation of the scripture.
The vividness of the colors, as well as the strength of Mary as a painted subject, made it really appealing to me. It reminded me a lot of the specific feeling of distress that can sometimes be created as a result of religious topics, which is a difficult sensation to express.
Before leaving this part of the building, we stopped at a beautifully sculpted fountain in the middle of all of the galleries. This wasn’t a recent addition to the Joslyn, but it’s nonetheless a landmark I am glad has remained since my last visit. I’m not technically supposed to say what I wished for, but if you’re curious, I wished to write a good review.
After that detour, we headed to the Scott Pavilion, which houses the Twentieth-Century Art and the Temporary Exhibitions. There were a lot of really strong pieces in this one, which made it really hard to choose a favorite; so, I settled on two: “Night Watch,” by JoAnne Carson, and “Untitled,” by Roger Shimomura. “Night Watch” was a very hard piece to ignore, because it was not only incredibly colorful, but it was a three-dimensional piece. It was created from objects in everyday life, including tables, window frames, and drawers. The description on its plaque conveyed it best, that it was “kaleidoscopic” in its array of colors and “comical” approach.
Shimomura’s piece was a little different in its depictions, and took on a two-dimensional, comic book style. The piece was used to examine ethnic prejudice and racial inequality in America, by combining the American comic strip look with depictions of Japanese cultural traditions. Both of these pieces were powerful for me; with Carson making impressive use of inanimate objects, and Shimomura expertly replicating an American style while still critiquing America’s systems of racial inequality.
Our final stop was the Hawks Pavillion, with the Phillip G. Schrager Collection, Contemporary Art, and more Temporary Exhibitions. There was a lot to look at in this section, and it was relatively new to me. I wasn’t able to get a very good photo individually, but the one that caught my eye this time was a humanoid shape made of wire that was sitting among the paintings.
It wasn’t much bigger than me, but had an abundance of wires, which not only made up the skeleton of the shape, but orbited the human shape like a tornado. I interpreted it as a feeling of chaos when I saw it – that feeling when nothing is quite solid, but instead is a large, fuzzy mess that can barely keep itself contained, hence the mess of wire all around it.
Overall, my family and I were able to spend quite a few hours walking around together, always stopping briefly to discuss whatever came to mind while we stared at a piece. Most of the time we stood silently; Joslyn is relatively quiet, so it never felt unnatural to do that. It was really nice to be able to slow down and think, while still appreciating vast amounts of artistic talent.
Getting to walk through the entirety of the Joslyn helped me put words to a thought I’ve had rattling around in my head lately, too, which is that art is completely fluid. There are so many ways to express ideas, and the fluidity of art means that you have complete freedom in that expression. It’s all your choice, you know?
I think that’s the beauty of an art museum like this. The museum really brings everything together in one place, and shows how art doesn’t have to be a solid, solitary thing, with rules and boundaries. Art is whatever you want or need it to be, and it can be made out of anything; there’s no limit to it.
As an artist myself, it was a really nice reminder that I don’t have to keep my art in such a strict pattern; it could and should be fluid. On the off chance whoever is reading this is an artist as well, I hope this can serve as a good reminder for you, too!
The Joslyn Art Museum is closed on Mondays, but open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; on Wednesdays and Thursdays it’s open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you have some extra time, go check it out; and don’t worry about the cost, it’s free entry!
