5/3/2004
Pop!
SFMoMA, San Francisco
From San Francisco Collections. The show features some one hundred paintings, sculptures and works on paper. Included are pieces by such luminary New York artists as Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, and Roy Lichtenstein alongside works by California artists Ed Ruscha, Wayne Thiebaud, and Robert Arneson, among others.
From San Francisco Collections
Drawn from local private and museum collections, as well as SFMOMA’s own, Pop! features some one hundred paintings, sculptures and works on paper. Included are pieces by such luminary New York artists as Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, and Roy Lichtenstein alongside works by California artists Ed Ruscha, Wayne Thiebaud, and Robert Arneson, among others, underscoring the role of the West Coast in this pivotal movement and demonstrating the wealth of quintessential Pop art holdings in the Bay Area. During the second half of the twentieth century, mass media and popular culture gained an unprecedented influence in America; Pop art was both a product and critique of this dramatic social change. Organized jointly by SFMOMA Director Neal Benezra and Curator of Painting and Sculpture Janet Bishop, this exhibition will focus on the influence of mass culture and the development of Pop art in America between 1955 and 1980. The exhibition is sponsored by UBS, the global financial services leader.
The exhibition will be installed thematically, demonstrating the range and depth of the movement. Among the themes addressed: American icons (Flag, 1958, by Jasper Johns, and George Washington, 1962, by Roy Lichtenstein), language (Johns’s 0 through 9, 1960), celebrity (Fig. 4 – Few And Far…, 1965, by Jess, and Andy Warhol’s Triple Elvis, 1962), comics (Dr. Midnight, 1962, by Mel Ramos, and Good Morning Darling, 1964, by Roy Lichtenstein), the dark side of Pop (Warhol’s Most Wanted Men, 1964), display (Wayne Thiebaud’s Penny Machines, 1961, and Candy Counter, 1969) and everyday objects (Fan, 1964, by Vija Celmins, and Hot Dog Stand, 1978, by George Segal). There will also be an entire room focusing on the work of Ed Ruscha, including his gunpowder drawings and artist books.
Image:
Ed Ruscha, Trademark 2, 1962; India ink, pencil, and oil on paper; Collection SFMOMA, Purchased through a gift of Dr. and Mrs. Allan Roos; © Ed Ruscha
---
During the second half of the twentieth century, mass media and popular culture gained an unprecedented influence in America; Pop art was both a product and critique of this dramatic social change. Gathered entirely from local private holdings and the SFMOMA collection, Pop! includes some 100 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. Pieces by such luminary
New York artists as Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, and Roy Lichtenstein are presented alongside works by California artists Ed Ruscha, Wayne Thiebaud, and Robert Arneson, among others, underscoring the role of the West Coast in this pivotal movement. The exhibition is organized jointly by SFMOMA Director Neal Benezra and Curator of Painting and Sculpture Janet Bishop.
Among the themes addressed by Pop! are: American icons (Flag, 1958 by Jasper Johns, George Washington, 1962 by Roy Lichtenstein), language (Johns’s 0 through 9, 1960), celebrity (Fig. 4 — Few And Far…, 1965 by Jess, Andy Warhol’s Triple Elvis, 1962), comics (Dr. Midnight, 1962 by Mel Ramos, Good Morning Darling, 1964 by Roy Lichtenstein), the dark side of Pop (Warhol’s Most Wanted Men series, 1964), everyday objects and food (Wayne Thiebaud’s Display Cakes, 1963). There will also be an entire room focusing on the work of Ed Ruscha, including his gunpowder drawings and artist books.
VIDEO SCREENINGS
March 6 - September 19, 2004:
Weekdays: 4 p.m.
Saturdays: 3 p.m.
Koret Visitor Education Center
These video screenings focus on artists whose work is represented in Pop! From San Francisco Collections, including Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol. For a detailed schedule call 415.538.2693.
Free with Museum admission.
DOCENT-LED GALLERY TOURS
Highlights from Pop! From San Francisco Collections
Daily (except Wednesdays)
1:30 p.m.
Free with Museum admission. Meet in the Haas Atrium.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS:
PROGRAMS, CLASSES, AND EVENTS
Saturday, April 17, 2004
Lecture
Rethinking the Implications of Pop Art
David Antin, poet, critic, and performance artist
2:00 p.m.
Phyllis Wattis Theater
A veteran of the New York and Los Angeles 1960s art scenes, Antin is internationally known for his "talk pieces" — reflective performances mixing criticism, comedy, storytelling, and social commentary that critics have described as "a cross between Lenny Bruce and Ludwig Wittgenstein" and "a blend of Mark Twain and Gertrude Stein." In this talk, Antin reassesses the implications and legacy of Pop art, a movement he was deeply involved with from its beginnings.
SFMoMA
151 Third Street
San Francisco
tel 415 3574000