Wadsworth Atheneum Opens to a More Modern Artform

by Samantha Pulley
DTHartford Staff

                Splashes of deep vermilion, aqua, chartreuse and other blends of indescribable colors can be seen plastered throughout the halls of the Wadsworth Atheneum, located on Main Street in Downtown Hartford. What one wouldn't expect however is to see these colors moving. The Wadsworth Atheneum is bringing colors, images and stories to life by allowing its visitors to watch movies about the different works of art. The movies change on a weekly basis with the themes ranging from Italian and French art to the works of more local artists.

                 “I feel like these films give art a whole new meaning,” said Ms. Doreen Cunningham, a fifth grade teacher in the Hartford area.
                “In this day and age, children are used to being able to find information in videos and are uninterested in the information if it’s not multimedia. With this aspect of the Atheneum, my children can witness all of the art I've grown up with without getting bored,” said Mrs. Arielle Johnson, a mother of three from Hartford.

                The films allow people of all generations to appreciate art more, while giving the audience more information than it may have expected. The films showcase the art, its origination, and what was going on historically at the time it was created.

                While many of the films are about art and artists, there are a few that resemble movies that can be seen in theatres today. “If I Were You” is a comedic drama about a woman who suspects her husband’s infidelity and tries to outwit his mistress. While this may not be about art, it is bound to draw in a crowd of viewers.

                So if the Wadsworth Atheneum is so renowned for its art, why would it play films? “The film gives way to a new art form taking over the world. People are creating less and less with paint, clay and other traditional medium and are now becoming more digital,” said Deborah Gaudet, curator of film and theatre.

                Guadet’s words can be mirrored through the voices of many of the film-goers. “I like how diverse the movies are. Sometimes I forget I’m at a museum, because the movies can have little to nothing to do about art or museum-type things,” said Aidan Marshall, a frequent visitor of the Atheneum. Marshall can be seen at the Wadsworth watching its films almost every week, as they are local and less expensive than other theatres.

                For adults to attend a film at the Wadsworth, tickets are only $9, and $8 for students with IDs. The movies are held in the Aetna Theatre. For more information, you can check their website: www.thewadsworth.org/films.