The deinstallation of Samuel Bak: In the Beginning was bittersweet. The inaugural exhibition, curated by the artist, introduced Samuel Bak’s career to the greater Omaha community. Visitors from across the U.S. and the world had the opportunity to see his earliest paintings and watercolors which were produced in 1946, executed in a refugee camp in Landsberg, Germany, to paintings finished in the 2020’s. The Museum will continue to present facets of Samuel Bak’s career to the public. Our new exhibition explores how his journey from Lithuania to Israel, as well as ongoing forced migrations around the globe, led to depictions of flight in his work.
Six UNO student workers (Ariel Carillo, Jane Knudsen, Jacky Lopez Tovar, Nathan McLain, Toni Parker, Merveille Wantanga) assisted Curator Alexandra Cardon and Assistant Gallery Managers Sadie Bartle and Roxana Corral with the deinstallation of the artworks, the repair of the galleries, and the installation of the new exhibition. The project also involved a reorganization of the Museum's storage space into chronological order. The students learned to write condition reports and move artwork, as well as repair walls, spackle, and paint (to the sound of reggaeton), measure and situate artwork, and light each piece. The show would not have come together without their dedication and great energy. An important part of SMBLC's Student Worker role is to learn all facets of operating a Museum. Come visit the show and admire their work!
Fall Exhibition Now Open
Travel, both involuntary and voluntary, has defined artist Samuel Bak’s life and is one of the most significant themes in his work. This exhibition explores how his postwar experiences of fleeing Soviet rule, of living in a displaced person camp, and of rebuilding a life in Israel after migration influences his artwork.
In 2023, global forced migration numbers will reach an all-time high. Bak’s paintings serve as a potent reminder of the humanity of migrants, their dreams of freedom, their flight from oppression, their search for home, and the fraught journey they undertake in the hope for a better life.
Flight and Hope generously supported by Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund Grant.
Upcoming Museum Exhibition Programming
Flight and Hope Lecture Series begins on September 13
Join us for a free Exhibition Lecture Series that will explore various cases of forced migration.
On Wednesday, September 13 at 5:30 P.M., Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco, UNO Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies, will explore exile in the context of the 50th Anniversary of 1973 Chilean coup d’état against President Salvador Allende.
Gifts to the annual fund support all activities of the Museum, from presenting exhibitions to providing educational and outreach programs.
Your donation today plays a vital role in the Museum's future, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you.
SBMLC Education Collaboration
Please share this invitation with any K-12 educators you know!
We are inviting all K-12 educators in the Omaha area to visit SBMLC during our Educator Open Houses on September 12 and September 19 from 4:00 - 7:00 P.M. each evening. RSVP is required.
During the open houses, the Museum will offer:
refreshments
an opportunity to preview the exhibition with our staff and docents
mini-tours
classroom workshops on educator resources and field trips
Free street parking is available in front of the Museum on 67th Street. Free surface lot and garage parking are available in the back of the Museum.
Community members are invited to a public lecture and demonstration by Serena Olsen, facilitator of Innerdance, at SBMLC on September 21 from 6:30 - 8:00 P.M. RSVP is not required.
Innerdance is a method of encouraging expanded consciousness through specific music and meditative practice. Serena Olsen will be visiting Omaha to facilitate a two-day retreat for refugee women.
Community members are free to join the demonstration, or simply come to hear the lecture. Those who wish to participate in the demonstration are asked to bring a mat or blanket that you feel comfortable lying down on.
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