Monday, January 02, 2006
Strumming on the old banjo
From the Baltimore Sun
Consider the evolution of the humble banjo.
It morphed from a hollow gourd, strummed by African slaves, into an elegant toy for Victorian society ladies. Later, it grew into one of the mainstays of bluegrass music.
This story is told in a new exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington. Picturing the Banjo brings together 72 works of art with a sampling of actual instruments.
Among the artists are Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, Thomas Hart Benton and William Wegman. Some of the instruments are themselves elaborate works of art, adorned with inlaid designs and carvings of gargoyles, Masonic emblems and discreet nudes.
...
Earl Scruggs brought the five-string banjo alive on stage of the Grand Ole Opry.
Current banjo masters include Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks and jazz-bluegrass instrumentalist Bela Fleck.
The exhibit can be seen in Washington through March 5. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and U.S. military and $4 for students. It will travel to the Palmer Museum in Philadelphia for a show March 30-June 25, and to the Boston Athenaeum for display July 26-Oct. 21.
Read the article
Baltimore Sun
Consider the evolution of the humble banjo.
It morphed from a hollow gourd, strummed by African slaves, into an elegant toy for Victorian society ladies. Later, it grew into one of the mainstays of bluegrass music.
This story is told in a new exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington. Picturing the Banjo brings together 72 works of art with a sampling of actual instruments.
Among the artists are Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, Thomas Hart Benton and William Wegman. Some of the instruments are themselves elaborate works of art, adorned with inlaid designs and carvings of gargoyles, Masonic emblems and discreet nudes.
...
Earl Scruggs brought the five-string banjo alive on stage of the Grand Ole Opry.
Current banjo masters include Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks and jazz-bluegrass instrumentalist Bela Fleck.
The exhibit can be seen in Washington through March 5. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and U.S. military and $4 for students. It will travel to the Palmer Museum in Philadelphia for a show March 30-June 25, and to the Boston Athenaeum for display July 26-Oct. 21.
Read the article
Baltimore Sun
# posted by Dave Sichak @ 10:29 AM 
