Explore and Check Out Some Local Art
A little while ago, Isabelle and Emily ventured northwest of campus and while they were tempted to sneak across the river and join their Canadian neighbors, they remained in the United States and decided to check out the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg. Founded in 1923, the museum houses works by the artist Frederic Remington. Remington was born in our very own Canton, NY in 1861, and his house can still be found in town. He is known primarily for his paintings and sculptures of the American West including depictions of cowboys, soldiers, and Native Americans. He was fascinated by the West, and even embarked on a sheep ranching venture before realizing he was better suited to painting. Remington traveled back and forth from his home in New York to the west to collect various knicknacks such as bison heads which he would later use to inspire his art. Remington focused initially on paintings, but later began to make bronze sculptures of typical Wild West scenarios like getting attacked by snakes while on horseback.
The Frederic Remington Art Museum is located in a historic home built in 1810 by David Parish. Remingnton’s wife Eva moved into the house in 1909 after her husband’s death. It has since been expanded to house the museum. If you enjoy beautifully restored houses and art, this is the place for you. Emily especially enjoyed the layout, organization, and overall vibe of the establishment. Isabelle was intrigued by Frederic Remington’s obsessive attempts to live vicariously through his cowboy paintings and despite liking some of the paintings, she found a lot of the art to be largely problematic.*
The staff at the museum were eager to answer any questions that we had and let us roam around exploring. The museum offers a student discounted rate of $7 which, according to Isabelle, seemed quite reasonable. The museum has COVID-19 safety guidelines in place and there is a lovely gift shop where you can purchase an $8,000 sculpture reproduction or some more affordable museum merch. According to the staff member we chatted with, there are not a lot of student visitors. From the looks of it, the museum is probably frequented by wannabe painters, history buffs, and local patrons of the arts. Maybe some SLU students can shift this demographic.
As a side note, we would like to shout-out Phillip’s diner in Ogdensburg. If you are looking for a nice home-cooked meal after an intense museum visit, give it a taste.
*It is important to note that Remington has been criticized for his racist depictions of Native Americans. We still recommend visiting the museum to get an understanding of a significant North Country artist and historical figure, but it is important to be aware of the controversy of his works.