All exhibition lectures are free and open to the public. RSVP required.

September 26, 6:00 PM: Renaissance Fantasies in Contemporary Art
Speaker: Katie Anania, Ph.D 
Why did Samuel Bak choose to emulate the work of Albrecht Dürer – one of the most renowned artists of the German Renaissance – when working out his deeply critical and violent paintings in the 1980s? This talk investigates Bak’s dialogue with Dürer as part of a broader trend of contemporary artists reflecting on the Renaissance, both as a historical period and as a label for cultural rebirth. Moving between the present and the past, this talk will touch on some key “fantasies” that Renaissance culture offered – including the promise of a more humane, enlightened world – and discuss those how artists critiqued, subverted, or reimagined them in their work.

October 1, 6:00 PM: Curator Talk
Alexandra Cardon, Chief Curator of Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center, will introduce the key themes of the new exhibition After The Storm: Identity and Repair. The talk will be followed by a tour of the exhibition for a closer look at specific paintings in the exhibit.

October 17, 6:00 PM: Comics, Poetry, and Self-Care: Creative Expression for Well-being
Speaker: Britny Cordera 
This year's Pearl Blizek Lecture on Religion and Art will be delivered by Britny Cordera, a poet, writer, and journalist and alum of the UNO Religious Studies program, whose work addresses the intersections between environment, climate change, and culture. For this event, Britny will lead a workshop in which participants will create 4 panel comic poems that explore the therapeutic potential of poetry and drawing. Participants will learn how to integrate self-care into the creative process and reflect on their emotions and personal journey. The workshop is open to all, regardless of experience. Please be prepared to write or draw. It is recommended that participants bring a notebook or paper you prefer to write in, as well as your preferred writing materials (pen, pencil, colored pencil, etc.); however, supplies will be provided for those who need them, as well as templates for the drawing activity.

November 7, 6:00 PM: Pointed Hats, Hooked Noses and Straggly Beards: The Jews in Medieval Art
Speaker: Martina Saltamacchia, Ph.D
How were Jews represented in medieval art? What was the effect of these portrayals on contemporary society, and their lasting impact throughout Western history? Join us for a talk exploring how medieval artists used symbols like straggly beards, hooked noses, and bags of coins to transform Jews from figures of ancient wisdom into hostile enemies to fear.

November 21, 6:00 PM: Style and Meaning: Conversing with the Old Masters
Speaker: Amy Millicent Morris, PhD
This talk will reflect Old Master practices (illusionism and incorporation of symbolism) as well as the borrowing of considerable portions from specific paintings. Where possible Amy Millicent Morris, Ph.D. will reference Bak's own reflections on these borrowings and the degree to which he creates new meaning from them or engages in artistic rivalry.

December 7, 2:00 PM: After the Storm: Identity & Repair A Musical Exploration
Speaker: Christine Erlander Beard
The concert will feature performances by UNO faculty members Christine Beard, flute; and Mary Perkinson and Olga Smola, violins; with UNO current and former students Robert Russell, saxophone; Noah Edwards, Morgan Thompson, and Claire James, flutists. Selected pieces inlcude solo and chamber music by Ian Clarke, Dmitri Shostakovich, Talia Erdal, Thomas de Hartmann, Hans Gall, and members of the UNO flute studio will also perform songs by Ilse Weber.