The Block Museum of Art seeks to satisfy the inner beatnik with three new exhibits focusing on the 1950s, which officially debut this week.
While the exhibits differ in subject matter and technique, each represents some aspect of post-war America.
“All three shows are contemporary, and that’s a really interesting type of art in art history,” said Sheetal Prajapati, Block interim curatorial assistant for education.
Two of the exhibits, “Stamp of Impulse: Abstract Expressionist Prints” and “Max Beckmann: Self-Portraits from the Collection of James and Pamela Ellish,” opened Jan. 17 and run through March 16.
On the second floor of the museum, “Stamp of Impulse” traces the development of abstract expressionism as an American art form. With 100 prints by legendary artists such as Jackson Pollock, the exhibit is already finding favor with gallery patrons.
“There are some lovely pieces here that are really internationally known,” said Dave Barber, a Seabury-Western Theological Seminary resident. “It’s an impressive collection.”
Down the hall, “Max Beckmann” provides a sampling of the German painter’s evolving style in printmaking.
“(The pieces) show the full expression of the medium and really celebrate each of the different media of printmaking,” said Debora Wood, Block associate curator. “We have over 30 prints of his self-portraits showing a wide range not only of his artistic development, but his learning of the printmaking process.”
The third exhibit, “Small Wonder: Worlds in a Box,” opens Friday. Using toy playsets manufactured in the 1950s, photographer David Levinthal’s work creates scenes from history and pop culture.
An opening reception will be held in the gallery today at 5 p.m. featuring tours of the exhibits and a presentation of abstract short films from the 1950s. On Jan. 30, a student opening will be held at 6 p.m. with live music, free food and a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Notorious.”
Related programs are scheduled to continue in coming weeks, including an artist lecture by Levinthal on Feb. 20.
According to William Schmenner, Block Cinema assistant curator of film, the new exhibits overlap with several Block Cinema film series for Winter Quarter. One series, “Dark Dreams: Film Noir and Abstract Expressionism,” features films exploring the same themes that abstract expressionist artists grappled with on paper.
“Both the art and the films are capturing a very similar cultural moment,” Schmenner said. “Both really draw on the subconscious and popular notions about psychoanalysis and psychology. Jackson Pollock would claim that he’s painting from the subconscious, and all of the ‘Dark Dreams’ films deal with that.”
Similarly, “The 1950s: Past and Present” series contains contemporary films set in the ’50s, such as “Diner” and “Back to the Future.”
“Just as Levinthal is recreating a scene with his toys, these films are recreating a different period,” Schmenner said. “They are also all Hollywood studio films with a lot of sets that are carefully constructed just like the dioramas that are part of Levinthal’s exhibit. They share the same message.”
Wood said she hopes students will take advantage of what the recently renovated Block Museum has to offer.
“With this particular series, there is a great deal that can be learned about history,” she said. “This is a very valuable period in history that should not be forgotten and should be relived as often as possible.”
