A new exhibition at the Everson Museum represents American Modernism, a post-World War Two art movement. It’s called “Prendergast to Pollock,” and features more than 30 works from contemporary artists. It’s the first major event under a new director, who’s trying to boost interest and museum finances.
Prendergast to Pollock February 7th through May 10th Everson Museum, Syracuse
Many of the paintings were originally owned by Edward Wales Root, a pioneering collector of American Art, one being No. 34, created by Jackson Pollock back in 1949.
“I was glad that they have that Pollock which is wonderful, it’s an early Pollock when he started that style. It’s very cheerful and bright unlike later one. I just enjoyed the whole show.” – Mary Jane Woodward, visitor at the Everson
“I mean I love the exhibit. I really like Prendergast and I like Pollock. It’s nice to see them up close. I think the impressionists and modernists are best experienced up close where you can see the brush strokes and the paintings and the splatters. It’s a nice experience.” – Kayla Richmond, student at SU
These were the first patrons to take a look at the new traveling exhibition brought Munson Williams Proctor Institutewhose director Anna D’Ambrosio, appreciates the many different contexts that are interwoven in this gallery.
“You know Mark Tobey, Theodoros Stamos, Maurice Prendergast, Jackson Pollock, and Reginald Marsh. People will take away is this dynamic and progressive approach to art during the time period that these pieces where created.” – Anna D’Ambrosio
Abstract Expressionism created sub genres such as pop art which draws imagery from popular culture and reaches the masses of an audience. Elizabeth Dunbar, new Executive Director at the Everson, hopes the more abstract, known as contemporary art, can reach this audience.
“Audiences are often afraid of contemporary art. They think they don’t understand it, they think they haven’t been around it enough, and they think it’s foreign. You know contemporary art may be strange, maybe to understand at times, it has the ability to really change your way of thinking about things and not to be afraid of it.”
The audience can keep an open mind about Abstract Expressionism…even though collector Edward Wales Root knows it can be challenging.
“People always want to get it right. They don’t always trust their natural instincts of how they react to things. I think that quote by Root that’s ion the wall that says he wants to collect stuff that punches him in the gut even if he doesn’t initially like it so much, I think that is an important piece of getting people to look at things that are a little beyond what they usually look at.” – Marilyn Post, tour guide at the Everson Museum
“If you sit down and look at it long enough, it does move you in some way. Especially, people like Pollock, or Franz Kline, or Olitski, which is very much like Rothko. You have just have to feel it and enjoy it.” – Mary Jane Woodward
The museum enjoyed overwhelming success when it hosted the Turner to Cezanne exhibit back in 2009. Elizabeth Dunbar hopes this exhibit will be a stepping stone for the Everson after the financial issues that saw a reported 500-thousand dollar loss for 2013 and 2014.
“You will see my mark in the sense of how things are installed kind of the aesthetics of the exhibition design. I feel very comfortable in 1900s-1950s American art. I have a background in that particular time period. It maybe concrete and gray on the outside but we really hoping that it feels warm and inviting.”
Dunbar hopes Prendergast to Pollock can generate some buzz in the community…and bring more attention to the Everson’s permanent collections.
The Exhibit runs now through May 10th.
