Dear Teachers, Educators, and Community Groups, I would like to take this opportunity to invite teachers, educators, and all community groups to participate in our new school and community program presented in conjunction with the special exhibition "Beauty and the Blonde: An Exploration of American Art and Popular Culture." This new exhibit will be on display here at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum (Washington University in St. Louis) from November 17 through January 28. Our new school and community program is titled "On the Outside: Rethinking Identity and Physical Appearance through American Art and Literature." The aim of this free program is to open dialogues with students regarding issues of identity, beauty, and physical appearance, specifically focusing on strategies that artists adopt to critically address these and other aspects of representation. The Museum has selected two short stories by authors Zora Neale Hurston ("How It Feels To Be Colored Me") and Sandra Cisneros ("Barbie-Q"), and we will provide both stories free of charge to participating students. Students and teachers will also receive a full-color Education Guide to the exhibition, which includes more information about several works in the exhibition as well as discussion questions. We then invite teachers to schedule a visit to the Museum during the exhibition, and our staff of educators and docents will lead groups through discussions and activities in the galleries. Students will closely examine works of contemporary art that deal in a very multilayered and complex way with issues of identity and appearance. Students will discuss connections between works of literature and visual art during their Museum visit, investigating and reflecting upon questions of beauty and identity—and ultimately turning to examine our own lives and personal experiences. You can learn more by visiting our website and downloading information about the program from our "Education" area. This program is open to all community groups, adult learning groups, or anyone interested in participating in these discussions and examining both American literature and American contemporary art. We also offer free docent tours of the exhibition for any group not wanting to participate in this entire program. CONTACT: To learn more about the program, or to receive copies of the readings and schedule your group visit, please contact me at [log in to unmask] or 314.935.7918 . I am always excited about any opportunity we have at the Kemper Art Museum to enrich the learning experience of students and community members from across the entire St. Louis area and the bi-state region. I look forward to welcoming your students to the Museum for this new and exciting program! Best, Michael Murawski, PhD Coordinator of Education & Public Programs Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum Washington University in St. Louis tel: 314-935-7918 e-mail: [log in to unmask] http://kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).