Visiting Artist: Joseph Antenucci Becherer

January 20, 2011
Richmond Center for Visual Arts, room 2008
5:30 p.m.

Behind the Pedestal: A Look a Curator's History with Modern and Contemporary Sculpture

Joseph Antenucci Becherer is the founding Director and Curator of the Sculpture Program at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He currently serves as Chief Curator and Vice President of Horticulture and Sculpture, Collections and Exhibitions. In addition he is the Lena Meijer Professor in the History of Art at Aquinas College, and teaches courses in Renaissance, Modern, and Contemporary Art. Joe has authored numerous books and articles, and curated many exhibitions on the Modern and Contemporary, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Most recently he has organized exhibitions of Jaume Plensa, Jonathan Borofsky, Andy Goldsworthy, Alexander Calder, Mark di Suvero, Henry Moore, George Segal, Richard Hunt, Auguste Rodin, Magdalena Abakanowicz and Anthony Caro.

Joe is presently working on exhibitions of Beverly Pepper and Jim Dine. He has served on numerous civic art advisory committees including those which commissioned major public works by Dennis Oppenheim and Maya Lin. Currently he is chair of the national committee to commission a sculpture of President Gerald R. Ford for the Rotunda of the US Capitol Building. A member of numerous professional organizations, he serves on the executive board of the Midwest Art History Society and advisory boards for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's Ox-Bow program and the International Sculpture Center. In addition, he authors a monthly column on the visual arts for Grand Rapids Magazine.