Tom Wesselmann
dal 12/7/2014 al 20/9/2014
Segnalato da
12/7/2014
Tom Wesselmann
Denver Art Museum, Denver
Beyond Pop Art. Organized chronologically, the exhibition follows the development of Wesselmann's work, series by series, from the earliest abstract collages to his well-known series, The Great American Nude, and still lifes of his Pop period, to the cut-steel drawings and Sunset Nudes of his late work.
(Denver, Colo.) – March 4, 2014 – The Denver Art Museum (DAM) will host the exhibition Beyond Pop Art:
A Tom Wesselmann Retrospective, July 13–September 21, 2014. American painter Tom Wesselmann
(1931–2004) is widely regarded as one of the leading figures of American Pop Art, with a career spanning
more than four decades. Organized chronologically, the exhibition follows the development of
Wesselmann’s work, series by series, from the earliest abstract collages to his well-known series, The
Great American Nude, and still lifes of his Pop period, to the cut-steel drawings and Sunset Nudes of his
late work.
“Beyond Pop Art continues the DAM’s tradition of bringing
exhibitions to Denver, like Becoming Van Gogh, that provide an
inside look into an artist’s process,” said Christoph Heinrich,
Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the Denver Art Museum. “The
exhibition allows visitors to follow Wesselmann’s personal and
creative journey through the Pop Art movement and beyond.”
The exhibition features approximately 100 works, including the
larger-than-life Still Life #60, which is more than 25 feet long, and
Screen Star, which weighs more than 2,000 pounds. Visitors will
have the opportunity to explore Wesselmann’s process through
preliminary drawings, maquettes and archival documents, from
billboards to photographs and letters.
“Tom Wesselmann continued to reinvent himself long after the
Pop Art movement peaked,” said William Morrow, Polly and Mark
Addison Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the DAM.
“Wesselmann was interested in finding his own voice by revisiting
the traditions of masters like Matisse and Cezanne and redefining
the traditional genres of the nude, still life and landscape.”
Beyond Pop Art also explores Wesselmann’s
reluctance to be affiliated with the Pop Art
movement. In his biography written under the
pen name Slim Stealingworth, Wesselmann
wrote that he “dislikes the term ‘Pop Art’
primarily because it causes many art
historians, curators and critics to focus
excessively on subject matter and assumed
sociological commentary. Wesselmann’s
motivation, what drives his art, is no different
than any other fine artist in history—he wants
to give form to his own personal discoveries of
what is beautiful and exciting.”
In addition to a focus on Wesselmann’s visual arts, Beyond Pop Art explores his connection to country
music. By the end of his life, he had written over 400 songs, a number of which were recorded. One of his
compositions, “I Love Doing Texas With You,” sung by Kevin Trainor, was included on the soundtrack for
the Academy Award-winning film Brokeback Mountain.
Beyond Pop Art: A Tom Wesselmann Retrospective will be on view in the DAM’s Anschutz Gallery on level
two of the Frederic C. Hamilton Building and will be included in general admission.
Exhibition Catalog
An exhibition catalog edited by Stéphane Aquin, curator of contemporary art at the Montreal Museum of
Fine Arts, will be available in The Shop at the Denver Art Museum.
Exhibition Tour Schedule
Denver Art Museum, July 13–September 21, 2014
Cincinnati Art Museum, October 31, 2014–January 18, 2015
Exhibition Organizers and Sponsors
Beyond Pop Art: A Tom Wesselmann Retrospective is organized by
the Cincinnati Art Museum. This exhibition is supported by an
indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. It
is presented with the generous support of donors to the Annual Fund
Leadership Campaign and the citizens who support the Scientific and
Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by
5280 Magazine, CBS4 and The Denver Post.
The Denver Art Museum is an educational, non-profit resource that sparks creative thinking and expression through
transformative experiences with art. Its holdings reflect the city and region—and provide invaluable ways for the
community to learn about cultures from around the world. Denver metro citizens support Scientific and Cultural
Facilities District (SCFD), a unique funding source serving hundreds of metro Denver arts, culture and scientific
organizations. For museum information, call 720-865-5000 or visit www.denverartmuseum.org.
Image: Tom Wesselmann (American, b.1931, d.2004), Smoker,
1 (Mouth, 12), 1967. Oil on canvas, in two parts; Overall
9' 7/8" x 7' 1" (276.6 x 216 cm). The Museum of Modern
Art, New York. Susan Morse Hilles Fund, 1968. ©
Estate of Tom Wesselmann/Licensed by VAGA, New
York, NY, Photo Credit: Jeffrey Sturges.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Hope Grandon, 720-913-0079
hgrandon@denverartmuseum.org
Kristy Bassuener, 720-913-0115
kbassuener@denverartmuseum.org
Denver Art Museum
100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, CO 80204
Hours
Monday Closed
Tuesday–Thursday 10 am–5 pm
Friday 10 am–8 pm*
Saturday–Sunday 10 am–5 pm
*On final Fridays in January through October, we're open until 10 pm for Untitled mixed-media events.