Ross Art Museum Unleashes 'Thousand Hounds' for Opening Exhibition

October 18, 2002

DELAWARE, OHIO -- The first exhibition to be mounted in Ohio Wesleyan University's Richard M. Ross Art Museum "goes to the dogs," as A Thousand Hounds: A Walk with the Dogs Through the History of Photography opens on Oct. 23. Sharing the exhibit with the Columbus Museum of Art, OWU will display the additional works from the 165 photographs and art objects comprising the show. The exhibition runs through Dec. 19.

"The show opened at New York's PaineWebber Gallery in January 2002, and has been at the Norton Museum of Art in Palm Beach, Fla.," says Justin Kronewetter, art professor at OWU and director of the Ross Museum. The newly renovated museum -- and Kronewetter -- eagerly awaits the exhibit's opening. Renovations were made possible by a generous gift from Elizabeth M. Ross, honoring her late husband, Richard M. Ross, former president of Ross Laboratories.

"Thanks to the generosity of the Ross family, we have exhibition facilities that are professional in every aspect and can provide appropriate space for shows of this quality," says Kronewetter.

The exhibit features the work of a number of "master photographers" and a variety of photographs of dogs and photographic techniques spanning 160 years. Most of the pieces were curated by Raymond Merritt and Miles Barth, co-authors of a book by the same exhibition name.

"Ray has given many photographs to OWU's permanent teaching collection and has helped strengthen its foundation," says Kronewetter. He explained that the actual museum dedication exhibition will be mounted next fall.