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The McMullen Museum of Art debuted a new exhibit, Fernand Khnopff: Inner Visions and Landscapes, last Saturday. The retrospective is the only North American appearance of the exhibit, which was one of Europe's most popular last year, drawing more than 163,000 viewers when it was displayed at the Royal Art Museums in Brussels.
"This exhibit is the height of our experience at the McMullen," said museum director Nancy Netzer. "We've done a lot of great things here, but picture for picture, this is the greatest collection of art on our walls at once. This is not the type of things that university museums do."
Jeffery Howe, a professor in the fine arts department, is the chief curator of the McMullen exhibition. He collaborated on the scholarly catalogue for the exhibit and was instrumental in bringing Khnopff to Boston College.
"We benefited from a tremendous amount of good fortune and timing," said Howe. He said that he was in contact with members of the museum staff in Brussels. The exhibit was originally supposed to go to Montreal, but due to security concerns, that showing was cancelled.
"Major museums book exhibits up to two and three years in advance," said Howe. "At the McMullen, we could be a little more flexible. We made a pitch for the exhibit to come to Boston College, and everything worked out."
Other factors went into the Khnopff retrospective coming to BC. An intermediary showing had to be arranged in Austria so that the McMullen Museum could adjust its schedule to accommodate the Khnopff exhibit. Collectors who lent their pieces to the exhibit had to be convinced to extend their loans beyond the end of the summer.
A black tie event for invited guests marked the opening of the exhibit. It received high marks from many viewers.
"This is beautiful," said Linda Creszenzi, BC '64. "It's art that you want to take home with you."
"I feel that it's important that Boston College has an exhibit of this caliber on campus," said Mary Pasciucco, a graduate of Newton College of the Sacred Heart.
University Chancellor Rev. J. Donald Monan, SJ, said he was impressed with the variety of styles that Khnopff was able to display in his body of work. "This is an extraordinary change of pace from recent exhibits at the McMullen," he said.
A public opening, including a dessert reception, opening ceremony, and a performance by BCbOp!, for all students, faculty, and staff was scheduled for Monday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. A number of public programs will accompany the exhibition, which runs until Dec. 5.
The educational program includes four lectures, a film series, two concerts, and a reading of Symbolist poetry. Howe said that he is also teaching a seminar on Symbolist art.
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