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 小猪视频 Hume House Child Development & Student Research Center (CDC), Symbolic Languages: Children鈥檚 Understandings of the Collection is the museum鈥檚 first exhibition collaboratively curated with children ages 2 to 5 enrolled in the CDC鈥檚 laboratory preschool. Informed by the Reggio Emilia principle that children use 鈥渙ne hundred languages鈥� 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 children鈥檚 responses, the exhibition is the culmination of a research study by the CDC鈥檚 leadership, whose findings are published in a freely available, exhibition booklet that also includes an essay chronicling the CDC鈥檚 fifty-year history.聽
The exhibition was collaboratively curated by RMA鈥檚 Associate Curator of Education David Matteson, the CDC鈥檚 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 小猪视频 for a tour of Symbolic Languages: Children's Understandings of the Collection.
Arte Y Caf茅 Con La Curadora
| March 18, 2025 | 6pm
Acompa帽a聽a la Dra. Gisela聽Carbonell, Directora Interina y Curadora, para recorridos guiados en聽espa帽ol. Caf茅 y pastelillitos provistos por聽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.
Audio Guide
Learn more about select artworks from the current exhibition season including works on view in Symbolic Languages. Recorded by Dr. Alice Davidson & Dr. Diane Terorde-Doyle, of Hume House, Child Development & Student Research Center and David Matteson, Associate Curator of Education at Rollins Museum of Art.
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 exhibition鈥檚 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 小猪视频 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