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The Louisville Slugger Museum has partnered with the New Center of Contemporary Art to feature an exhibit by acclaimed American contemporary artist David Levinthal. The show, “David Levinthal and the American Dream,” features over 60 original images from the artist, some on display for the first time. The Louisville Slugger Museum’s portion of the exhibit is “Barbies and Baseball,” which includes images from both of those series. This exhibit will be the largest showing to date from the artist’s “Baseball” series. The New Center exhibit also offers pieces from the artist’s “Wild West” and “American Beauties” series.
“The baseball photos are a perfect match with the museum,” said Anne Jewell, executive director of Louisville Slugger Museum. “The addition of his Barbies series in the exhibit creates a wonderful combination of two great American icons.”
With the combination of toy figurines, a three-dimensional backdrop and creative lighting, the image creates a life-like world that combines reality and fantasy. This particular exhibit displays baseball’s greatest hitters swinging at historical moments and Barbie dolls modeling unique fashions.
“We are always looking for new and exciting exhibits to feature,” Jewell said. This exhibit combines photographs with other interactive elements, including magnetic games that allow visitors to create fashion ensembles for Barbie, arrange baseball players on a field and coloring stations featuring drawings of ballplayers and Barbie dolls.
The exhibit also features a video depicting Levinthal at work creating images for the “Baseball” series, baseball figurines from the museum’s own archive collection that match ones featured in his photos, and vintage Barbie dolls and outfits.
“We wanted to create a learning experience that is also fun,” Jewell said.
Past exhibits include a fine art exhibit from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Due to the success of this exhibit, Slugger Museum decided to feature contemporary art in the museum.
“It is our hope to attract new people who haven’t been to the museum before, as well as bring back those who have,” said Jewell. “We have featured other sporting theme exhibits as well, for example hockey and golf.”
The New Center’s portion of the show features the “Wild West” and the “American Beauties” series. The “Wild West” features cowboy-and-Indian scenes, while the “American Beauties” series depicts dolls sunbathing on 1950s beaches.
Jay Jordan, curator for the New Center, said what interested him the most is “how Levinthal plays with the idea of creating reality with illusions in his photographs.” He went on to say that the “Wild West,” “American Beauties,” “Barbies and Baseball” series are “ionic imaginary that deals with the American mythology and national identity that no one questions.”
Levinthal’s work can also be found in the Smithsonian, the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Speed Art Museum.
For more information, contact the Slugger Museum at (502) 588-7228 or the New Center for Contemporary Art at (502) 561-7621.
Exhibit Info
“Barbies and Baseball”
Louisville Slugger Museum, 800 W. Main St.
April 16 through September 5
Hours: Monday through Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday: noon to 5 p.m.
Admission: Adult $8, Senior (60+) $7, Child (6-12) $4, 5 and under Free
“Wild West” and “American Beauties”
The New Center for Contemporary Art, 742 E. Market St.
April 16 through September 5
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: Free
