Past Exhibitions

Walter Goodman’s The Printseller's Window: Solving A Painter’s Puzzle
August 14, 2009–November 15, 2009
in the Lockhart Gallery

In 1998, MAG director Grant Holcomb bid on a mysterious painting on the auction block at Sotheby’s. Almost nothing was known about it, or about its remarkably talented painter, but Holcomb’s risk paid off. In a review of auction sales that year, one writer hailed the work as "a masterpiece that is the equal of the best of William Harnett…John Peto…and John Haberle…the three great American titans of trompe l’oeil." With photographs, engravings and antique bits of bric-a-brac—all overseen by a bespectacled and bearded figure—The Printseller's Window is filled with puzzling bits that suggest a story. This exhibition tells how the painting’s secrets have been given up one by one through the painstaking detective work of guest curator Pete Brown.

September 17: lecture by curator Pete Brown

Sponsored by the Thomas and Marion Hawks Memorial Fund, with additional support from Alesco Advisors and an anonymous donor.

Protected for Eternity:
The Coffins of Pa-debehu-Aset
October 8, 2003– October 25, 2009

This long-term, interactive exhibit for all ages showcases a rare pair of lavishly decorated nesting coffins that once held the mummy of an Egyptian official. Learn how the coffins were restored, write your name in hieroglyphs and follow the fascinating process of mummification. Also on view are other antiquities from the Gallery's collection and a mummy and objects on loan from the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA.

Protected for Eternity will close in October 2009, but by the end of the year, the coffins and other Egyptian objects will be back on view on the second floor in the newly renovated Helen H. Berkeley Gallery of Ancient Art.

This installation is made possible by funding from Dan and Dorothy Gill. Additional support has been provided by the Museum Loan Network, a program administered by MIT's Office of the Arts, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York Council for the Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities; and the Davenport-Hatch Foundation, Inc.

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2009 Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition
July 26–October 4, 2009
in the Grand Gallery

Summers at MAG are dedicated to the art of upstate New York. This year, don’t miss Rochester’s oldest and most prestigious regional exhibition. Like the Rochester Biennial (offered in alternate years), the Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition showcases work by regional artists. But unlike the Biennial, an invitational, works in Finger Lakes are selected by guest jurors.

This year, artist James Hyde, a 2008 Guggenheim Fellow, and David Kwasigroh, director of exhibitions and artist services at the Indianapolis Art Center, selected 36 works by 28 artists from a field of 852 entries by 445 artists.

This exhibition is sponsored by the Elaine P. and Richard U. Wilson Foundation, with additional support from Jane W. Labrum and the Mabel Fenner Lyon Fund.

Presented in memory of Earl Kage and Hamilton Driggs, longtime friends and benefactors.

View selected works

View list of artists

Artists honored at 62nd Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition

Hear MAG's own Chiyo Ueyama, Rochester Finger Lakes Exhibition artist Anne Havens, and City Newspaper art critic Rebecca Rafferty interviewed by WXXI Morning Drive Host Brenda Tremblay

Art at 11 Lectures: (Thursdays at 11 am)

• July 30: artist David Dorsey
• August 20: artist Kim Waale
• September 17: MAG chief curator Marjorie B. Searl
• September 24: artist John Griebsch

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Maira Kalman: The Elements of Style
May 2, 2009–August 2, 2009

Maira Kalman is well known for children’s books (Max in Love); New Yorker illustrations (among them the 2001 NewYorkistan cover); and the book The Principles of Uncertainty, based on her monthly illustrated column for The New York Times. This exhibition includes Kalman’s original illustrations for a 2005 edition of the classic writer’s handbook The Elements of Style. Her serendipitous encounter with an old copy of the book in a Cape Cod antique shop led to a visual rethinking of the rules of writing that William Strunk Jr. and then E. B. White formulated over the years, beginning in 1918. The more than 50 colorful and humorous illustrations will be a treat for Kalman fans and a joy for visitors just discovering her work. 

Preview selected images

Read Margie Searl's blog about the exhibition

Listen to Bob Smith's interview with the artist on WXXI 4/6/09.

Listen to Peter Iglinski interview about The Elements of Style.

Made possible by Lynne Lovejoy and presented in memory of Bill Buckett, president of the Memorial Art Gallery Board of Managers, 1996-98.

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GlassWear
April 19–June 28, 2009

With the growth of the studio craft movement over the past five decades, the ancient art of making jewelry from glass has undergone a revolution. Today, artists from around the world are creating spectacular pieces, both wearable and purely sculptural, where glass in all its guises complements—or even takes the place of—precious metals and gemstones. Some of the 60 artists in this major traveling exhibition employ highly sophisticated glassworking techniques such as blowing, flameworking, casting and sandblasting to realize their ideas. Others incorporate found, manufactured or recycled objects including beach glass, old bottles, volcanic glass, antique beads, rhinestones, medical vials, mirrors, lenses, tomato paste containers and torched traffic signs. The spectacular results exploit the mystery, sensuality, color and reflective properties of glass.

View interview with Curator Marlene Hamann on WROC TV 8

Preview selected images

This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City and the Jewelry Museum in Pforzheim, Germany. It is made possible in Rochester by Linda and Robert Fox, the Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery, and the Thomas and Marion Hawks Memorial Fund.

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A Unity of Opposites:
Recent Work by Michael Taylor
April 19–June 28, 2009

Former head of the glass program at RIT, Michael Taylor has built an international reputation for his distinctive glass sculptures. “Math, poetry, molecular biology, and color theory all have a place in his work,” writes MAG director of exhibitions Marie Via. “He’s as interested in quantum physics as he is in beauty, as fascinated by the possibility of alternative universes as by engineering.” The Gallery is the only venue for this companion exhibition that showcases a dozen glass sculptures, including a monumental work composed of hundreds of individual pieces, as well as related prints.

Preview selected images

This exhibition is underwritten by Lynne Lovejoy, with additional support from Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Hursh, Aaron Klein and Maria Lauriello-Klein, the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, and the Thomas and Marion Hawks Memorial Fund.

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Lincoln in Rochester
February 12—April 19, 2009
in the Lockhart Gallery

This exhibition celebrates the life and legacy of America’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, on the 200th anniversary of his birth. Curated by MAG director Grant Holcomb, it includes more than 40 artworks, artifacts and memorabilia from area collections including the Memorial Art Gallery, George Eastman House, Rochester Historical Society, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Seward House Museum, Strong National Museum of Play, and University of Rochester Rare Books & Special Collections.

Listen to Lincoln in Rochester curator Grant Holcomb interview on weekend morning show, "Rochester Speaks." Originally aired February 14th on WARM 101.3 FM, Fickle 93.3 FM and 94.1 FM The Zone. Courtesy of Stephens Media Group.

View selected images

Made possible by the Chester and Dorris Carlson Charitable Fund.
 
Presented in honor of the City of Rochester’s 175th anniversary.

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Leaded: The Materiality and Metamorphosis of Graphite
January 25–March 29, 2009
in the Grand Gallery
cell phone tour available

Although they do work with graphite—the “lead” in drawing pencils—the 16 contemporary artists in this nationally touring exhibition “draw” in only the loosest sense of the word. Some build up layers to create an image, while others are more interested in what remains after they obliterate their medium. Several even treat graphite as a sculptural entity, among them The Art Guys from MAG’s own 2006 show Extreme Materials. Forty-four intriguing works guide visitors on an unexpected journey beyond the act of mark-making.

Members Opening Party January 24

Cell phone tour infomation and transcripts

View selected works

This exhibition was developed by the University of Richmond Museums, VA, and organized for tour by International Arts and Artists, Washington, DC. In Rochester, it is underwritten by Lynne Lovejoy with additional support from an anonymous donor.

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Gregory Van Maanen: The Happy Survivor
January 25–March 29, 2009
in the Grand Gallery

Self-taught artist Gregory Van Maanen began painting after his return from a tour
of duty in Vietnam, largely as a way of exorcising the demons he brought home from the war. Today, his body of work—which he describes as “self-preservation sometimes shared with others”—includes several thousand paintings and drawings, as well as sculptures and mixed-media works. Powerful and haunting, Van Maanen’s works may at first seem frightening, but the artist sees them as “good magic”—talismans intended to keep evil at bay. Often painted on found materials and framed in thrift store cast-offs, they resonate with the artist’s respect for humanity and belief in the healing power of art.

Listen to Warm 101.3 FM's Kevin Gillan "Rochester Speaks" interview with Memorial Art Gallery Director of Exhibitions Marie Via on Gregory Van Maanen: The Happy Survivor

Free to veterans March 28 & 29

Lectures:

• February 8: Jonathan Shay
• March 1: Randall Morris
• March 22: Hannah Solky

View selected works

Organized by the Memorial Art Gallery. Special thanks to our community partner, Veterans Outreach Center, Inc.

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John Wood: On the Edge of Clear Meaning
August 27, 2008–January 11, 2009
in the Lockhart Gallery

Best known as an influential teacher and photographer, John Wood also produces colorful paintings, cerebral drawings, and whimsical sculptures. Examples will be featured in the Memorial Art Gallery exhibition, one of a trio of shows honoring the 86-year-old’s lifetime accomplishments; George Eastman House and Visual Studies Workshop are offering concurrent installations.

This exhibition is presented in memory of Susan Eisenhart Schilling, director of education (1947-77), benefactor, friend.

View selected works

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Tradition in Transition: Russian Icons in the Age of the Romanovs
October 5, 2008–January 4, 2009
in the Grand Gallery

The 43 icons in this exhibition span 300 years of Romanov rule in Russia (1613–1918). These sacred images range from humble, roughly-painted wooden icons from the peasant class to luxurious examples made of ivory or painted enamels and housed in gold or silver covers embellished with pearls and precious jewels. On tour for the first time ever, they come from three major private collections, including that of heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post.

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Organized by the Hillwood Museum & Gardens in collaboration with the Steinhardt-Sherlock Trust and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC. This exhibition is made possible in Rochester by the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Fund, with additional support from the George D. and Frieda B. Abraham Foundation, the Chester and Dorris Carlson Charitable Fund and Deanne Molinari.

Subverting the Sacred: The Face of Lenin
October 5, 2008-January 4, 2009
in the Grand Gallery

Images of Vladimir Ilich Lenin, founder of the Russian Communist Party and first leader of the Soviet Union, permeated every aspect of Soviet society from his death in 1924 until the country’s breakup in 1991. Despite Lenin’s objections to any sort of cult behavior, religious or secular, his face--reproduced on traditional artworks and mass-produced objects alike--would become a "new icon" for the Soviet citizenry. Organized by MAG, this companion show to Tradition in Transition brings together paintings, posters and artifacts collected by David Rittenhouse, a UR graduate and former member of the US Foreign Service.

Tour the exhibition as David Rittenhouse gives background history on the Lenin pieces from his collection that are in the show (streaming video)

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Creative Workshop Faculty Show
August 22-October 2, 2008
in the Lucy Burne Gallery

This exhibit includes work by Rachael Baldanza, Phyllis Bryce Ely, Tom Carpenter, Dr. Alice Chen, Lori Cooley, Matt Crane, Yvonne Cupolo, Linda Delmonte, Marilyn Feinberg, Alicia Fink, Jessica Furber, Heather Garrand, Alice Gold, Paul Harp, Sarah Hart, McNevin Hayes, Faruk Kaiyum, Dick Kane, Carol Kase, John Kastner, Cody Kroll, Peggy LaHair-Edmunds, Abby Lammers, Fred Lipp, Jeanne Lindsay, Susan Link, Evinn Neadow, Warren Mianecke, Nicole Maynard, Lisa Myers, Paul Nugent, Dejan Pejovic, Maggie Scheid, Marlene Seidman, g.a. sheller, Mimi Smith, Shelly Green Stoler, Rose Van Tyne and Gina Zanolli.

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3rd Rochester Biennial
July 13–September 14, 2008
in the Grand Gallery

For the third Rochester Biennial, the Gallery’s director and curators have selected six exceptional regional artists, each presenting 6–10 works. They are Ronald Gonzalez of Johnson City (mixed media sculpture), Susan Lakin of Rochester (photographs), Sue Huggins Leopard of Rochester (artist’s books and prints), Todd McGrain of Ovid (bronze sculpture and drawings), Juan Perdiguero of Oswego (drawings) and Melissa Sarat of Preble (oil paintings).

Preview selected images

View artist statements:

This exhibition is underwritten by the Elaine P. and Richard U. Wilson Foundation and by gifts in memory of Diane Holahan Grosso.

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How to...: Considering the Process
June 30–August 15, 2008
in the Lucy Burne Gallery, Creative Workshop

Follow the processes used by artists working in five media taught at the Creative Workshop. Sarah Hart’s copying of the Gallery’s Portrait of a Young Man in an Armchair by Rembrandt, a collaboration with MAG’s curatorial department, In two photo series by Larry Merrill, ceramist Paul Harp is shown from the initial wedging of clay through the glazing of a pot, and Yvonne Cupolo is recorded step by step as she creates a piece of enamel jewelry. Also on view are works from Marilyn Feinberg’s class on the Nicolaides method of drawing and Jeanne Lindsay’s watercolor class.

View "How to Paint Like Rembrandt," photos by Gary Graham documenting Sarah Hart's copying project, with commentary by Sarah Hart.

View "How to Make Ceramics," photos by Larry Merrill documenting Paul Harp demonstrating the the traditional processes of making a wheel thrown vessel and a handbuilt piece.

View "How to Make an Enamel Pendant:" Yvonne Cupolo, jeweler and jewelry instructor, walks us through the steps of traditional enamel, photographed by Larry Merrill.

View work from Marilyn Feinberg's drawing class and Jeanne Lindsay’s Intermediate/ Advanced Watercolor class.

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Creative Workshop Faculty Show
June 23–August 7, 2008
at The Gallery at One Bausch & Lomb Place (company headquarters)
Building hours
6 am-7 pm weekdays, 8 am-2 pm Saturday (585.338.6010)

This exhibit includes jewelry pieces by Lori Cooley, Yvonne Cupolo, Alicia Fink; ceramics by Paul Harp, Shelly Green Stoler and Peggy LaHair-Edmunds; sculptures by Dejan Pejovic and Lindsay Caruthers; an artist’s book by Marlene Seidman; fiber art by Mimi Smith; and paintings and drawings by Fred Lipp, Alice Gold, Dick Kane, Jean Lindsay, Marilyn Feinberg, Sarah Hart, Tom Carpenter, Abby Lammers, Paul Nugent, Phyllis Bryce Ely, Alice Chen, Heather Garrand, McNevin Hayes, John Kastner, Nicole Maynard, g.a. sheller, Carol Kase. Lisa Myers and Rachael Baldanza.

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American Impressionism:  Paintings from The Phillips Collection
April 13–June 15, 2008
in the Grand Gallery

This nationally touring exhibition showcases 54 rarely-seen paintings from the golden age of American Impressionism, from one of America’s premier museums. Among the artists represented are William Merritt Chase, William Glackens, Lilian Westcott Hale, Childe Hassam, Maurice Prendergast and John Twachtman. Members of the first American generation to absorb the aesthetics of French Impressionism, these artists shifted the focus of American painting to atmospheric landscapes, cityscapes and interiors.

Preview the exhibition and works from MAG's collection

  Interview with curator
 

This exhibition is made possible in Rochester by Presenting Sponsors M&T Bank and Riedman Foundation, with additional underwriting from the Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery, the Gouvernet Arts Fund at the Community Foundation, University of Rochester Medical Center, Mrs. Frederick D. Berkeley III, and Dorothy Centner in memory of her husband, William. Support is also provided by Nancy G. Curme, Jane W. Labrum, Aaron Klein and Maria Lauriello-Klein, and gifts in memory of Diane Holahan Grosso.

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In Pursuit of Light and Leisure: Impressionist Masterpieces from the Permanent Collection
March 14-June 29, 2008
in the Lockhart Gallery

Edgar Degas’s Dancers, Claude Monet’s Towing a Boat, Honfleur and Mary Cassatt’s Young Mother, Daughter and Baby are among the treasures in this exhibition that includes 25 paintings and works on paper by Impressionist masters, as well as by artists of the period who influenced and were influenced by the Impressionist movement. Many of the works demonstrate an intense interest in the visual effects of atmospheric changes, particularly the ephemeral nature of the reflection of light on water; others depict popular leisure activities of the era—the dance, theater, music and outdoor bathing.

Preview selected images

In Pursuit of Light and Leisure is offered in conjunction with American Impressionism: Paintings from The Phillips Collection, on view at the Gallery April 13-June 15. This exhibition is made possible in part by a gift from Dorothy Centner in memory of her husband, William.

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Thinking on Paper: Preparatory Drawings from the Collection of the Memorial Art Gallery
November 9, 2007–March 2, 2008
in the Lockhart Gallery

Stuart Davis, Ralston Crawford, David Smith, George Bellows and John Koch are among the
artists in this exhibition of preparatory works for some of MAG’s best-known American paintings, sculpture and prints. Included are 22 drawings, three watercolors, a photograph and a maquette for works on view in the main galleries; each is accompanied by a scaled-down color reproduction of the final work.

Preview selected works in the exhibition

Presented in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Gallery docents.

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Wild by Design: Two Hundred Years of Innovation and Artistry in American Quilts
January 20–March 16, 2008
in the Grand Gallery

Far from simple exercises in geometric patterning, the 25 quilts in this exhibition represent a free-wheeling tradition in which improvisation, asymmetry, and experimentation are the norm.  Selected by Janet Berlo, University of Rochester professor of art history, from the collection of the International Quilt Study Center, these quilts explore the once-radical proposition that some 19th-century American women were “painting with fabric.”  Ranging in date from about 1825 to 1989, the quilts were made by artists both known and unknown, all of whom share an essential quality:  the desire to push the boundaries of their medium in their own time.

This exhibition was organized by the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In Rochester, it is underwritten by Lynne Lovejoy.

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Michael James:  Reinventing Quilts in a Digital Age
January 20–March 16, 2008
in the Grand Gallery

Author, artist and professor Michael James is one of the pre-eminent contemporary quiltmakers in this country. In recent years, he has been experimenting with the challenging process of designing and printing fabric patterns digitally before piecing and quilting in the traditional manner. Highly original and labor-intensive, James’s quilts explore the double meaning of “digital” by combining the computer and the artist’s hand.

Sponsored, in part, by The Humanities Project at the University of Rochester, with additional funds from the Gallery Council.
“Theories and Things: Re-evaluating Material Culture” is one of nine projects funded by the Humanities Project. For more information about this and other projects and events, visit the Humanities Project at www.rochester.edu/college/humanities.

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MAGnificent Inspiration: The Art Quilt
January 20–February 17, 2008
Extended through March 16 by popular demand
Offered in conjunction with Wild By Design, this interpretive quilt show and sale brings together 36 quilts by 30 area quilters, whose wall-hung art quilts (approximately 20 x 22 in.) respond to works in MAG's permanent collection. The quilts will be displayed next to their sources of inspiration and offered for sale at the show's end through the Gallery Store.

Sponsored by the Gallery Council, with sale profits to be shared by the artist and MAG.

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Pedestrian Photographs:
Recent Work by Larry Merrill
December 10, 2007–February 3, 2008
in the Lucy Burne Gallery

Forty photos of Manhattan streets and the people on them show the keen eye of Larry Merrill, longtime director of the Gallery’s Creative Workshop. The exhibition coincides with MAG’s publication of a book of Merrill’s photos, with essays by noted author Wendell Berry and MAG chief curator Marjorie Searl.

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TRANSactions:  Contemporary Latin American and Latino Art
October 6–December 30, 2007
in the Grand Gallery

This major traveling exhibition showcases 40 works from the last two decades, from the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. By turns humorous and critical, inspirational and tragic, the exhibition seeks to dispel the myth that Latino artists are a homogeneous group with common experiences and ambitions. The works, in all media, are by 36 artists from the United States, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Chile. At MAG only, the exhibition includes a related work on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

View Across Borders community events

Download lesson plans

Read the Keep on Crossin' Manifesto

TRANSactions: Contemporary Latin American and Latino Art is organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. The exhibition is made possible by the generous contributions of MCASD’s International Collectors, the Cochrane Exhibition Fund, the City of San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture, The James Irvine Foundation and Cooley Godward Kronish LLP.

In Rochester, the exhibition is sponsored in part by Deborah Ronnen, with additional support from Charlotte and Raul Herrera, the City of Rochester, and the Rochester Hispanic Business Association; and with the assistance of New York State Senator Joseph Robach.

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German Expressionism: Art in an Age of Turbulence
August 3–October 28, 2007
in the Lockhart Gallery

This exhibition includes paintings and prints by artists as varied as the social, political and philosophical changes that shaped the early years of the 20th century. Ranging from the vivid watercolors of Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and Emil Nolde to the dark and brooding woodcuts of Ernst Barlach and satirical drawings of George Grosz, German Expressionism explores these artists’ desire to express their personal identities and spiritual beliefs, as well as to create a fervent dialogue with the public.

In honor of the Docents in appreciation for their dedication to the Memorial Art Gallery and its collections.

Preview selected images

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2007 Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition
June 17–September 2, 2007
in the Grand Gallery
Every two years, Rochester's oldest and most prestigious juried exhibition showcases works by artists from around our region. This year's Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition is juried by Mark Alice Durant, professor of visual arts at University of Maryland and faculty member, Milton Avery Graduate School for the Arts, Bard College, and Sofia Hernandez Chong Cuy, curator and programs manager at Art in General, New York City.

More info about the Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition
View images

Exhibition underwritten by Richard F. Brush.

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Glory in the Flower
April 27–July 22, 2007
in the Lockhart Gallery
The universal harbinger of spring, the fragile flower has been used by artists and writers to embody concepts of beauty, vigor, life, death and rebirth. This exhibition of painting, prints and drawings from the American art collection interweaves floral images by such artists as Mary Frank, Lowell Nesbitt and Roy Lichtenstein with traditional and contemporary poetry.

Sponsored by Eastman Kodak Company.

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Natura Morta: Still-Life Painting and the Medici Collections
April 1–May 27, 2007
in the Grand Gallery
Merchants, bankers, rulers, patrons of the arts and sciences, and extraordinary collectors—the Medicis dominated the political and cultural life of Florence from the 15th to the mid–18th centuries. This exhibition features 40 sumptuous still-life paintings, or natura morta, collected or commissioned by Medici rulers from Cosimo II to the last Grand Duke of Tuscany.

Organized by the Contemporanea Progetti, Florence, Italy, in collaboration with The Trust for Museum Exhibitions, Washington, DC. In Rochester, made possible with public funds secured by New York State Senator James S. Alesi, with additional support from the Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery, the Gouvernet Arts Fund of Rochester Area Community Foundation, and Michael and Joanna Grosodonia.

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After Lifes: Recent Work by Shimon Okshteyn
April 1–May 27, 2007
in the Grand Gallery
Ukrainian-born artist Shimon Okshteyn gives the still life a different, often amusing, decidedly contemporary twist. A virtuoso draftsman, Okshteyn first reproduces classic 17th-century still lifes in his signature graphite and charcoal. But colorful hand-made frames incorporating found objects stimulate a conversation about marketing, kitsch and popular culture.

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Pollock on Paper
January 31–April 15, 2007
in the Lockhart Gallery
"Pollock on Paper" explores two portfolios by the master of abstraction—Jackson Pollock. The first, a group of six etchings with drypoint, was done in 1944, three years before his iconic action painting breakthrough. The other, a series of six serigraphs created in 1951, dates from four years after.

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Anxious Objects: Willie Cole's Favorite Brands
January 21–March 11, 2007
in the Grand Gallery

Willie Cole's provocative art explores identity, race relations, consumerism, the environment and other contemporary concerns. Bicycles, irons, hair dryers and high-heeled shoes are among the urban artifacts he transforms into powerful, iconic, "Africanized" works. This nationally touring, mid-career retrospective features 31 assemblages, prints and mixed-media works created between 1988 and 2006. At MAG, the exhibition also includes a work that¹s not part of the original tour—a monumental chessboard from a private collection, with lawn jockey playing pieces.

Preview selected images. Explore an interactive website from the Montclair Art Museum about Willie Cole's works America #1 and How do you Spell America #7?

This exhibition was organized by the Montclair Art Museum with support from the State of New Jersey, Department of Treasury; Agnes Gund and Daniel Shapiro; the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; Altria Group, Inc.; Ruth and William True; Merrill Lynch; the Cowles Charitable Trust; the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; and by funds from the Judith Targan Endowment Fund for Museum Publications of the Montclair Art Museum.

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Calling Every Man, Woman and Child: American World War I Posters
October 27, 2006–January 21, 2007
in the Lockhart Gallery

The United States government called upon the power of the poster to mobilize the country for entry into the Great War. Playing on cultural roles of gender and family and utilizing the power of symbols and personification, the posters of the First World War are striking works of art and propaganda.

Dedicated to the memory of David Hochstein (1892–1918), violin prodigy after whom Hochstein School was named; killed at the Battle of the Argonne.

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Georgia O'Keeffe: Color & Conservation
October 1–December 31, 2006
in the Grand Gallery

MAG is one of only three national venues for a major exhibition of works by American master Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986). Color and Conservation is the first exhibition to focus on O’Keeffe’s painstaking choice of color, studio methods and involvement in conservation issues. Organized by the Mississippi Museum of Art, the show brings together 25 rarely-seen oil paintings and two pastels—among them landscapes, flower paintings, still lifes and abstractions—from all periods of O’Keeffe’s prodigious career. In Rochester, it also includes iconic photos of O’Keeffe from the International Museum of Photography and Film at George Eastman House.

This exhibition is organized by the Mississippi Museum of Art and presented as part of the Annie Laurie Swaim Hearin Memorial Exhibition Series. It is made possible in Rochester by a major gift from Presenting Sponsor M&T Bank. Supporting Sponsors are Riedman Foundation, University of Rochester Medical Center/Strong Health, Wendy’s Restaurants of Rochester, Inc. and Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP. The Media Sponsor is the Democrat and Chronicle. Additional support is provided by New York State Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle and New York State Senator Joseph E. Robach.

Find out more about this exhibition

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My America: Art from The Jewish Museum Collection, 1900-1955
October 25–December 24, 2006
in the Grand Gallery

Journey through the first half of the 20th century with 40 American Jewish artists. Learn how they reacted to unprecedented freedoms and harsh economic and political realities—and in the process helped shape the direction of American art. The 73 works in this major traveling exhibition are in five sections titled “Becoming American,” “Striving for Social Justice,” “Picturing Ourselves,” “Reacting to Tragedy” and “Moving Toward Abstraction.” Among the artists represented are Alfred Stieglitz, Ben Shahn, Raphael Soyer, Morris Louis, Theresa Bernstein and Weegee (Arthur Fellig).

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For teachers

This exhibition has been organized by the Jewish Museum, New York. In Rochester, it is underwritten by New York State Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle, Mr. and Mrs. Harold S. Feinbloom and Dr. Seymour I. Schwartz. Additional support is provided by Laurence and Karen Kessler, Dennis Kessler and Andrea Miller, and the Jewish Community Federation of Greater Rochester.

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Romanticism and the Politics of Taste
July 25–October 15, 2006
in the Lockhart Gallery

Yearning for the natural world, longing for the past and emotional intensity—all are characteristics of European Romanticism, a general term encompassing many artistic movements of the late 18th and 19th centuries. This exhibition includes such varied works as picturesque landscapes by Turner, eastward-looking works by Gericault and the tortured inner visions of Goya.

Sponsored by Eastman Kodak Company.

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2nd Rochester Biennial
June 17–September 10, 2006
in the Grand Gallery

Summers at MAG are dedicated to the art of upstate New York. For the second Rochester Biennial, the director and curators have invited six exceptional artists to participate—Carl Chiarenza of Rochester (photography), Sydney Licht of Rochester (painting), Michael Rogers of Honeoye Falls (glass), Carol Taylor of Pittsford (quilts), Allen Topolski of Rochester (sculpture) and Phillia Yi of Geneva (printmaking).

Sponsored by The Rochester Group and an anonymous donor.

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Print Club of Rochester
June 16–August 3, 2006
in the Lucy Burne Gallery, Creative Workshop

Founded in 1934, the print Club of Rochester sponsors programs on print collecting as well as printmaking. This exhibition, held every three years at MAG, features work by Club members.

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