Now in the West Gallery |
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Schimmer, 1930, Watercolor and ink on paper |
This exhibition takes a closer look at major modern artists in the Blanden's permanent collection in the context of the difficult period in which the artists lived. The hope is to demonstrate how one might think about style and biography in relation to the historical context of World War II, encouraging patrons to think about their own interpretations of these pieces. The artists who created these works of art come from divergent backgrounds, but all were significantly impacted by the second 'total war'. Some artists, such as Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, were a combination of several identities, creating complex reactions to the war that affected their lives. Both World Wars exercised immense influence on Europe and America, fracturing and altering both societal and artistic identity in these cultures. The aftermath of the second 'total war' and the eventual revelation of tragedies surrounding the Holocaust created anxiety and criticism about the state of modern societies, as well as the pervading influence of 'Old World' values. Also thrown into sharp relief were the most basic issues of humanity and the value of individual human life. The transition from the early
20th century into the postmodern age we now live in constitutes an era
of controversial and rapid change. Experimentation in the arts was intended
to create a visual 'language' for the public, which would supersede the
boundaries of class, gender, and race, and although the project to 'heal
society' did not succeed in the intended way, modern art has fundamentally
changed the way we The exhibition will be accompanied by a gallery guide to contextualize the artworks.
Cadiz,1952 Oil on canvas |
African Wood Sculptures & Latin American Works Exhibition  Chi Wara (antelope headdress) n,d. Carved Wood Unknown Artist, Mali BCF: John J. Brady, Jr. Estate 1990.007 Innovative & Imaginative Cultures Exhibition  Woman Watermelon, ca. 1950 Lithograph on paper Rufino Tamayo [Mexican, 1899-1991] BCF: Gift of John J. Brady Jr. Bequest 1989.015 STREET-WISE Exhibition  CYRK (Circus series…Lion) 1975 by Hubert Hilscher [Polish, 1924-1999] BMAM: Gift of Mrs. Mary Jane Sayles 1971.06 Women’s Suffrage Exhibition  LET HER HAVE THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS 1917 Suffrage Poster by Evelyn Rumsay Cary 104cm x 59.5 cm State Historical Society of Iowa, Special Collections, Iowa City, Iowa Shoot. Shoot. Shoot: Photographs by Garry Winogrand’ Exhibit runs January through June 2009 Selected from the permanent collection Second Floor Gallery  Untitled (Woman Reading Newspaper), circa 1960s -1975, by Garry Winogrand. Gelatin silver print. 15/20 artist's proof. Gift of Douglas and Linda Kenyon, Chicago. BCF 1983.04 Information: Shoot. Shoot. Shoot is an exhibition of six photographs taken by Garry Winogrand during the 1960s and early 1970s. Winogrand was famous for shooting roll-uponroll of 35mm black and white film with a wide-angle lens and available light. Snapshot-style he chronicled Americans in their daily life – on Madison Avenue, at Central Park, in small Texas towns, on buses, at California beaches, shopping malls – anonymous individuals or crowds caught off-guard, juxtaposed to their environments. Seemingly random observations, on closer consideration they could be seen to express the photographer's sympathetic or humorously gentle attitude toward the individual/crowd. It would be a mistake to think the images are posed: they are not. Winogrand was particularly influenced by the 1930s-1950s social documentary approach to photography of the slightly elder generation of photographers such as Walker Evans and Robert Frank. Born in New York City in 1928, Winogrand served in the US Air Force during WWII and then attended painting classes at City College of New York in 1947 and photography classes at Columbia University in 1948. In the Modern Museum of Art's landmark exhibition THE FAMILY of MAN, Edward Steichen selected an image by Winogrand for the worldwide tour of the exhibition. During the 30 years Winogrand photographed published five books and exhibited extensively throughout the United States and abroad. The six photographs in this exhibition were part of the portfolio, published as a book, entitled WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL. The Blanden Charitable Foundation provided the funds for archivally framing the Winogrand prints.
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OPEN Tuesday through
Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
CLOSED Sunday and Monday
