MARCH ‘25 newsletter

Hello, all! Jennifer Dasal here--welcome to my new little ~experiment~: a monthly (or semi-monthly?) newsletter to catch you up on all the goings-on in my little artsy world. With these newsletters, you’ll get the latest on:

  • Details on my book release and associated events

  • Travel--all the latest on upcoming trips and tours

  • My favorite links, news stories, book recommendations, and more

  • A glimpse into my mind and my preoccupations this month

    ... and anything else that you would like to see in these here pages! (let me know!)

    Let’s dive in, shall we?

MEXICO CITY TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

My excursion to Mexico City, as a lecturer for Arrangements Abroad, was a delight. In conjunction with Arts Week Mexico City and the Zona Maco art fair, we visited several galleries and at least a half-dozen museums. But of course that wasn’t all: we also enjoyed some of the best contemporary cuisine in the city--everything from delicious Oaxacan mole to fast and fresh tacos, and even a special menu from a Michelin-recognized chef.

My favorite part? Besides ~everything~, I’m a Frida Kahlo person, so every time I get to visit the Casa Azul--Frida’s famed home-- I am so drawn into her world. For this reason, I love to lecture on why Frida is so popular (her art, her struggles, her fashion, her feminism... the list goes on and on!)

In short, this trip was a blast. And there’s a rather good chance that we’ll be repeating it next year! If you’re interested, visit Arrangements Abroad and make sure that you get on their mailing list for all the latest updates.

NEW TRIP ANNOUNCED!

It’s finally open for registration: our amazing “Footsteps of the Impressionists” tour with Like Minds Travel! I’ve been so looking forward to this one-- we’ll be based in Paris, but we’ll be enjoying lots of great artsy side trips, like to Giverny (my first time seeing Monet’s home!) and Auvers-sur-Oise to see where Van Gogh spent his final days.

A quick look at just a few of the tour’s inclusions:

  • 8 nights in a 4-star centrally located hotel

  • Seine River Dinner Cruise

  • Guided tour of Musée Rodin

  • Behind the scenes tour of the Paris Opera House

  • Walking tour of Montmartre

  • Visit to Ile des Impressionistes flea market

  • Lunch at La Nyphéas in Giverny

  • Gourmet wine and cheese tasting

... and a good half-dozen museums on top, plus so much more!

This tour is scheduled for September 21-29, 2025 and is priced at $5,500 per person for a single room, or $4,500 per person for a double.

WHAT’S CAUGHT MY EYE

As always, there is never a lack of fascinating stories in the art world. Here are a few that especially caught my attention, as well as my top exhibition recommendation:

Is This Rubens Real? Inside the ‘Samson and Delilah’ Debate (ArtNet)

Masterpiece by Maria van Oosterwijck takes centre stage in Rijksmuseum’s Gallery of Honour (Rijksmuseum)

Art Sleuth Helps Track Stolen Bruegel Painting to Dutch Museum (ArtNet)

The Exhibition I’m Dying to See! The Met’s Caspar David Friedrich: The Soul of Nature (Through May 11)

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith’s final curatorial project honours Indigenous community she championed for decades (The Art Newspaper)

BOOKS ON MY NIGHTSTAND

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BOOKS ON MY NIGHTSTAND *

These three beauties arrived in the mail for me this month, and I’m so excited to jump into them!

  • Yoko: A Biography, by David Sheff

    To be fair, I’m most excited to read about Yoko from my perspective as a legit Beatlemaniac, but I also very much admire her art, too. Either way, this one is sure to be a compelling read-- it will be available on March 25 from Simon and Schuster.

  • Artemisia Gentileschi and the Business of Art, by Christopher R. Marshall

    We already know that Artemisia was incredible-- but learning about her business savviness and keen professional strategy? It makes me love her even more!

  • Mary Cassatt between Paris and New York: The Making of a Transatlantic Legacy, by Ruth E. Iskin

    The arrival of this book in time for me to prepare for my “Footsteps of the Impressionists” tour is fortuitous, but I’m even more excited for its usefulness, to me, for next year, when I’m running a Mary Cassatt tour with Arrangements Abroad! More details coming on that soon, but for now, I’ll enjoy learning about this amazing artist’s journey.

ON MY MIND

ON MY MIND

YES, of course art is always on my mind-- especially now that I’m looking ahead to the upcoming summer release of THE CLUB (preorder here if you’re interested!). And indeed, I’ve been spending a lot of my time recently working on scheduling book events, both in-person and virtual. Several events are already scheduled, with a bunch more underway! I’ll announce them more fully next month, but if you want a sneak preview, confirmed dates are already on my website: jenniferdasal.com.

But of course I’m a whole person with all kinds of interests and preoccupations. Here’s a little look into what’s going on in my (very full) brain, with hopes that it will help you get to know me a little better--share your preoccupations with me, too!

  • I’m currently training for my very first half marathon! I adore running, even though I am extremely slow. Nevertheless, I’ve never tackled a distance like this, and I’m energized about this. I actually spend more of my days obsessing about running than over art. Imagine that!

  • Late this month, I’m returning to Cuba as a tour director for Arrangements Abroad. I was last in Cuba in 2016 as a museum representative on a curatorial trip, and while I’m thrilled to go back, I’m also curious to witness how much has changed, especially in our post-pandemic era. Stay tuned.

  • My taste in TV is... questionable, perhaps (at least my husband thinks so!). But the third season of the teen-soccer-players-crashed-in-the-wilderness-and-possibly-go-feral drama, Yellowjackets, is currently airing, and I’m here for the madness.

  • I’m also heading to Florida next month to do the whole amusement-parks-spring-break thing with my family. While I don’t particularly love the weather in Florida (too hot! too humid!), I am an old-school Disney person (a “Disney Adult,” as the phrase goes), and I’m looking forward to experiencing the Magic Kingdom with my kiddo.

Alright, folks! That’s it from me for this month. If you have any questions about any of the trips, events, or books mentioned in this month’s newsletter, don’t hesitate to reply to this note, and I’ll try to get back to you as quickly as I can. In the meantime, thank you for reading-- and please share this note with anyone whom you think might be interested!

Until next time,

Jennifer