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November 6, 2006
Cowboys and Indians Reconsidered
Cowboys and Indians Reconsidered: The Mythic West, Lassoed In by Reality by Edward Rothstein, New York Times, 11/06/06.
After the Autry National Center's absorption of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in 2003, concern grew over the Southwest's collections and the building that housed them. There was an assumption that fake saloon fights would take precedence over the chronicles of Native peoples.
Instead, the exciting possibility of a new kind of museum is evident. As early as 1988, when Gene Autry opened the museum, its mission was to "exhibit and interpret the heritage of the West and how it has influenced America and the world." Now, neither self-indulgent nor overly sentimental in its aspirations, the Autry aims to be the world's only history center to make the intersection of cultures its primary focus, and, more importantly, successfully "mixes realism and fantasy, skepticism and enthusiasm." The museum explores the complicated stories of the West though multiple understandings and has the potential to change not only how we view the West, but also how museums view themselves.
August 16, 2006
From Socialist Realism to Old West
Mian Situ, a Masters of the American West artist trained in China in the Soviet style of Socialist Realism, found his fortune in a distinctly American Genre. By Christopher Reynolds, LA Times.
Mao-influenced artist finds fortune in an American genre
After forty years of poverty in the Republic of China, Mian Situ is now one of America's most successful painters of the Old West. Born in the Siyi region, where many of the railroad and mining laborers came from, Situ moved to California in 1987. With his understanding of the Chinese and American experiences coupled with detailed depiction of gesture and perspective, Situ, as renowned Western artist Howard Terpning notes, "tells stories of another world very, very well."
Situ asserts that he owes part of his success to Joseph Stalin after Mao adopted the Soviet leader's thinking. At a time leaning towards artistic modernism, Stalin ordered all art academies to focus on technical skill and the powerful portrayal of subject matter.
Situ's life as a struggling artist changed after collector John Geraghty invited him to the Autry's annual Masters of the American West: Fine Art Exhibition and Sale in 2001. Upon the arrival of 'John Chinamen' in the Sierra, the painting was an immediate standout and sold for $33,000. He now sells for steadily rising prices-upwards of $212,000. The Autry National Center recently added Situ's Powder Monkeys to its permanent collection.
August 14, 2006
Studio City Neighbors Want Ridge Named After Gene Autry
Original television broadcast August 14, 2006, click here  © KCAL 9 All Rights Reserved.
March 21, 2006
Southwest Faces major repair job
Southwest Faces major repair job. March 21, 2006. Los Angeles Times.
If the site at Mount Washington clears funding/permit hurdles, it will reopen in 2010.
Beginning June 30, the Autry National Center's historic Southwest Museum in Mt. Washington will undergo 3 1/2 years of major repairs. Although the main galleries will be closed, there will be changing lobby displays, and the gift shop and library will remain open until the rehabilitation of the nearly 100 year-old building is complete. The needed move and conservation of the Southwest's threatened 225,000 artifacts has been underway since 2003 when the Autry stepped up with a merger plan to save the imperiled collection. Simultaneously, the Autry's Museum of the American West in Griffith Park plans to begin a 100,000 square-foot expansion in 2007 with its completion expected in 2009. A $150-million capital campaign is now in its early “silent stage.”
September 8, 2005
Autry steps in to save the Southwest Museum
Original radio broadcast September 8, 2005, click here © KCPP All Rights Reserved.
In 2003 the Autry Museum of Griffith Park merged with the Southwest Museum to the American Indian and created the Autry National Center. The Southwest Museum and its collection of Native American art and artifacts are important to the Autry's new mission-retelling the stories of the diverse peoples of the American West.
Due to physical deterioration and financial constraints, temporary closure of the 98-year-old museum is imminent. According to Autry President John Gray, the building will be restored and open for activities, yet cannot commit to the Southwest's future as a museum. Friends of the Southwest Museum coalition argue that the artifacts must be on display at their original location-a debate causing City Council to mediate.
The Autry is credited for saving the museum and its priceless collection and it needs to be determined what is best for the artifacts. The Southwest Museum will remain as a functioning cultural center and specific plans will be announced at a later date.
August 7, 2005
The Rare Film Exhibit that Works
Kenneth Turan reviews Once Upon a Time in Italy . . ., Los Angeles Times.
Sir Christopher Frayling of the London Royal College of Art and Estella Chung, of the Autry together have curated Once Upon a Time in Italy . . . The Westerns of Sergio Leone. Dubbed one of the largest and most elaborate exhibitions ever organized to honor a single director, it's not just about movie posters. Clint Eastwood's poncho, a Winchester rifle, and life-size plaster statues of four desperadoes are only some of the artifacts that attempt to capture the spirit of the visionary director, whose films include “For a Few Dollars More,” “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” and “Once Upon a Time in the West.” The exhibition looks into Leone's life, film legacy, and his artistic collaborations. The Autry hopes that that the exhibition will stir dialogues amongst film and museum cultures.
Saluting the Father of Spaghetti Westerns by Manohla Dargis, New York Times
This spectacular museum exhibition features original costumes, set designs, movie posters, and never-before-seen mini-documentaries revealing Leone’s love affair with Hollywood movies and his legacy to cinema around the world. Some of the remarkable pieces of cinema history on display include the iconic poncho used by Clint Eastwood as the Man With No Name; costumes worn by Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, and James Coburn; firearms used on location; set and costume designs by production designer Carlo Simi; rare Italian and international posters; plus a few more surprises! Visitors to this one-of-a-kind special exhibition will be drawn to and enchanted by the props, the iconic costumes, the pencil designs of sets they all know and love, and the scripts that were used by major actors and touched by Sergio Leone himself. In addition to experiencing the “real thing,” visitors will find substantive information about Sergio Leone’s life and career development as a major director of cinema.
You can still visit Once Upon a Time in Italy . . . The Westerns of Sergio Leone online.
July 30, 2005
America Pays Tribute to Sergio Leone
Autry National Center’s Sergio Leone exhibit featured in the May issue of Cinema Retro.
Cinema Retro, a publication dedicated to the movies of the 60s and 70s. Find entertaining and informative articles about Sam Peckinpah, Steve McQueen, Don Knotts, Mick Jagger as Ned Kelly, Richard Burton and Roger Moore, and more. Read the review of the exhibition Once Upon a Time in Italy . . . The Westerns of Sergio Leone and enjoy photos of the opening evening and the exhibition gallery. Also available for purchase in our store
You can still visit Once Upon a Time in Italy . . . The Westerns of Sergio Leone online.
June 10, 2005
Autry to Team with Historical Society
Suzanne Muchnic, Los Angeles Times, 6/10/2005
The Griffith Park center will display some of the San Francisco group’s holdings in a new gallery expected to open in 2007.
A 100-year partnership with the Autry National Center and the California Historical Society is the stimulus for a new, 2,000 square-foot gallery expected to open at Griffith Park in 2007. The joint venture brings 68 paintings (including major works by Albert Bierstadt, James Walker, and Maynard Dixon) and roughly 600 costumes and accessories for conservation and public viewing. With the aim of making better use of its resources and boosting visibility, the Society first approached the Autry in 2003. Former Atty. Gen John Van de Kamp assisted with the merger and notes, "the Autry can provide a much larger audience and conservation services...the partnership is not just a sharing of collections, but of creativity, programs and ideas."
August 12, 2004
A Conservation Mystery
She’s Sitting on a Secret, Suzanne Muchnic, Los Angeles Times, 10/24/2004
Tiny bundles found under a wax figurine are among treasures in a new show.
Conservation Mystery video. Quicktime Required
Confronted with a mystery, conservator Richard Moll begins to unravel the history of the wax figure Madonna doll found at the chapel of the Autry's Casa De Adobe. After years of dust and grime, she was extremely dirty, however beautifully crafted. After taking the artifact to the conservation lab, Moll discovered that her dress was exquisitely decorated with gold threading and adornments, and that she was found seated in a little chair. The paper and silk skirt was sewn with green and yellow threads and oddly hidden underneath were three cloth bundles. Each bundle held surprisingly unrelated and intriguing items from the mid-1800s. Who put them there and why? Watch the fascinating video and find out more.
Click here  to view the video.
El Norte—The Spanish and Mexican North runs from August 1, 2004 through May 8, 2005 at the Museum of the American West in Griffith Park.
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