Symbolic Languages: Children's Understandings of the Collection
January 18 - May 11, 2025
How do children perceive, interpret, and evaluate works of art? Presented in partnership with the ĄÖ²„“«Ć½ Hume House Child Development & Student Research Center (CDC), Symbolic Languages: Childrenās Understandings of the Collection is the museumās first exhibition collaboratively curated with children ages 2 to 5 enrolled in the CDCās laboratory preschool. Informed by the Reggio Emilia principle that children use āone hundred languagesā to construct and communicate their understanding of the world, Symbolic Languages features various interpretive approaches that demonstrate how the child curators appreciated and were inspired by works from the collection, including those by Elizabeth Catlett, Chuck Close, Gregory Gillespie, and David Stern. In addition to showcasing the childrenās responses, the exhibition is the culmination of a research study by the CDCās leadership, whose findings are published in a freely available, exhibition booklet that also includes an essay chronicling the CDCās fifty-year history.Ā
The exhibition was collaboratively curated by RMAās Associate Curator of Education David Matteson, the CDCās Executive Director Dr. Alice Davidson and Director Diane Terorde-Doyle, and 30 preschool children.
Exhibition Tour
Join David Matteson, Associate Curator of Education, and Dr. Alice Davidson, Executive Director of the Hume House Child Development and Student Research Center at ĄÖ²„“«Ć½ for a tour of Symbolic Languages: Children's Understandings of the Collection.
Arte Y CafƩ Con La Curadora
| March 18, 2025 | 6pm
Acompaña a la Dra. Gisela Carbonell, Directora Interina y Curadora, para recorridos guiados en español. Café y pastelillitos provistos por nuestro auspiciador .
Supplemental Exhibition Materials
Exhibition Booklet | Symbolic Languages: Children's Understandings of the Collection
includes an introduction by Rollins Museum of Art Associate Curator of Education, David Matteson, works from our permanent collection, and essays by Alice Davidson, Ph.D., Executive Director Hume House, Child Development & Student Research Center and Diane Terorde-Doyle, Ph.D., Director Hume House, Child Development & Student Research Center and Wenxian Zhang, Head of Archives & Special Collections, Olin Library.
Keynote | Who's in Charge Here? Sharing Authority with Young Children in Museums
Recorded February 4, 2025 | Nicole Cromartie, Director of Learning and Engagement at the Clyfford Still Museum presents the catalyst and supporting research for Clyfford Still, Art, and the Young Mind (2022), a behind-the-scenes look at the exhibitionās development, evaluation findings, and current initiatives in sharing authority with our youngest visitors. This exhibition inspired Symbolic Languages: Children's Understandings of the Collection at Rollins Museum of Art
Peek inside Symbolic Languages: Children's Understandings of the Collection
with curators Dr. Alice Davidson, Dr. Diane Doyle, & David Matteson
Look inside the creation and creativity behind Rollins Museum of Art (RMA)'s first exhibition co-curated with preschool children! Explore exhibition highlights with Dr. Alice Davidson (Executive Director) and Dr. Diane Doyle (Director) of ĄÖ²„“«Ć½ Hume House Child Development & Student Research Center (CDC) and RMA Associate Curator of Education David Matteson. Music featured: Happy and Fun (Full) by Alex MakeMusic