Splendid Grief: Darren Waterston and the Afterlife of Leland Stanford Jr May 27, 2009

Despite their reputation for emotional restraint, Victorians indulged in complex and elaborate rituals surrounding death and mourning. No better example is the case of Leland Stanford Jr., the only son of Leland and Jane Stanford, who died at the tender age of 15 from typhoid fever and whose demise inspired the Stanfords to found the university. This exhibition examines the Stanford family's grief and mourning as interpreted by contemporary artist Darren Waterston. Waterston will use works from the museum's collection and create new paintings to transform the gallery space into a mourning parlor. The installation will create a dialogue between the 19th-century objects and new paintings that are inspired by them.