ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR DIRECTOR OF THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM, CAMERON KITCHIN.

STAY TUNED, SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TODAY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR GUEST WHO IS -- WELL, LET'S YOU GIVE THE TITLE.

CAMERON KITCHIN, YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE IS?

KITCHIN: THE LOUIS AND LOUISE DIETERLE NIPPERT DIRECTOR OF YOUR CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM.

KELLAR: YEAH, EASY FOR YOU TO SAY THAT.

HE'S WELL KNOWN TO ALL OF YOU.

AND WE WANT TO TALK TODAY ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE ART MUSEUM, WHICH IS A LOT.

AND THE FIRST EXHIBITION THAT'S COMING UP IS ABOUT HENRY MOSLER.

TELL US ABOUT HENRY.

KITCHIN: WE ARE SO THRILLED AND SO PLEASED TO BRING HENRY MOSLER TO THE TO NEW SCHOLARSHIP AND NEW KNOWLEDGE HERE IN OUR REGION.

I AM SO PROUD THAT THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM IS ONE OF THE LEAD PARTNERS IN THE COMMEMORATIONS OF THE CINCINNATI JEWISH BICENTENNIAL WITH MANY OTHER GREAT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMANITIES ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

HENRY MOSLER ARRIVED IN CINCINNATI, OHIO, AT AGE EIGHT AND EMIGRATED TO CINCINNATI AND WAS FROM A JEWISH BACKGROUND AND BROUGHT TO CINCINNATI AND EXPRESS HIS FAITH THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.

IN FACT, ONE OF HIS GREAT WORKS OF ART WHICH IS ON LOAN TO THIS EXHIBITION FROM THE SKIRBALL MUSEUM AT THE HEBREW UNION COLLEGE IS OF PLUM STREET TEMPLE.

NOW, HENRY MOSLER WAS A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD.

HE WENT ON, AND HE WAS TRAINED FURTHER IN DUSSELDORF AND IN MUNICH AND LIVED IN PARIS AND HAD A WONDERFUL CAREER IN LIFE.

BUT CINCINNATI WAS ALWAYS HIS CHILDHOOD HOME AND HIS ROOTS, AND YOU CAN SEE THE BRUSHSTROKES AND INFLUENCES OF HIS LIFE, AND YOU ALSO CAN SEE THAT EXPRESSION OF JEWISH FAITH THROUGH ALL OF HIS WORK.

KELLAR: DESCRIBE HIS STYLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR.

KITCHIN: SO I THINK THAT HENRY MOSLER IS A REALISTIC PAINTER WHO ALSO TAKES ON SOME EXPRESSION IN THE BRUSH STROKE.

THE GREAT PAINTERS WHO FOUND THEIR OWN LANGUAGE THROUGH THE BRUSH STROKE WITHOUT A DIRECT DIRECT SORT OF FACSIMILE OF THE VISUAL PICTURE AND BROUGHT FORTH THAT EMOTION IN EACH OF THE PICTURES.

KELLAR: HOW MANY OF HIS PAINTINGS ARE IN THIS EXHIBIT?

KITCHIN: WE HAVE 30 WORKS MANY FROM THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM COLLECTION BUT MANY HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN IN A LONG TIME BUT ALSO MAJOR LOANS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

WHEN WE PUT OUT THE CALL AND WE SAID WE'RE DOING A HENRY MOSLER EXHIBITION IT WAS AN EASY ASK TO SAY, IT'S TIME.

IT'S TIME FOR THAT SHOW.

KELLAR: I MEAN, THAT IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE THING FOR CINCINNATIANS BECAUSE WE HEAR ABOUT THESE PAINTERS BUT WE DON'T OFTEN HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE THEIR WORK.

WHEN HE WAS HERE IN CINCINNATI WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS AGE?

KITCHIN: SO HE WAS IN HIS YOUTH WHEN HE WAS HERE IN CINCINNATI BUT HE ALWAYS CALLED IT HOME JUST AS IN THOSE YEARS FROM SORT OF AGE EIGHT THROUGH YOUR LATE TEENAGE, EARLY TWENTIES IN WHICH YOU SAY THIS WAS THESE WERE YOUR FORMATIVE YEARS WHERE YOU WERE RAISED.

AND SO THIS REALLY IS HOME FOR MOSLER.

AND WE CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY CLAIM HIM AS ONE OF OUR OWN.

NOW, HE ALSO HAD OTHER INFLUENCES OF WILLIAM HENRY BEARD AND OTHER PAINTERS WHO WE TRAINED UNDER WHO WERE GLOBAL CITIZENS.

HE WAS IN PARIS FOR A LONG PERIOD.

AND HE FOUND HIMSELF ULTIMATELY ALSO IN NEW YORK.

HE HAD A STUDIO AT WHAT IS TODAY CARNEGIE HALL.

KELLAR: OH, WOW.

KITCHIN: SO, SO REALLY, TRULY A GLOBAL CITIZEN.

BUT HE'S ONE OF OUR OWN.

SO WHEN WE SAY WHO WERE THE GREAT PAINTERS THAT HAIL FROM CINCINNATI WE CERTAINLY INCLUDE HENRY MOSLER IN ANY SORT OF CATALOG OF THE GREAT CINCINNATI PAINTERS.

AND HE IS IN A CATEGORY NOW THAT'S HELPING US TO EXPLORE AND TO EXPAND KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE GREAT ART MAKERS, WE HAVE GREAT CREATIVES WE HAVE GREAT BUSINESS LEADERS ALL OF WHOM COME FROM THE JEWISH FAITH HERE IN CINCINNATI.

SO IN CELEBRATING CINCINNATI'S JEWISH BICENTENNIAL WE THINK NOT ONLY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED 200 YEARS AGO AND WHAT HAPPENS TODAY, BUT THE PROGRESSION OF JEWISH LIFE IN CINCINNATI OF ALL OF THE YEARS BETWEEN.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WE DID A SHOW ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT EVENTS INVOLVED IN THIS BICENTENNIAL AND IT COVERS SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS.

AND THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT.

AND YOU'RE ANOTHER EXHIBIT COMING UP WHICH I CAN HARDLY -- I MEAN, THIS -- I KNOW YOU DID IT FOR ME BECAUSE IT'S ART DECO THE ART DECO BEDROOM.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

KITCHIN: WELL, THIS IS A FASCINATING STORY OF ONE OF THE PREEMINENT AMERICAN DESIGNERS JOSEPH URBAN, WHO EMIGRATED TO OUR COUNTRY ARRIVED IN CINCINNATI, IMMEDIATELY MADE HIS MARK ON THE GLOBAL DESIGN WORLD AND WAS CALLED UPON LATE IN HIS LIFE AFTER A CELEBRATED DESIGN CAREER NOT TO CREATE A SINGLE WORK OF ART OR A SINGLE STICK OF FURNITURE, BUT TO SAY "WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DESIGN AN ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT A LIVING SPACE, AN ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE BED COVERS TO THE FURNITURE TO ALL OF THE TAPESTRIES AND FABRICS TO EVERY ACCOUTERMENT THAT IS IN THE SPACE."

BECAUSE IN THIS CASE, IT WAS THE WORMSER FAMILY WHO SAID, "WE HAVE A 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO LOVES NOTHING MORE THAN MODERN ARCHITECTURE AND MODERN THINKING."

SO THEY CREATED THIS WITH JOSEPH URBAN'S GUIDING HAND AS A GIFT TO SAY FOR OUR 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER THIS IS A LOOK TO THE FUTURE.

THIS IS A LOOK TO WHAT'S NEXT NOT A HISTORICAL REPRODUCTION OF SOMETHING THAT FELT ELEGANT FROM THE PAST BUT IT WAS FROM A MAJOR DESIGNER TO SAY THIS IS WHAT'S NEXT AND VERY APPROPRIATE FOR A 17 YEAR OLD YOUNG WOMAN.

KITCHIN: NOW IT'S AS GOOD OUR GOOD FORTUNE HERE IN CINCINNATI THAT THE RICE FAMILY HAILS HERE FROM CINCINNATI.

SO ELAINE WORMSER RICE, THE BEDROOM ITSELF ULTIMATELY CAME INTO THE COLLECTION OF THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM.

I WANT TO EXPLORE THAT, WHICH IS TO SAY IT WAS NOT A PAINTING OR A SINGLE OBJECT.

THE ENTIRE ROOM CAME INTO THE COLLECTION OF THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM.

AND SO OUR CURATOR OF DECORATIVE ARTS, AMY DEHAN PUT TOGETHER YEARS OF WORK AND REASSEMBLING EVERY PIECE THAT CAME FROM THAT ROOM TO REIMAGINE JOSEPH URBAN'S ORIGINAL VISION.

AND ANYTHING THAT WAS MISSING SHE WENT TO FABRICATORS AND CRAFTS PEOPLE WHO KNEW THE PERIOD AND THE STYLE AS WELL AS THE TECHNIQUES OF THE TIME.

AND SHE FOUND REPRODUCTIONS THAT COULD FILL IN THOSE LITTLE GAPS HERE AND THERE TO COMPLETE THE PICTURE.

SO WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS WHAT ELAINE WORMSER WOULD HAVE WALKED INTO AS A 17 YEAR OLD AND SAID, "WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT THIS IS."

KELLAR: WOW.

SO WAS THIS IN THEIR HOME?

KITCHIN: IT WAS.

IT WAS PART OF THEIR HOME.

KELLAR: IT WAS HER ROOM IN THEIR HOME.

OH, MY GOSH.

DO YOU HAVE PICTURES OF IT?

KITCHIN: WE DO.

WE HAVE PICTURES.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE DESIGN DOCUMENTS AROUND EVERY PIECE OF FURNITURE THAT WAS IN THE ROOM IS HIGHLY DOCUMENTED IN THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SPECIAL LIBRARIES HOLD ALL OF THOSE COLLECTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS THAT MATCH WITH OUR OBJECTS THAT WE HAVE, SO REALLY A COLLEGIAL PARTNERSHIP THAT BRINGS IT TOGETHER.

KELLAR: WAS THE HOUSE DESTROYED WHERE THIS-- KITCHIN: IT WAS IN CHICAGO.

AND IT'S WAS LOST TO TIME NOW.

BUT WE HAVE NOT ENTIRELY LOST THE VISION BECAUSE WHAT WAS OF THE MOST DESIGN SIGNIFICANCE WAS THIS JOSEPH URBAN ROOM.

KELLAR: THE BEST BEDROOM.

KITCHIN: AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS SENT TO AN ART MUSEUM.

KELLAR: DO YOU THINK HE ONLY DID THAT, OR DID OTHER PARTS?

KITCHIN: SO THIS IS WHAT HE DID WITHIN THAT SPACE BECAUSE HE WAS COMMISSIONED TO DO THIS ONE ROOM.

KELLAR: JUST ONE ROOM, YEAH.

KITCHIN: IT WAS FOR HER.

KELLAR: I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT.

THAT'S MY PERIOD.

I LOVE IT.

I THINK THOSE -- BUT WHEN THAT PARTICULAR EXHIBIT IS OVER THEN WILL YOU DISMANTLE IT AND PUT THEM BACK INTO ARCHIVES?

KITCHIN: SO WHAT WE WILL DO IS OUR CONSERVATION TEAM THROUGH ITS SCIENCE THAT IT'S BEEN CONDUCTING ON THESE ARTWORKS FOR YEARS AND DECADES WILL CAREFULLY DISASSEMBLE THE WORK, STORE IT AGAIN SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO DISPLAY INDIVIDUAL OBJECTS AND DISPERSE THEM THROUGHOUT SOME OF OUR DISPLAYS IN THE ART MUSEUM.

SO YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE IT THEN FRAGMENTED INTO SEEING INDIVIDUAL OBJECTS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF INTERPRETATION THAT WILL BE WITHIN THE COLLECTION.

NOW FOR US TO HOLD THE ENTIRETY OF IT WHERE WE WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF ANOTHER MUSEUM WOULD CALL UPON US AND SAY "WE WOULD LIKE TO BORROW THAT AS WELL."

KELLAR: "COULD WE HAVE THE WHOLE ROOM?"

YEAH.

KITCHIN: YEAH.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN THIS FINE CONDITION AS IT WILL BE WHEN IT'S SHOWN AT THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM SINCE ITS FIRST DAY.

KELLAR: ARE THE FABRICS STILL INTACT?

KITCHIN: SO, SOME OF THE FABRICS ARE INTACT.

MANY HAVE BEEN RECREATED.

WE HAVE ALL OF THE ORIGINAL PATTERNING AND WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL WORK, SO WE KNOW EXACTLY KELLAR: -- AND THE FAMILY KEPT ALL THOSE?

KITCHIN: ABSOLUTELY.

THOSE THINGS ABOUT.

WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING REALLY GREAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

AND WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT ALL THE SCULPTURES THAT ARE COMING INTO THE NEW THE NEW AREAS.

AND THE ONE I SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO MENTION BECAUSE IT WAS FRIENDS OF OURS WHO ARE THE DONORS CRAIG AND ANN MAIER.

AND DESCRIBE THEIR CONTRIBUTION, THEIR SCULPTURE.

KITCHIN: WELL, IT'S A WONDERFUL NEW ADDITION TO THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM GROUNDS WHICH I WILL SAY HAVE NEVER LOOKED FINER.

THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM GROUNDS NOW ARE PART OF WHAT WE THINK OF IS THREE WAYS OF VISITING THE ART MUSEUM.

YOU CAN COME TO THE ART MUSEUM AND COME INTO OUR 73 COLLECTIONS GALLERIES.

YOU WILL NEVER BE ASKED TO PAY A FEE TO COME INTO THE ART MUSEUM AS A WHOLE.

WE DO HAVE MEMBERSHIPS AND SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS THAT ASK FOR A SPECIAL ADDITIONAL FEE BUT THE GENERAL ART MUSEUM ITSELF FREE PARKING, FREE ENTRY TO THE MUSEUM THANKS TO MULTIPLE ENDOWMENTS MOST RECENTLY THE ROSENTHAL FAMILY.

KELLAR: I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THE ROSENTHALS MADE THAT HAPPEN.

KITCHIN: SO, THE MAJOR ART MUSEUM BUILDING IS OPEN TO ALL CINCINNATIANS AND ALL VISITORS TO OUR CITY.

WHAT A GREAT GIFT.

BECAUSE IN MOST CITIES, A MUSEUM OF OUR CALIBER YOU'RE ASKED FOR QUITE A HEFTY TICKET.

KELLAR: OH, THE MET IS -- KITCHIN: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: THE MET IS, IT'S SUPPOSEDLY VOLUNTARY BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO IS NOT INTIMIDATED BY IT BUT IT'S A LOT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE AND CHILDREN OR WHATEVER.

YEAH.

KITCHIN: WE ARE SO PLEASED HERE IN CINCINNATI TO HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY GENERATIONS LONG AGO FROM THOMAS EMERY THROUGH CINCINNATI FINANCIAL AND THROUGH THE ROSENTHAL FAMILY FOUNDATION TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE ART MUSEUM TO OUR COMMUNITY, FREE TO ALL.

AND SO THE INDOORS OF THE MUSEUM AND THEN WE'VE THROUGH ALL OF THE PANDEMIC WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE IS GREAT VALUE IN PROVIDING VIRTUAL AND ONLINE PROGRAMMING FROM THE ART MUSEUM.

OUR CURATORS HAVE GREAT KNOWLEDGE AND THEY LOVE TO DISPENSE THAT KNOWLEDGE.

AND NOW WE HAVE NEW AVENUES.

AND THEN THIRDLY, WE OPEN THE ART CLIMB IN MAY OF 2020.

AND THE ART CLIMB WAS THE FIRST PROOF OF CONCEPT OF A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.

THE GROUNDS OF THE MUSEUM BROUGHT TO LIFE IN THE WAY THAT THAT FINALLY REALIZES WHY WE WERE GIVEN THIS SITE IN THE 19TH CENTURY THAT THIS AMAZING HILLTOP THAT BOTH IS SEEN FROM THE CITY AND CAN SEE THE CITY THAT CONNECTS THROUGH ALL OF THESE ROADWAYS AND PATHWAYS.

AND SO THE ART CLIMB IS THEIR FIRST PROOF OF CONCEPT.

AND NOW WE ADD TO IT SCULPTURE THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.

SO THE FIRST MAJOR SCULPTURE, OF COURSE WAS JIM DINE'S PINOCCHIO HAS TAKING ON A NEW POSITION AND A GRANDER, EVEN GRANDER PRESENCE.

WE THEN ADDED A NEW COMMISSION OF THE OF AN ARTWORK BY THE BRITISH-NIGERIAN ARTIST YINKA SHONIBARE REFERENCING OUR COLLECTIONS AND THE TRADE AND ALL OF THE HISTORIES OF OUR ART MUSEUM.

WE THEN ADD MULTIPLE SCULPTURES ON LOAN FROM THE PYRAMID HILL SCULPTURE GARDEN.

KELLAR: OH, HARRY WILKES.

KITCHIN: AND THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

WE ARE SO PLEASED AT THAT PARTNERSHIP IS CONTINUING AND AS HEALTHY AND WELL.

AND SO THANK YOU, OF COURSE, TO THE WILKES FAMILY AND TO PYRAMID HILL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING SOME OF THOSE GREAT SCULPTURES TO THE HEART OF THE CITY AND BE ABLE TO GIVE REASON TO SAY THIS IS A REASON TO GO TO HAMILTON AND TO GO VISIT THE ENTIRETY OF THE COLLECTION.

AND THEN FINALLY, COMING TO YOUR QUESTION ADDING PERMANENT COLLECTION SCULPTURE THAT WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US NOW IN CINCINNATI.

CRAIG AND ANN MAIER CAME AND SAID "WE'D LIKE TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE ART MUSEUM AND WE REALLY ARE INTERESTED IN THE OUTDOOR SCULPTURE PLANS OF THE MUSEUM."

AND I MENTIONED AN ARTIST, OF WHOM I'M TERRIBLY FOND JAUME PLENSA, A LIVING ARTIST, A SPANISH ARTIST WHO HAS DONE WONDERFUL WORK THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BUT DOESN'T HAVE A MAJOR WORK IN CINCINNATI YET.

AND THEY RESPONDED AND THEY SAID "OH, WE KNOW JAUME PLENSA.

WE'D BE TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED TO BRING JAUME PLENSA TO CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: YOU HIT THE JACKPOT.

KITCHIN: AND SO WE FOUND THE WORK THAT I ALWAYS WANTED THAT I HAD SEEN IN YEARS PRIOR AND HAD BEEN SEEN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD OF A MASSIVE CAST IRON DEPICTION OF A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED ISABELLA.

AND ISABELLA HAS HER HAIR UP IN A BUN BEHIND HER AND SHE GAZES OUT OVER THE HILLSIDE TOWARDS THE NEW CINCINNATI BALLET BUILDING.

AND SHE TAKES ON A PRESENCE OF WELCOMING AT THE ART MUSEUM.

AND THANKS TO CRAIG AND ANN, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD THE ISABELLA SCULPTURE TO THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM.

AND SHE WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US.

KELLAR: WOW, WHAT A -- WHAT A GIFT.

KITCHIN: WE ARE SO THRILLED.

KELLAR: IT'S SO EXCITING.

ESPECIALLY TO KNOW THAT IT'S PERMANENT.

KITCHIN: ABSOLUTELY.

WE COULD NOT BE MORE PLEASED.

KELLAR: OH, WELL, THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE AND TO DO THERE.

DO ANY OF THESE OVERLAP SO YOU COULD SEE MORE THAN ONE?

KITCHIN: THEY DO.

THE MUSEUM ALWAYS HAS MULTIPLE THINGS HAPPENING AT ONCE.

THE GALLERIES, PERMANENT COLLECTION GALLERIES ARE ALWAYS CHANGING AND SHIFTING THE ROSENTHAL EDUCATION CENTER IS OPEN.

IT'S OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK.

EVERY DAY THE MUSEUM IS OPEN.

EVERY HOUR THE MUSEUM IS OPEN.

THE MAJOR EXHIBITIONS OPEN IN SUCCESSION OVER THE SUMMER AND WE'LL OVERLAP THROUGHOUT THE LATE SUMMER.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING VISITORS TO SEE THE NEW ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST GALLERIES THE NEW SOUTH ASIA GALLERIES THE REVAMPED COURTYARD AND THE CAFE OF THE MUSEUM VISITING THE GIFT SHOP AND OF COURSE FINALLY SEEING ONCE AGAIN THE GREAT EXCELLENCE THAT EXIST IN THE ART MAKERS OF CINCINNATI THROUGH THE CINCINNATI WAY.

KELLAR: THE ART WALK, DO PEOPLE -- OR MAYBE DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS.

DO THEY THEN COME ON AND GO INTO THE ART MUSEUM OR DO THEY JUST DO THE WALK?

KITCHIN: WE'RE SEEING ALL OF THE ABOVE, WHICH IS THAT SOME PEOPLE COME AND THEY FIND THE ART CLIMB IS A GREAT RECREATION SPOT.

AND I THINK THE FIRST VISITORS TO THE ART CLIMB WHO I NOTICED, AND I LOVE THIS STORY.

IS THAT WE STILL HAD CONSTRUCTION FENCING UP AROUND THE ART CLIMB.

AND WE SAW, WE WITNESSED THESE FIGURES A GROUP OF FIGURES GOING UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS BEFORE IT WAS TRULY OPEN.

AND WHEN WE LOOKED, WE SAW WHO THEY WERE.

THEY WERE CINCINNATI FIREFIGHTER WHO WERE USING THE STEPS AND USING IT FOR FITNESS FOR TRAINING.

AND SAID WE KNEW WE HAD A WINNER IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR.

AND EVER SINCE, IT HAS BECOME AS SOON AS WE TOOK THE FENCING DOWN AND QUIETLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN 2020 A TRUE CROSSROADS OF CINCINNATI A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF DIVERSITY OF EVERY KIND OF OUR CITY, EVERY WALK OF LIFE THROUGH OUR CITY, OPEN 24/7, LIT TO BE SAFE.

THE SPACE ITSELF IS ABSOLUTELY A NEW CIVIC PLAZA FOR CINCINNATI.

AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU WILL RUN INTO.

KELLAR: THAT'S WHAT -- THAT'S AN ADVENTURE.

THAT'S NOT JUST AN EXERCISE IN ATHLETICISM.

IT'S AN ADVENTURE.

KITCHIN: IT'S A NINE AND A HALF STORIES.

PUT ON YOUR TENNIS SHOES.

KELLAR: FOR ME, YES.

AS I SAID, I'D HAVE TO TAKE A NAP ON EACH LEVEL.

BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE AT THE ART MUSEUM THAT YOU WANT TO MENTION BEFORE WE HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE?

KITCHIN: WELL, WE'RE SO THRILLED THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS YOU WILL SEE EVEN FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVEMENT OF THE GALLERIES, THE COLLECTIONS.

AND AT LONG LAST, AS WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED WHEN WE FOUNDED THE ART MUSEUM WHEN YOU ARRIVE TO THE ART MUSEUM STARTING THIS SUMMER YOU WILL APPROACH THE ART MUSEUM UP A NEW DRIVE TO THE WYLER FAMILY ENTRANCE THAT WILL BRING YOU DIRECTLY TO THE FRONT OF THE MUSEUM RATHER THAN WINDING AROUND THROUGH THE PARK.

RIGHT OFF EDEN PARK DRIVE JUST AT THE HEAD OF THE OF MIRROR LAKE YOU WILL WIND UP A GRAND ENTRANCE THAT WILL ARRIVE TO THE ART MUSEUM AND THEN YOU WILL EXIT DIRECTLY OUT ON THE MT.

ADAMS SIDE OF THE MUSEUM.

SO A LONG VISION FINALLY REALIZED THROUGH 21ST CENTURY ENGINEERING.

IT'S AWESOME.

KELLAR: WOW.

IF A PERSON WERE COMING TO THE ART MUSEUM AND THEY HAD LIMITED TIME, THEY'RE FROM OUT OF TOWN OR THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SEVERAL TRIPS WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, WHAT ARE THE THREE THINGS THEY SHOULD SEE IF THEY COULD ONLY SEE THREE THINGS?

KITCHIN: OH, MY GOODNESS.

WELL, OUT OF 70,000 COLLECTIONS OBJECTS, I WOULD -- KELLAR: I KNEW I COULD TRIP YOU UP ON THIS ONE.

KITCHIN: IT'S LIKE CHOOSING ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE CHILDREN.

WE HAVE EIGHT CURATORIAL DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE MUSEUM.

BUT I HAVE TO CONFESS THAT THAT MY BACKGROUND AND TRAINING IS I'M AN AMERICANIST AND SO I BEGIN WITH THE GREAT AMERICAN POSTWAR PAINTERS AND THE 19TH CENTURY PAINTERS.

AND I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I HAVE A GREAT AFFECTION FOR ONE GREAT PAINTING THAT I RETURN TO OFTEN AT THE ART MUSEUM, WHICH IS SARGENT'S VENETIAN WOMAN.

IT SITS WITHIN THE MUSEUM, A FULL PROFILE PORTRAIT.

A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE THAT'S OFTEN REQUESTED ON LOAN AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S AWAY FROM THE MUSEUM.

BUT IT IS A PICTURE IN WHICH I SEE EVERY BIT OF THE AMERICAN VISUAL LITERACY BROUGHT TO BEAR BY THE HAND OF SARGENT.

AND I SEE THAT THE INTERNATIONALISM OF HIS TIME IN VENICE AND I JUST SEE THE GORGEOUS BRUSHSTROKES WITHIN THE WORK THAT BRING AN EXPRESSION TO EVERY ELEMENT OF THE PAINTING.

SO I WOULD START THERE.

THE SECOND IS THAT I ALSO CONFESS IN MY OWN WORLD I WOULD PROBABLY THEN RETREAT TO THE POST WAR GALLERIES OF THE MUSEUM AND TAKE IN THE ROTHKO AND THE FRANZ KLINE.

IF THERE'S A MOMENT WHERE I'M AT THE MUSEUM LATE AT NIGHT AND I'M DOING SOME WRITING I NEED TO GET AWAY AND TO CLEAR MY HEAD, THAT'S MY SPOT.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME IS IN FRONT OF THOSE TWO GRAND CANVASES AND WHICH ARE TWO OF THE GREAT MASTERWORKS OF THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM COLLECTION.

AND THEN THIRD, I THINK IT MIGHT BE SURPRISING WHICH IS THAT THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ART MUSEUMS IN AMERICA TO SAY THAT DIFFERENT ART FORMS FROM DECORATIVE ARTS TO WORLD CULTURES BEYOND AMERICA AND EUROPE WERE PART OF A FINE ART MUSEUM.

AND FIRST AND FOREMOST IN THAT WERE THE AFRICAN COLLECTIONS OF THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM.

AND SO OUR NEW AFRICAN GALLERIES OF THE ART MUSEUM BRING TO BEAR SOME OF THE EARLIEST COLLECTIONS FOUND IN ANY AMERICAN ART MUSEUM.

BECAUSE WE EARLY ON SAID THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS COMING FROM AFRICAN ART MAKERS WAS PART OF THE WORLD ART HISTORY STORY.

WE WERE VERY PRESCIENT IN THAT AHEAD OF MOST OF OUR COLLEAGUES.

AND SO OUR COLLECTIONS COME EARLIER THAN MOST AND IN FACT ARE QUITE GLORIOUS.

AND SO I WOULD SPEND TIME IN OUR AFRICAN GALLERIES.

KELLAR: YEAH.

LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT, DID YOU SAY THE VENETIAN THE LADY IN VENICE.

WAS THAT SARGENT?

KITCHIN: THE SARGENT PAINTING, YEAH.

KELLAR: IS IT SMALL OR BIG?

KITCHIN: NO, IT'S A FULL PROFILE, A GRAND PAINTING.

KELLAR: YEAH, BECAUSE I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SEEN ANY SMALL ONES.

THEY'RE ALWAYS GIGANTIC.

KITCHIN: IT IS.

KELLAR: AND THIS, THE TIMES I'VE BEEN THERE MUST HAVE BEEN GONE BECAUSE I GO TO VENICE EVERY YEAR.

I'VE BEEN TO VENICE 35, 40 TIMES.

SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE DID, THAT HE DID THAT.

KITCHIN: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: WAS HE -- HE PAINTED IN VENICE?

KITCHIN: HE DID.

HE DID AND IT WAS A MODEL WHO WE THINK WE'VE NOW IDENTIFIED, BECAUSE SHE SHOWED UP IN SEVERAL OTHERS OF HIS WORK.

AND ONE WHO ENCOUNTERED WHO WAS NOT A GLAMOROUS MODEL BUT WAS A WOMAN WHO WAS SORT OF LIVING IN VENICE AT THE TIME AND SO HER IDENTITY, I BELIEVE IS NOW KNOWN.

I WOULD SAY ALSO, THOUGH, THAT THROUGHOUT THE ART MUSEUM YOU WILL FIND VAN GOGH YOU WILL FIND CEZANNE, YOU WILL FIND MONET YOU WILL FIND EVERY ELEMENT OF THE ART HISTORY TEXT.

YOU WILL FIND JACOB LAWRENCE.

YOU WILL FIND GEORGIA O'KEEFFE YOU WILL FIND HORACE PIPPIN.

YOU WILL FIND THE GREAT COLLECTIONS THAT YOU WOULD WANT, GO TO ANY CITY IN AMERICA AND SAY, "WHAT A GRAND ART MUSEUM."

BUT THIS ONE IS RIGHT HERE IN CINCINNATI, OHIO.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

DO YOU HAVE A BROCHURE WHEN PEOPLE COME THAT TELLS YOU WHERE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CERTAIN AREAS IT TELLS YOU WHERE THOSE ARE?

KITCHIN: WELL, WE HAVE THREE WAYS OF DOING THAT.

ONE IS WE HAVE A VERY TALENTED VISITOR SERVICES STAFF WHO WILL GREET YOU WITH A SMILE.

IF YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, THEY WILL SAY HAVE AT THE MUSEUM.

IF YOU WANT TO PAUSE AND ASK QUESTIONS THEY'RE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE MUSEUM AND IN FACT CAN HELP GUIDE YOU TO SPOTS IN THE MUSEUM AND HAVE THEIR OWN PREFERENCES AS WELL.

IT'S NOT A TRAINED SORT OF LINE.

THEY WILL SAY, "WELL, THESE ARE MY FAVORITES."

KELLAR: NOT A DOCENT, BUT JUST SOMEONE.

KITCHIN: OR THEY MIGHT EVEN JUST SAY "THESE ARE MY FAVORITES.

THIS IS WHAT I LOVE."

YOU MAY GET A LITTLE PERSONAL SORT OF INSIGHT.

SECOND, WE DO HAVE GUIDES TO THE MUSEUM THAT ARE PRINTED THAT WILL HELP YOU THAT ARE WELL THOUGHT AND CURATORIAL RESEARCHED OF A QUICK VISIT TO THE MUSEUM AS WELL AS THE FULL SCALE COLLECTIONS CATALOG.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE A TECHNOLOGY BASED APPROACH.

WE HAVE A REALLY WONDERFUL TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS YOU TO CONSTRUCT A TOUR OF THE ART MUSEUM BASED ON YOUR INTERESTS AND PREFERENCES.

AND THE ALGORITHM WILL THEN PRINT ON A SHEET OF PAPER IN AN ANALOG FORMAT AN ORDER IN WHICH TO VISIT THE MUSEUM.

AND IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT BEFORE YOU COME TO THE MUSEUM THAT ENTIRE EXPERIENCE IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO YOU CAN DO THAT BEFORE YOU ARRIVE.

KELLAR: OH, THAT -- NOW THAT I THINK SHOULD APPEAL TO A GREAT MANY PEOPLE.

KITCHIN: WELL, HERE'S A TIP, A PRO TIP, AS THEY SAY.

IF YOU'RE BRINGING CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN IF YOU'RE A CAREGIVER OR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT THEN HAVE YOUR OWN CHILD CONSTRUCT THE TOUR AND HAVE THEM TAKE YOU THROUGH THE MUSEUM.

KELLAR: OH, WOW.

KITCHIN: WHAT A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE FOR THAT CHILD.

KELLAR: OH, MY GOSH.

YES.

OH, YEAH.

THOSE -- ALL THOSE TIPS ARE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE CAN'T SEE A WHOLE MUSEUM IN ONE TRIP AND MAYBE THEY ONLY HAVE ONE AFTERNOON OR ONE MORNING OR WHATEVER.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

AND YOU'VE BEEN AROUND FOR EIGHT YEARS.

KITCHIN: IT'S BEEN EIGHT YEARS, EIGHT WONDERFUL YEARS MY FAMILY AND I HAVE CALLED CINCINNATI HOME AND WE ARE SO PROUD.

KELLAR: YEAH, WELL, I GUESS SO.

WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL?

KITCHIN: SO I WAS AT HARVARD FOR ART HISTORY.

AND THEN I WENT TO WILLIAM AND MARY FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL.

KELLAR: YEAH, AND YOU'RE USING EVERY LITTLE BIT OF IT AND LEARNING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY.

KITCHIN: I USE EVERY BIT, AND I THINK THAT IT'S SURPRISING WHAT COMES TO BEAR IN AN ART MUSEUM FROM THE FINANCES TO THE MARKETING TO EVEN PEOPLE SAY "WILL YOU EVER USE GEOMETRY IN LIFE?"

WELL, I DO.

WHEN WE HANG PAINTINGS TO DESIGN EXHIBITIONS WE USE GEOMETRY.

ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: HOW SO?

KITCHIN: IN DESIGNING EVERY EXHIBITION, WE HAVE A TEAM THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY DO AND THEY USE STATE OF THE ART CAD PROGRAMS AND THEY THINK ABOUT THE ANGLES AND THE EXPERIENCE AND THE LIGHTING OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE.

THE EXHIBITION ITSELF IS A WORK OF ART CONTAINING WORKS OF ART.

KELLAR: KNOWING HOW TO HANG IT.

KITCHIN: KNOWING HOW TO PRESENT IT IN A WAY THAT CONVEYS THE MESSAGES AND REALLY UPHOLDS THE EXCELLENCE OF THE WORK OF THE ARTISTS THAT ARE WITHIN.

KELLAR: I THINK WHEN YOU TRAVEL, AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE TO PARTICULARLY THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS AND HOW POORLY PRESENTED.

I KNOW ONE OF THE MAIN ONES THOUGH I THINK THEY'VE IMPROVED IT.

I'VE BEEN TO EGYPT A FEW TIMES AND THAT MUSEUM HERE THEY HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE THINGS FROM TUTANKHAMUN'S TOMB IN THERE AND THE AREA AROUND, IT'S ALL DUSTY.

AND YOU WANT TO GET IN THERE AND SAY "LET ME HELP.

LET ME.

LET'S DO SOME HOUSEKEEPING AND SOME EXPERTISE."

BUT YOU, AND I'M SURE MOST THE ALL OF THE LEADING ART MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY HAVE EXPERTS WHO ARE TECHNICIANS.

KITCHIN: WELL, WE HAVE EXCHANGE THAT GOES BOTH WAYS.

AND SO OUR CONSERVATION TEAM IS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF CONSERVATION EXPERTS.

THEY'RE MATERIAL SCIENTISTS.

THEY HAVE LABORATORIES IN THE MUSEUM.

WE HAVE AN X-RAY MACHINE IN THE MUSEUM.

WE ACTUALLY CONDUCT ADVANCED MATERIAL SCIENCE WITHIN THE MUSEUM IN WHICH WE LEARN AND THEN REPLICATE AND TRY AND BRING TO ITS FINEST STATE MANY OF THE WORKS OF ART.

NOW, THOSE CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES ARE LEARNED NOT WITHIN ONE INSTITUTION, BUT WITHIN A NETWORK AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK INCLUDING IN SOME SURPRISING COUNTRIES IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENTS AND THE MUSEUMS HAVE INVESTED HEAVILY IN ADVANCING THE TECHNOLOGY OF CONSERVATION.

AND SO THOSE CONFERENCES BRING TOGETHER AND SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE.

AND SO WE FIND THAT EXCHANGING PEOPLE IS THEN WHAT WE CAN DO, WHICH IS TO SEE PEOPLE GO BACK AND FORTH AND TO SEE THAT KNOWLEDGE BECOME PART OF A GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE BASE.

AND WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHAT ART MUSEUMS ARE PART OF THESE INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM IS SQUARELY IN THE CENTER ALWAYS HAS BEEN IS ONE OF THE GREAT ART INSTITUTIONS OF OUR COUNTRY.

KELLAR: IT'S SO EXCITING.

IT REALLY IS.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND TELLING US ALL ABOUT IT.

I T REALLY MAKES ME WANT TO SEE, CAN I GET UP THERE?

BUT THIS SUMMER, I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY ENTRANCED WITH GOING UP THE STEPS, SEEING THE ART MUSEUM AND APPRECIATING WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND ALL THE OTHER WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO'VE MADE THE ART MUSEUM WHAT IT IS TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.

IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS ALWAYS.

KITCHIN: ALWAYS.

WE ALL ARE.

KELLAR: YES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT WAS WONDERFUL HAVING YOU.

KITCHIN: GOOD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

Captions: Maverick Captioning CIN OH MaverickCaptioning.com