The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

"Getting” Contemporary Art: A Garden of Promise and Dissent, part one

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Paradise [Lost]:

Participants will explore gardens as life-giving, healing environments, examining contemporary works in the show in the context of art historical precedents. Beginning in the studio, we’ll consider gardens as paradises, analyze the symbolism of certain plants in art history, and focus on the relationship between women and plant cultivation. The class will conclude in the galleries and participants will look closely at works that relate to the theme of healing, nourishment, and protection.

Kristen Erickson has been teaching art history and curating exhibitions for the past three decades. She spent eight years working in the curatorial field at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Smith College Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art before turning to teaching. Kristen currently teaches art history at Greenwich Academy, where she also runs the campus art gallery. She holds degrees in French and art history from Vassar College and Oxford University. A resident of Ridgefield, Kristen loves making contemporary art come alive for new audiences.