.jpg)
The Norman Rockwell Museum’s Social Conscience
Posted by: Dan Shaw
Posted on: Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Comments
SUCH a timely issue. Thanks for the heads-up.
Bold, italics, strong, emphasis, and block quote tags are allowed in comments.
Notify me of follow-up comments?
Comment Guidelines
As we believe it promotes responsibility, civility and neighborliness, we encourage Commenters to use their real names unless there is compelling reason not to. In any case, profanity, personal attacks and unsubstantiated or excessive criticism of people or places will not be tolerated and will be deleted. By completing this form you are agreeing to abide by these rules and all terms laid out in the Rural Intelligence User Agreement.
For questions concerning the use of personally identifiable information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
IMPORTANT: You must be a member of Rural Intelligence and logged into the site to post comments. Already a member? Click here to login. Want to become a member? Click here to register.
Please enter the word you see in the image below:
Full Article
As anyone who has visited the Norman Rockwell Museum well knows, the artist had a well-defined social conscience that is evidenced in such iconic paintings as The Problem Everybody Lives With, The Golden Rule, Moving Day and the Four Freedoms paintings that he made during World War II to illustrate President Roosevelt’s landmark speech. “We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms,” Roosevelt said in his 1941 State of the Union message. “The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.”
Now, in the tradition of its namesake, the Norman Rockwell Museum is hosting a series of Four Freedoms Town Hall Meetings. On Thursday, February 16, the museum is sponsoring a panel discussion: “Freedom From Want: Food, Farmers and Families–A Community Dialogue.” The speakers will include Andrew Morehouse, executive director of The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts; Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown; Brian Alberg, executive chef of The Red Lion Inn; Laura Meister, farmer/owner of Farm Girl Farm, in Egremont; Lila Berle, farmer/owner of Sky Farm in Stockbridge (who was also one of the museum’s founders.)
Laurie Norton Moffatt, the museum’s director and CEO, sees these forums as a way to encourage civilized dialogue in world where it has become increasingly difficult to have polite political debates. What is political about good food? “The Berkshires are increasingly known for local organic food, but many of our residents cannot afford this healthy food,” she says. “We want to start a discussion on this very serious issue.”
Freedom From Want: Food, Farmers and Families–A Community Dialogue
February 17, 5:30 p.m.
Four Freedoms for All? A Community Dialogue About Immigration
March 24, 5:30 p.m.
Norman Rockwell Museum
9 Route 183, Stockbridge; 413-298-4100 x 221
