Richard Diebenkorn, Blue, 1984
John Cage, 11 Stones 2, 1969.
I think the great thing about abstract painting
is that it's open.
It comes to you, you go to it.
-Brice Marden, NYT 29 Oct 06
What is art’s relation to reality? What is abstract art’s relation to reality? Because it is nonrepresentational—it does not mimic reality—abstract art is often perceived as difficult, removed as it is from everyday appearance or experience: the challenge is to make sense of it. Another way to approach abstract works is to consider them as opportunities to approach art more actively. The Whatcom Museum of History & Art offers an exploration into this art form with American Abstraction: Works from the Washington Art Consortium Collection, May 13 through November 11, 2007, in the ARCO Exhibits Building.
The exhibition will feature 42 works on paper by artists including Brice Marden, Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella, Richard Diebenkorn, Jennifer Bartlett, and Jasper Johns, culled from two of the Washington Art Consortium’s three collections. The exhibition will present groupings of the works to provide context and to encourage creative thinking about abstract art.
As a member of the Washington Art Consortium, the Whatcom Museum of History & Art shares ownership of these collections of American art from the mid- to late-20th century that represent the major artists of the period, and it is in the spirit of collaboration that we are able to bring these works to Bellingham.
Formed originally because of these collections, today the Washington Art Consortium is expanding its collaborative efforts. Member institutions are currently working to place our respective collections in a digital library of nearly ten thousand works of Northwest art. With images and information online, WAC will engage new audiences, create access to museum resources, and offer new scholarly perspectives to casual students as well as focused researchers.
American Abstraction: Works from the Washington Art Consortium Collection is organized by Whatcom Museum of History & Art in conjunction with the Washington Art Consortium. Program support is provided by the City of Bellingham, Washington State Arts Commission, and National Endowment for the Arts.
Willem de Kooning, Composition - Attic Series, 1950-51. Ink on paper; 29 1/2 x 35 1/2 inches. Photo by Paul Brower, 2003. ©Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. |
Robert Ryman, Yellow Drawing #5, 1963. Charcoal, pencil, and white pastel on ochre paper; 14 3/4 x 14 5/8 inches. Photo by Paul Brower, 2003. © 2007 Robert Ryman, courtesy PaceWildenstein, New York. |
Hans Hoffman, Untitled, 1956. Gouache on paper; 22 1/2 x 28 1/2 inches. Photo by Paul Brower, 2003. ©Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. |