The susan miller daily oct p.m museum

H. Herkenhoff’s “Friedrich Wilhelms-Hutte, Mulheim-Ruhr,” painted in
1958, is in the exhibition “From the Ruhr Valley to the Steel City” at
the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg.

The political season isn’t the only one that’s hot this fall.
Exhibitions at the Carnegie and CMU take on contemporary American
architectural forms and their effects on culture. The Westmoreland
looks back at Ruhr Valley landscapes and the Scalp Level School while
Mattress Factory goes into futuristic “predrive.” The Frick and The
Warhol celebrate Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary with exhibitions that
fit respective museum character. And the 2008 Carnegie International
reinvents itself through a wealth of speakers and events.

Following are season highlights. Watch the Weekend Mag calendar for a
complete listing of new shows as they’re announced.

CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART: The 2008 Carnegie International, “Life on
Mars,” continues through Jan. 11, with a bounty of programming to
enhance the experience of the show. Opening Oct. 4 is “Worlds Away:
New Suburban Landscapes,” in the Heinz Architectural Center, the first
major museum exhibition to examine the suburb’s influence on American
life (through Jan. 18). “Past Meets Present: Innovative Installations
of Decorative Arts,” the 31st Annual Decorative Arts Symposium
presented by The Women’s Committee, features speakers Jason Busch and
Jane A. Lehman, decorative arts curators, respectively, of the
Carnegie and Seattle art museums (6 p.m. Oct. 23, $35, register at
412-622-3325). “Abstract Art Before 1950: Watercolors, Drawings,
Prints, and Photographs,” more than 80 works from the museum’s and
private collections, continues through Oct. 18 in the Scaife Works on
Paper gallery, and following that, on Nov. 1, will be “Giovanni
Battista Piranesi: Architecture and the Spaces of the Imagination.”
Decorated trees and the presipio ring in the holidays Dec. 5-Jan. 7
(412-622-3131).

THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM: Party like it is the ’50s at the Oct. 3
opening celebration of “1958,” a chronicle of events of the year when
Pittsburgh last celebrated a momentous anniversary and of the period
that inspires the current TV series “Mad Men.” “Detroit 1958,” a
portfolio of photographs by artist-duo McDermott and McGough that
“evokes the coming-of-age, dreamy vignettes of the car capital’s
upper-class teens,” adds to the mood, as will related films, readings
and lectures. Tickets are $15 for the 7-9 p.m. opening that includes a
cash bar and light bites. Both shows remain through Jan. 11. Also,
Robot 250-connected “We Are Survival Machines,” an interactive
installation documenting a future battle between the undead and
sentient machines, set in Pittsburgh and employing gigapan technology,
continues through Nov. 16 (412-237-8300).

THE FRICK ART MUSEUM: The popular “A Panorama of Pittsburgh:
Nineteenth-Century Printed Views” continues through Oct. 5. Opening
Oct. 25 is “From Michelangelo to Annibale Carracci: A Century of
Italian Drawings From the Prado,” 70 drawings, most of which have not
traveled beyond Madrid, through Jan. 4 (412-371-0600).

MATTRESS FACTORY: “Inner and Outer Space” continues through Jan. 11,
with exhibiting artist Allison Smith speaking at 3 p.m. Sept. 28 ($10,
students/members $5). “Predrive: After Technology,” commissioned works
by five international artists ranging from animation to video
installation, runs Nov. 14-March 22. A benefit auction of works
contributed by artists who have exhibited at the museum (including Ann
Hamilton, Kiki Smith, James Turrell, Bill Woodrow) will be Oct. 18
(412-231-3169).

WESTMORELAND MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART: “Painting in the United States,”
comprising artists exhibited at Carnegie Museum of Art during the
world wars, when the Carnegie International was suspended, continues
through Oct. 19. “Works on Paper From the Permanent Collection”
features artists included in the former show, through Nov. 23.
“Intimate Landscapes: The Gouache Paintings of Thomas Paquette”
remains through Oct. 19. “From the Ruhr Valley to the Steel City:
Industrial Paintings From the Rhineland Industrial Museum,” an
exhibition of 40 works from the German venue, officially opens with a
free (reservations required) public Oktoberfest reception 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 20 that will include German food, a microbrew created locally
for the occasion ($5 for commemorative glass and refills), and music
by the Pittsburgh folk group the NewLanders. Complementary programming
includes an evening of folk music and a multimedia presentation on the
museum’s own industrial painting collection Oct. 23, and museum
curator Barbara Jones’ commentary on the German exhibition Nov. 13
(free). Nov. 7 brings “Scalp Level Revisited,” landscape and still
life paintings by artists of the Scalp Level School, through Feb. 1.
“Violet Oakley: The Founding of the State of Liberty Spiritual,”
preparatory studies for the Governor’s Reception Room murals at the
State Capitol in Harrisburg, opens Dec. 7 (through March 29). The
museum continues the annual “Holiday Toy Tradition” in the paneled
rooms Nov. 23-Jan. 18 (221 N. Main St., Greensburg; 724-837-1500).

PITTSBURGH FILMMAKERS: “It’s Not Quite the Way,” video and light
installations by Rick Gribenas, and “New Works — Todd Mattei,” photos
and videos, open Sept. 26 and continue through Oct. 19. “Polish Poster
Art” will hang Oct. 31-Dec. 1 (412-681-5449).

PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR THE ARTS: The opening reception for “Susanne
Slavick: 2008 Artist of the Year” and “Adam Welch: 2008 Emerging
Artist of the Year” will be held Friday (preview 5:30-6:30 p.m., $10;
reception 6:30-8:30 p.m., $5; both free to members); with the
exhibitions continuing through Nov. 2. Gallery talks will be at 8:30
p.m. Sept. 25 by Slavick and Oct. 9 by Welch. Opening Nov. 14 are
“Altered States,” by the Pittsburgh Print Group; “Making Connections,”
by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh; “Bob Qualters & Charlee
Brodsky,” “Sue Abramson & Jonathan Shapiro” and “Matthew Friday,” all
through Jan. 25 (412-361-0873).

SOCIETY FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT: “The Enamel Experience,” badges by 23
U.K., U.S. and German artists that are “intimate yet declarative
objects of personal adornment,” and “TAG,” badge-inspired works by
graduate students from East Carolina University created after talking
with Pittsburghers, open 5:30-8 p.m. Oct. 3. Slide lecture by artist
Robert Ebendorf and Elizabeth Turrell, a metalsmith and “Enamel
Experience” curator, at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2. TAG artists lead informal
discussions 1-3 p.m. Oct. 4. Exhibitions continue through Jan. 10
(free; 412-261-7003).

WOOD STREET GALLERIES: “ZEE [RANGE],” work by Kurt Hentschlager, opens
during the Gallery Crawl Oct. 3 and stays through Dec. 31. In
conjunction with the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, the
gallery presents “Gravity of Light,” by Mike & Doug Starn, opening
Oct. 9 and continuing through Oct. 30, at The Pipe Building, 3000
Liberty Ave., Strip District (412-471-5605).

SPACE: “Make, Shift, Home,” Mario Marzan and Sharmila Venkatasubban
co-curate this nine-artist show, running Aug. 29-Oct. 11, followed by
“Then & Now,” an exhibition curated by artist and community leader
Deryck Tines comprising photographs of crossdressers in Pittsburgh’s
Hill District from Carnegie Museum of Art’s Teenie Harris Archive plus
photographs of today’s community captured by 15 Pittsburgh
photographers (412-325-7723).

SILVER EYE CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY: “Eloquent Eggs & Disintegrating
Dice: Photographs by Rosamond Purcell,” behind the scenes in the
collections of major museums, opens Sept. 25 and continues through
Nov. 29 (412-431-1810).

THE PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER: Absence of Body,” new works in glass by
artist-in-residence Susan Taylor Glasgow, opens Oct. 3 and continues
through January (412-365-2145, ext. 207).

FE GALLERY: “In the Making: 250 Years/250 Artists,” a salon-style
display of works by 250 local artists in recognition of the city’s
anniversary, opens from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday at 4102 Butler St.,
Lawrenceville (free; 412-860-6028).

MANCHESTER CRAFTSMEN’S GUILD: The “Summer Students & Staff Show”
continues through Oct. 10. “Altered Meanings: Featuring Works by Cat
Chow & Jesse McLean” opens Oct. 20 and runs through Jan. 9. A
reception and talk by McLean will begin at 7 p.m. Oct. 29; Chow will
give a lecture and performance at 6 p.m. Nov. 13 (free; 412-322-1773).

AMERICAN JEWISH MUSEUM: “A Window to My World,” daily life in northern
Israel represented by 70 Arab and Jewish photographers, through Oct.
31. “Love/Fences/Nests: Projects by Ally Reeves, Ben Schachter and
Anna Divinsky,” multimedia installations created in residency and done
in collaboration with community members, begins Sept. 15 and evolves
through Dec. 15. (At the Squirrel Hill JCC; 412-521-8011).

REGINA GOUGER MILLER GALLERY: “Your Town, Inc.: Big Box Reuse with
Julia Christensen,” exploring the effects these free-standing
buildings have had on our culture, continues through Nov. 23, with a
reception 6-8 p.m. Sept. 19 and lecture by Christensen Nov. 13. “Keep
It Slick: Infiltrating Capitalism With The Yes Men” opens at 5 p.m.
Nov. 14 with a “How To Be A Yes Man Workshop” followed by a “Business
Casual Reception.” (At CMU, 412-268-3618)

HUNT INSTITUTE FOR BOTANICAL DOCUMENTATION: “Pancrace Bessa and the
Golden Age of French Botanical Illustration” opens Sept. 18, through
Dec. 19 (At CMU, 412-268-2434).

THE BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART and CANTON MUSEUM OF ART: “Clyde
Singer’s America,” a collaborative exhibition, running simultaneously
at both museums, that marks the centennial of the American Scene
painter’s birth, opened this week and continues through Jan. 7.
(Butler, Youngstown, Ohio; 1-330-743-1711) (Canton, Canton, Ohio;
1-330-453-7666).

McDONOUGH MUSEUM OF ART: “AGENCY: Art and Advertising,” ad media by
artists ranging from Marcel Duchamp to Jeff Koons, opens 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 19 and runs through Nov. 8 (Youngstown, Ohio; 1-330-941-1400).

Tags: andy warhol, andy warhol museum, art museums, carnegie international, carnegie museum, carnegie museum of art, fall exhibitions, giovanni battista piranesi, heinz architectural center, jason busch, mattress factory, mulheim, museum exhibition, private collections, ruhr valley, s committee, s friedrich, scalp level school, suburban landscapes, westmoreland museum of american art