“Being the director of a small art museum is a bit like being a small town doctor,” University Art Museum Bruce Boucher said. “You end up treating the whole family — and everyone is related to Thomas Jefferson.”
Mr. Jefferson led the recently hired Boucher to the University by way of a book he wrote about Andrea Palladio, an Italian architect whose work greatly influenced Jefferson’s designs. Sound familiar? Think “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” Neither Bacon nor Palladio, however, can take all of the credit. Boucher already had a vested interest in the University through family connections, including a brother who graduated from the Medical School.
Despite his English accent and European education, Boucher was born and raised in Birmingham, Ala. It was only after completing a Harvard undergraduate education that he moved to England, first for an English degree from Oxford, and then graduate work in art history at the University of London.
“Art is part of a larger story that you could call cultural history,” Boucher said. Though the University of London offered him a position as a lecturer before he even finished his graduate work, he chose “time off for good behavior” instead. Traveling throughout Europe gave him not only the perspective of an international education but also the cultural experience required to truly understand art.
“The study of art history is the study of the leap between reception and interpretation of phenomenon that makes art such an important part of history.” Boucher said. “It’s about understanding [the world of the past] and broadening our own perspective.”
Of course, Boucher’s contribution to the art museum will not be purely ethereal. Elizabeth Turner, vice provost of the arts, recently facilitated the renovation of the Bayly Building, in which the art museum is located, and there still is plenty of work left.
“I would really like to see the second floor galleries brought to a higher state of functionality.” Boucher said. He also hopes to add an extension to the back of the building for more classroom space and to improve lighting and climate control. These aspects of the museum may not often be associated with art, but they are very important to the upkeep of works. After all, both lighting and temperature affect the kind of art that museums can maintain.
Not only will these practical improvements help with the upkeep of the museum, but they will also help to raise the University’s profile as a school dedicated to its art program.
“I want to create a forum for discussion of the arts and their role in the University,” Boucher said. “It is very important that the museum facilitate discussion of art issues.”
By combining practical improvements and a raised profile in the community, Boucher hopes to help facilitate the importance of art in a well-rounded education.
“Art is an important part of the curriculum.” Boucher said. “Education shouldn’t be strictly utilitarian.”
This brings us back to Thomas Jefferson, who agreed with this perspective and wanted to hire a fine arts professor at the University but could not because of restrictions from the state legislature. Perhaps this history will be explored in the next major exhibit — “Thomas Jefferson’s Academical Village” — which most likely will come to the museum in late August or early September. Kevin Bacon would be proud.
The University Art Museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
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