March 17, 1998 Museum of Art Contact Heather Brown (541) 346-0942 or John R. Crosiar 346-3135 Main gallery space rejuvenated EUGENE--The March 20 re-opening of the University of Oregon Museum of Art's largest and most dramatic gallery--long called the Throne Room because it houses two Chinese Imperial thrones--will mark the completion of gallery space renovations undertaken in conjunction with the museum's ongoing celebration of its 65th anniversary. The Throne Room renovation, begun last July, follows the restoration of the museum's lobby and five other galleries. The Museum of Art Facilities Committee, chaired by designer and museum board member Jo Courtemanche, and the museum's exhibition designer, Kurt Neugebauer, have overseen all of these projects. Featured in the thoroughly updated second-floor gallery will be an impressive installation of the art museum's important collections of Chinese Imperial art of the Qing Dynasty. The largest and grandest gallery in the museum, the Throne Room had seen few changes since the opening of the museum in 1932. Long needing physical and electrical work, as well as a rotation of the objects on display--some of which had been on exhibit for more than six decades, the renovation proceeded in several stages. First, the objects on display had to be carefully removed and stored. Then, the Throne Room was completely stripped so the walls could be replastered and repainted and a new lighting system could be installed. Neugebauer, overseeing a team of painters, plasterers and electricians, says the Throne Room can be viewed on three levels. "First, the room is a work of art itself, with its grandiosity and architectural details," he notes. "Secondly comes the framing of the collections in newly designed cases and wall mountings. Finally is the exciting task of installing the artwork. "Primarily," he points out, "what we are trying to accomplish in the renovation is to restore the gallery to its original grandeur and to display a number of new objects from the collection that haven't seen the light of day." Charles Lachman, curator of Asian art at the museum, supervised the selection of the artworks for exhibit in the refurbished Throne Room. He believes visitors will be amazed by the presentation and the uniqueness of the objects he has chosen. "It has been some time since many of these works of art have been out, and I'm thrilled to be presenting them in what truly will be a whole new light," Lachman says. "The installed lighting system alone is such an incredible feat. Kurt Neugebauer spent many months and consulted lighting experts at the Smithsonian Institution in designing the final system. "I'm really looking forward to seeing people's reactions to the overall display, especially those who have visited the museum for a number of years," he adds. The installation focuses on two individuals and has one overriding theme. It presents both the museum's founding benefactor, Gertrude Bass Warner, and the Qianlong Emperor as collectors and patrons of the arts. Lachman says the entire Throne Room gallery reflects Imperial taste at its greatest height. Artworks are organized according to medium, with areas of Imperial glass, ceramics, furniture, jade, textiles and paintings. Featured works of art also will include the museum's two Imperial Chinese thrones and the impressive and recently restored nine-foot jade pagoda--all originating from the Forbidden City. The cost of the renovation of the Throne Room was approximately $100,000, of which $50,000 came from university capital repair funds. The other $50,000 came through donations by museum board members and their fund-raising efforts. According to David Robertson, whose tenure as the museum's director began in 1996, "This partnership between the university and our community is a demonstration of the value we all place upon the preservation and display of one of the state's greatest cultural resources." Accessible to people with disabilities, the UO Museum of Art is located on campus on the Memorial Quad near the Knight Library. It is open from noon-8 p.m. Wednesday and noon-5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Suggested admission donation is $3, but MusEvenings! programs are free from 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays. The UO Museum of Art is a nationally accredited, state supported non-profit institution. The museum's 1997-98 exhibitions and programs are supported in part by a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information about the Throne Room re-opening and other activities, call (541) 346-3027. A taped message about current museum exhibitions and events also is available 24 hours a day by calling GuardLine from a Touch-Tone phone at 485-2000, ext. 5665, or visit the UO Museum of Art's Internet web site at http://uoma.uoregon.edu. -30- #P-2166/A&E