The MAG s mysteriously unfinished portrait of Hurd, the centerpiece of this exhibit, is contrasted with the completed portrait owned by the Cleveland Museum of Art. Nathaniel Hurd was a talented engraver whose skill and craftsmanship made him one of the most sought after silversmiths in Boston. In addition to focusing upon paintings by Copley and silver pieces by Hurd, this exhibit aims to contextualize these works and other objects within the daily life of colonial Boston. The About Face exhibit includes two computer kiosks with an interactive CD-ROM experience that allows students to navigate their own exploration. In this CD-ROM, the biographies of John Singleton Copley and Nathaniel Hurd are directly tied to the people and events that led up the American Revolution.
Students can explore simulations of a house and silversmith workshop in colonial Boston .
About Face was designed to encourage a self-guided experience of the exhibit. The exhibit contains a great deal of activities for students to engage in while visiting the Memorial Art Gallery. The label texts use interactive formats, there are two computer kiosks containing the About Face CD-ROM, and there are a number of books available for reference on life in colonial America. In addition to other activities present in the exhibit room, there are a number of lesson plans in this interactive exhibit and in the accompanying teaching packet that require student participation while at the Gallery.