75 Fun Facts about Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute

Posted by Mary Murray on February 1st 2011 | 0 Comments

Tags: Institute

75 Fun Facts about Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute
Slightly Chronological, but Otherwise In No Discernable Order

Installment 1 of several

The Institute opened its doors to the public in 1936, so we are celebrating 75 years of excellence in the arts throughout 2011. These notes are the first in a long stroll down memory lane.

The Institute’s Charter established a gallery of art, art instruction, and an auxiliary library. The Community Arts Program was created to “encourage and promote a city-wide interest and participation in the arts.”

Capehart 400 Radiophonograph

The original Cultural Program included a library of records that could be played on a Capehart radio-phonograph upon the request of a visitor.

The Maltese Falcon

The Institute has been screening films on Wednesday evenings since the 1940s. The 1944-45 program included Morocco, Trouble in Paradise, She Done Him Wrong, The Thin Man, Love Finds Andy Hardy, and The Maltese Falcon.

Maya Deren, Meshes of the Afternoon

The October 1946 Bulletin announced “a few experimental or documentary films . . . for a more discriminating audience will also be included in this year’s program. Among this group, the most novel will be those made by Maya Deren” whose “abstract films” screened on January 15, 1947 were Meshes of the Afternoon, A Study in Choreography for Camera, At Land, and Ritual is Transfigured Time.

The film series once included a regular program of educational documentaries. The 1948-49 slate of titles was advertised as “some designed to instruct, some designed to delight, some designed to persuade.” These are some of my favorite titles from that year: The Feeling of Hostility, Don’t Be a Sucker, Atomic Physics and Where Will You Hide?