The Sheldon Museum of Art has a new mission statement to go along with its new name:

"The Sheldon Museum of Art collects, studies, and presents American art in its historical diversity and transnational origins. Housing one of the country's premier collections of American art, Sheldon is committed to being a national leader in developing multidisciplinary approaches to the visual arts. Our programs and activities explore manifold relationships among the arts, from music to architecture, philosophy to film, and performance to literature. We invite inquiry and imagination by fostering creative and critical thinking.

"Located on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Sheldon supports the University's objectives in academic research and teaching. In the public service tradition of land-grant institutions, our activities and outreach programs foster collaborations within the University and among our constituents in the community, Nebraska, and the nation."

That statement is important for many reasons, as it sets the philosophy and direction for Nebraska's most important cultural institution and the center of Lincoln's art community. The statement reflects director Daniel Veneciano's "transnational" approach, which will allow for greater study/exhibition of international art that has ties and influence on American art. By eliminating any references to time - as in 20th century - it allows Sheldon to continue to collect and exhibit the art of our time. The multidisciplinary, collaborative approach puts Sheldon in step with today's best approaches to museum operations generally and, in particular, for a university institution.

Kaneko sculpture at Sheldon

Speaking of Sheldon, the first half of its summer/fall exhibition "Play's the Thing: The Paintings and Objects of Jun Kaneko" has been installed. The giant "heads," dangos and other large ceramic pieces can't be missed as they fill the museum's Great Hall. The two heads on view are among those that Kaneko, the Japanese-born, Omaha-based artist, displayed on New York City streets.

The second half of the show, a group of Kaneko paintings, will be installed in the second-floor rotating exhibition galleries in June. The full exhibition will be on view through Oct. 11. I'll have much more on the exhibition in about a month.

Hickey's 'Invisible Dragon' back in stores

Dave Hickey's "The Invisible Dragon: Essays on Beauty" was one of the most controversial books about art in the 1990s, and it ignited a debate that continues today. Long out of print, "The Invisible Dragon" has just been reissued in revised and expanded form by the University of Chicago Press. With a new, almost tongue-in-cheek introduction and a new closing essay titled "American Beauty," the new version of the book is highly recommended reading - a provocative argument about the nature of beauty and what it means in art and culture. It sent theory-loving critics around the bend when it was released and will do the same again today.

When the first edition came out, New Yorker critic Peter Schjeldahl wrote that Hickey was his hero. He's my hero as well.

Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.