Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum examines the complex and heterogeneous nature of American art in the mid-twentieth century. Featuring 31 of the most celebrated artists who came to maturity in the 1950s, the exhibition traces the history of this epochal period through 43 key paintings and sculpture selected from the Museum’s collection. The exhibition is organized according to three broadly-conceived themes: “Grand Gestures” explores the autographic mark, executed in sweeping strokes of brilliant color which became the expressive vehicle for Franz Kline, Michael Goldberg, Hans Hofmann, Sam Francis, Joan Mitchell and others who came to be known as abstract expressionists. “Optics and Order” highlights Josef Albers, his exploration of mathematical proportion and carefully balanced color, and the artists who built on his ideas: Ilya Bolotowsky, Louise Nevelson, Esteban Vicente, Ad Reinhardt, and Anne Truitt. “New Images of Man” includes Nathan Oliveira, Romare Bearden, Larry Rivers, Jim Dine, David Driskell and Grace Hartigan, each of whom searched their surroundings and personal lives for vignettes emblematic of larger, universal concerns.
The Figure Past and Present: Selections from the Permanent Collection November 29, 2008 through 2010
2nd Floor Galleries
The inaugural exhibition will focus on the diverse representations of the figure as a vision of humanity, whether earthly or divine, by placing it within an art historical context. This exhibition will include contemporary works, ritual artifacts of Pre-Columbian cultures, traditional African wood carvings and delicate visages of Asian deities.
Simulacra and Essence: The Paintings of Luisa Basnuevo November 29, 2008 – April 4, 2009
3rd Floor Gallery
Luisa Maria Basnuevo’s solo exhibition presents recent works from her series of painting inspired by eucalyptus seeds she collected in Spain a few years ago. Basnuevo works with an abstract genre using gestures, mask-making, over-painting and transparent washes and tonal variations to construct her imagery.
Florencio Gelabert: Intersections November 29, 2008 through February 28, 2009
3rd Floor Galleries
Florencio Gelabert has created a series of environmentally based installation. The site-specific 3D works address issues of humankind’s relationship with the natural world and our role in the depletion of natural resources. The work will combine sophisticated technologies with basic materials to create complex works that address the perils facing the environment.
John Henry: Drawing in Space: The Peninsula Project Illustrated November 29, 2008 through March 9,2009 3rd Floor Galleries
This exhibition will highlight and illustrate the process and concept behind Drawing in Space: The Peninsula Project, which incorporates large scale sculpture into the Florida landscape. Henry specifically chose Florida for its peninsular shape which creates a unique geographic environment. Each individual sculpture invites the viewer to experience the next, thus experiencing a new part of Florida. This is not only an art exhibition but a way to provide a deeper connection between the viewer, the cities and the sculptures that encourages exploration of the natural beauty of Florida. Along with each outdoor installation, a local museum partner will host an accompanying exhibition. The Frost will present the signature exhibition for the project: Peninsula Project Illustrated and will showcase all nine monumental works in the seven participating Florida cities. With models of the sculpture and large photographs of the pieces set in their various landscapes- the exhibit will be a tribute to the artist’s unprecedented use of the Florida peninsula as his canvas. For more information on the Peninsula Project please visit www.peninsulaproject.com.
Drawing in Space: The Peninsula Project Illustratedwas made possible through major support from Arison Arts Foundation, Parnassus Foundation, See Rock City, Inc., Performance Video Productions, Tubatomic, Bob and Terry Edwards, David and Diane McDonald and Doug and Maureen Cohn. Additional support was provided by Comcast, the Miami-Dade Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
Andrew Reach was working as an architect on the Frost Art Museum when his career ended because of a crippling spinal disease. In an effort to transcend his pain and physical limitations, he turned his creative energies to art. Lacking the strength to paint, Reach created large-format computer-generated images. His love for painters Larry Rivers and Jackson Pollock inspired him to fuse the abstract expressionist’s aesthetic with his interest in Eastern traditions, Islamic art and African patterns. Reach comes full circle with an exhibition of his work at The Frost, the beautiful and innovative structure he helped design.
