Macabre scrapbooks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is an in-person lecture at:
Jefferson Market Library
425 6th Avenue
New York, NY 10011

Two macabre scrapbooks preserved in the The Metropolitan Museum of Art are packed with century-old obituaries of artists who died tragically by suicide, foul play, disease, or in bizarre accidents. Jim Moske profiles the eccentric curator who compiled this strange archive, and shares images of the most startling headlines and stories. These grim fragments retrieved from the past echo disturbing themes and motifs common in popular depictions of creative people for centuries.

Jim Moske is Managing Archivist of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he conserves and shares historical records documenting the Met’s 150-year history. He is in his fourth decade of professional practice in the field of cultural resources management, with past roles at New York Public Library, Ford Foundation, and City University of New York. In his creative practice, Jim explores the visual qualities and unintended meanings of archives through research, writing, and picture-making.

Reserve Your Tickets Here