Henry Green Symposium 2022

Georgia in Our Times: Modern Design and Contemporary Lens

To understand the relevance of modern design to understanding the paradoxes of twentieth century life in Georgia, one has only to look at the riot when UGA students saw Abbot Pattison’s “Iron Horse” as an intolerable intrusion into their space, representative of shifting societal racial mores. On the other hand, the Georgia Center, a pinnacle of midcentury modern design in Athens, was accepted as a pleasing example of “progress.” These dichotomies illustrate the need for an approach to decorative art, craft and material culture underpinned by acknowledgment that the voice of the critic is ever shifting and that we have new and engaging modes of interpretation.

The 11th Henry D. Green Symposium of the Decorative Arts focuses on modern design and craft and faces the entanglements of history. Collecting decorative art as we know it is a 20th-century activity guided by 20th-century values and perceptions. Although many observers see collecting Georgia decorative art from an earlier period as nostalgic, motivated by “colonial revivalist” notions, it is also true that Americana as art was a modernist discovery. Traditional craft and design are expressions of our contemporary times, not relics. Georgia has a rich tradition of both studio craft and design in the 20th and now 21st centuries.

Georgia material studies have been hindered by an absence of diverse voices. It is innately beneficial to have the voices of scholars from different backgrounds at the table. We believe our patrons will see the enrichment this offers this field and will enjoy the slate of speakers and topics that this symposium provides.

Speakers:

• Joseph P. Brady
• Ashley Callahan
• Stephen C. Compton
• Torren Gatson
• Stephen J. Goldfarb with Nicholas Langhart
• Bill Markert
• Matthew and Philip Moulthrop
• Abraham Tesser
• John Daniel Tilford
• Franklin Vagnone
• William Dunn Wansley
• Jason Wech

Topics Include:

• Fashion
• Silver
• Furniture Design
• Wood Turning
• Collecting
• Folk Art
• Architecture

Event Date:

Location:

Cost:
Full Symposium Package (includes breaks, lunches, and all evening events): $385
Full Symposium Package for full-time museum professionals: $225
Lectures through Zoom: $55
Keynote Lecture Only (through Zoom): $0
UGA Student (Valid Student ID must be presented at registration): $0

Apply today to be a Georgia Museum of Art Sponsor.

Event Cancellation Policies:
(1) Cancellations must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on or before July 28, 2022. (2) To change or cancel your registration, call (706) 542-7493, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. (3) If an event is cancelled for any reason, the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel will not be responsible for any charges related to travel.

Hotel Cost:
You can reserve a hotel room using room group code 94799 until July 28, 2022. After that date, please call the Georgia Center to request a hotel room with block code 94799. If a room is available, you will receive the group rate.

Please Note: You must reserve a room, if needed, and register for the symposium separately. Please use the red REGISTER ONLINE button to register for the symposium.

To change or cancel your hotel reservation, call (800) 884-1381 or (706) 542-2134.

Program Contact Information:
Program Contact:
Cassie Hawkins
casshawk@uga.edu

Registration Contact:
The Georgia Center
(706) 542-7493
registration@georgiacenter.uga.edu

Special Needs:
If you require special services, contact Sales@georgiacenter.uga.edu by July 28th, 2022.

Dietary restrictions should be indicated on the registration form or during the registration process.