Preeminent American sculptor Mark di Suvero (b. 1933) is best known for his dynamic and monumental works made of industrial steel and salvaged materials that populate museum grounds, landscapes, and urban environments around the world. In addition to countless exhibitions and awards, in March 2011 di Suvero was honored with the National Medal of the Arts by President Obama in a White House ceremony. This exhibition, organized by UMMA and on view exclusively in Ann Arbor, features approximately 15 of di Suvero's rarely exhibited smaller scale pieces, or tabletops, from the 1950s to the present. The tabletops are not maquettes of larger-scale works but an expressionistic and engaging genre all their own, an outlet for exploring ideas relating to the calligraphic nature of form, balance, proportion, and movement. Drawing from numerous private collections as well as the artist's studio, the exhibition offers the opportunity to experience this intimate work in the Museum's ground level, glass-walled Irving Stenn, Jr, Family Project Gallery, adjacent to the two di Suvero outdoor steel sculptures on the Museum's grounds–Orion (2006) and Shang (1984–85).

This exhibition is made possible in part by the Office of the President of the University of Michigan, the University of Michigan Health System, and Laura Lynch and Hugh McPherson.

This is the first part of a two-part exhibition introducing exciting, recently acquired works from UMMA's collections gifted to the museum during the past five years. Recent Acquisitions: Curator's Choice, Part I presents a first look at artworks, mostly prints, drawings, and photographs by artists as diverse as Annie Leibovitz, Edward Steichen, and Rembrandt van Rijn. Carole McNamara, Senior Curator of Western Art, chose works that focus on some of the enduring and compelling themes that have occupied artists in Europe and America. One is the preoccupation with the human form as an expression of ideas, feelings, and sensations. This selection begins with the tradition of the academic nude study and progresses to embrace different genres, from both secular and religious contexts. Another selection-landscapes and cityscapes-are each opportunities for artists to speak to our relationship to the natural world-both in how we experience landscape as well as how we construct our own urban environments.

This exhibition is made possible in part by the University of Michigan Office of the Provost.

Discover the multitude of nature’s amazing patterns and how they inspire and provoke us. Beautiful, large-scale photographs of nature’s patterns; seasonal flower display; children’s scavenger hunts and activities; U-M student and faculty research and projects on patterns in nature. All in the soothing warmth of a tropical setting!

Many classes on the winter schedule will be available for a half-hour “tasting.” Feel free to drop in to sample a class and meet the instructor. Go to www.kines.umich.edu/umove to see the full class schedule!

Please see our online schedule for class types and times.

Kalamazoo's Deep Fried Pickle Project plays music that kids enjoy in adult concerts and adults enjoy in family concerts. They run the gamut of old-timey styles, echoing back and forth from the 1920s "to the 2091s." These delightful musicians have gotten into a pickle with the Del McCoury Band, Umphrey's McGee, Chris Thile, Everyone Orchestra, the Gourds, and many more. This family show will feature one of the Pickles' eco-friendly instrument building workshops, as well as their trademark Instrument Petting Zoo. This is a great show for musically creative kids, featuring Charlie King on dobro. The Deep Fried Pickle Project dares you to take a bite! You're going to love it.

UMMA's award-winning docents will guide visitors to experience art through active looking at selected highlights of the collections. Expect a lively and engaging conversation on a different theme each week.

Many classes on the winter schedule will be available for a half-hour “tasting.” Feel free to drop in to sample a class and meet the instructor. Go to www.kines.umich.edu/umove to see the full class schedule!

Please see our online schedule for class types and times.

The five photographers in this exhibition observe the sometimes volatile civil and political transformations facing society and look reflectively at contemporary culture, recording history as it unfolds slowly over time. Docents and visitors will explore this extraordinary visual record together.

PROGRAM: Heetderks - Pitchblende; Tongur - Birdus Petroleum; Meijering - The Woman Who Hatches Eggs; McCarthy - Tyro; Peres - Fun Fun Fun Fun; Tongur - Nuclear Child Games

This new play by John Hodge (screenwriter of Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, and The Beach) centers on an imaginary encounter between Joseph Stalin and the playwright Mikhail Bulgakov (best known for his novel The Master and Margarita). Stars Alex Jennings (The Habit of Art) as Bulgakov and Simon Russell Beale (London Assurance) as Stalin.

Part Cree and Ojibway Indian, Ferron grew up in the Vancouver area in British Columbia. She went on to release 14 albums and become one of Canada's most famous folk singers. But her latest release, "Boulder," is something special: it was produced by indie rocker Bitch, who convinced her idol to let her park her RV at her house and set up her traveling laptop-plus-one-microphone studio to record her in the remote woods of Michigan. Now they come to The Ark together, combining light-hearted banter with songs that captivate and go right to the heart. The result is a powerful union of two poets, made richer by the fact that they come from different generations. An odd billing at first glance, Bitch and Ferron have been gaining lots of attention for their intimate live shows.