Taking advantage of our rotating exhibits, FWMoA staff from all departments are interacting with captivating art. With galleries full of glass, paintings, bronzes, and more, we’ve posed the challenging question, “What’s your favorite artwork currently on display?”
We asked our High School Education Department intern, Sadie Boothman, to choose a work that stood out to her among our exhibits. Read on to learn about one of her current favorites on display, Commercium Industria (Industry Trade), from our bronze collection.
Q: What is the first thing you noticed about this artwork?
A: I immediately noticed the clear depiction of the Roman god, Mercury. I appreciated the symbols Picault included such as the winged helmet and the anchor. I really love mythology (I’ll be studying it in college!) and it’s wonderful seeing it being appreciated at the museum in present day, despite the stories of Roman gods being thousands of years old.
Q: Would you display this artwork in your home? Why or why not?
A: As much as I love this piece, I likely would not place it in my home, partly because I’m not sure where it would go, but also because I wouldn’t want to take it out of the museum and deprive people of the chance to see it.
Q: Why did you choose to work in an art museum?
A: I chose to intern at the art museum because I’m very interested in pursuing museum work as a career. I also love looking at and admiring art, as well as trying my best to interpret it, so this was the perfect fit.
Q: What kind of art do you have in your home?
A: My family is Australian so my mother likes to collect Australian artwork. We have several pieces of Aboriginal art as well as drawings of kookaburras, birds native to Australia.
Q: What has been your favorite exhibition at FWMoA during your employment?
A: I really loved the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Exhibit! It’s so inspiring to see how talented these kids—several being my classmates—are!
To see Sadie’s favorite bronze artwork, among others, plan your next visit to the FWMoA!