The Center continues its signature Art in Focus exhibition series with “The British Castle—A Symbol in Stone,” which brings together a selection of paintings that examine anew the history, architectural development, and literary associations of the English castle, both real and imagined. Highlights include depictions of Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world, and home to the British monarch; Corfe Castle, whose ruins after the English Civil War remain a symbol of modern democracy and the will of the people; and Dover Castle, which served as a stronghold against French invasion prior to the Norman Conquest through the Second World War.
Now in its tenth year, “Art in Focus” is an annual initiative for the Center’s Student Guide Program, providing undergraduates at Yale University with curatorial experience and an introduction to exhibition practices. Student curators select objects, write text panels and object labels, and make decisions about installation under the supervision of Center curators and staff. In researching and presenting this exhibition, the students were supervised by David Frazer Lewis, Postdoctoral Research Associate; Linda Friedlaender, Senior Curator of Education; and Jaime Ursic, Assistant Curator of Education. The student curators are Irene Chung, BR ’17; Zoe Dobuler, TC ’17; Julia Fleming-Dresser, TD ’19; Claire Goldsmith, ES ’18; Caroline Kanner, JE ’18; Daniel Leibovic, TC ’17; Catherine Liu, ES ’18; and Nicholas Stewart, JE ’18.