New member Esmeralda Swartz discusses her journey from Northeastern student to Museum Council member.
Why did you decide to join the Council?
I started visiting the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ regularly as a student at Northeastern University. It was such a treat to walk across the street and experience this amazing institution. Over the years, I continued to enjoy the exhibitions that came through the Museum. After the sale of my tech company a few years ago, I was finally settled in Boston and not on a plane every other week. I wanted to become more involved and interact with other art lovers in the Boston area. Also, the curator-led talks and dinners around specific exhibitions are wonderful.
Which event are you most looking forward to this season?
I am looking forward to the Museum Council trip to New York City in April. Some highlights include a tour of the AIPAD photography show, arguably the world's most prestigious annual photography event; a visit to the studio of Rashid Johnson, who is among a group of influential contemporary American artists; a tour of "New Order: Art and Technology in the Twenty-First Century," a new exhibition at MOMA; and a visit to The Shed, New York's newest cultural hub, with a curatorial tour of commissioned work by artist Trisha Donnelly.
If you could design a new Council event, what would it look like?
I would say a weekend-long °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Live Arts event that included thought-provoking performances amid °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ collections and exhibitions. There are so many wonderful performance arts schools and cultural institutions in Boston and the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ neighborhood. The Museum theater and gallery spaces provide an ideal setting for conversations and performances ranging from music to theater.
What is your favorite exhibition that you have seen at the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥?
It would have to be "Mark Rothko: Reflection," which spotlighted 11 Mark Rothko paintings spanning his entire career. He is one of my favorite artists, and it was a treat to see so many of his iconic works at the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥. I thought the exhibition was beautifully curated because it showcased the development of the artist and his vision to immerse viewers in his paintings, so that painting and viewer become one. I don't remember how much time I spent in front of each painting, but a feeling of serenity and stillness came over me. The more I looked, the more I found there was to see. Sitting in front of Rothko's No. 1 (1961), I was happy to leave the world behind and just be.