Art historian, author to discuss American artists

TORRINGTON >> Five Points Gallery will present a lecture by the celebrated art historian and author, Henry Adams, on Saturday, May 13. Adams’ will discuss his book Tom and Jack, which offers new insights into the lives of the two iconic American artists, Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock. The talk is free and open to the public and will be held in the gallery at 33 Main Street, Torrington, CT at 6:30pm. Doors will open at 6:00. Professor Adams will be available for questions and discussion immediately following the lecture. Seating is limited; those interested in attending the lecture are encouraged to pre-register for free admission on the gallery website (fivepointsgallery.org). This lecture is sponsored by T& M Building Company Inc., and Shepaug Crossing of Litchfield.

Adams’ book brings a fresh eye to the storied personal and artistic relationship between Benton and Pollock. Benton is credited with giving Pollock the only formal training he ever had, and became a mentor and surrogate father to the younger artist. Although their careers took very different directions in the 20th century, Pollock remained in touch with Benton throughout his life. Adam’s sensitive recounting of the friendship between these two giants of American art offers a fascinating glimpse into the currents beneath the surface of art history.

Adams is a graduate of Harvard University. He received his MA and PhD from Yale, where he was awarded the Frances Blanshard Prize for the best doctoral dissertation in art history. He is the author of over 300 scholarly and popular articles on a wide range of American art topics. In partnership with filmmaker Ken Burns, Adams produced a documentary on Thomas Hart Benton that was broadcast on PBS to an audience of twenty million viewers. Adams is a professor of American Art at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio.

For more information, contact Judith McElhone, Director, Five Points Gallery, by phone at 860-618-7222, by email at info@fivepointsgallery.org or on the web at www. fivepointsgallery.org.

Five Points programming is made possible in part through support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts.