Happenings on the Hill
1. The Spain connection
The Meadows Museum, in collaboration with Fundación ARCO, will be showcasing the tapestry-based artworks of Teresa Lancaster.
“(Lanceta’s) commitment to the art of weaving and to exploring its universality and impact on world culture is a revelatory visual experience,” Dotseth said.
As part of the MAS: Meadows/ARCO Artist Spotlight program, fostering meaningful dialogue and connections between Spain and America through the arts, Lanceta will travel to Dallas to participate in educational programming about her work.
2. See the light
The Meadows Museum also presents “Spanish Light, Sorolla in American Collections” through Jan. 7, 2024.
The exhibit, showcasing Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida’s (1863-1923) paintings extracted from American private collections, was curated by Sorollo’s great-great-granddaughter and renowned Sorolla scholar, Blanca Pons-Sorolla.
It joins a worldwide celebration of the artist — dubbed the “Year of Sorolla/Año Sorolla” by Spain’s Ministry of Culture — during the centennial anniversary of his death.
“Thanks to a group of exquisite paintings rarely seen in public, audiences are invited to appreciate (Sorolla)’s captivating talent as a painter of light,” said Amanda W. Dotseth, the Linda P. and William A. Custard Director of the museum.
3. Data director
On Oct. 9, Dr. Neena Imam will become the inaugural Peter O’Donnell Jr. director of the O’Donnell Data Science and Research Computing Institute, SMU’s hub for interdisciplinary research teams and programs in data science.
Imam is coming to the university from NVIDIA, the accelerated computer leader and inventor of the GPU, where, as director of strategic researcher engagement, she works with academic researchers to enable the development of GPU-accelerated and AI/ML applications.
“Dr. Imam brings an exemplary depth of skills and experiences to SMU at a time of tremendous momentum around data science, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence,” SMU Provost Elizabeth G. Loboa said. “We look forward to her leadership and partnership in our quest for even greater academic and research excellence.”
4. Pony beer?
Lakewood Brewing Co. released a new beer curated by SMU alum Wim Bens for Mustang fans to enjoy during tailgates and SMU football games.
Ford Stadium picked up PONY PILS, a 4.5 Golden American Ledger, in time to sell this season.
“I’ve been wanting to do a Pony beer for years, and I think that craft beer fans are ready to embrace the crispy bois (beer lingo for light and crisp craft lagers),” Bens said.
With every case of PONY PILS purchased, $1 will go to the LBC Future Brewer STEM Scholarship to inspire “the passions of the next generation of craft brewers.”
