Painting and Sculpture in California, the Modern Era : [Exhibition] San Francisco Museum of Modern Art September 3-November
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—— — Painting and sculpture in California, th f N6530.C2 S26 15666 NEW COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA (SF) Louise Sloss Ackerman N San Francisco Museum 6530 of Modern Art C2 Painting and sculpture S26 in California, the modern era #9134 DATE DUE BORROWERS NAmT N #9134 6530 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art* C2 Painting an<l sculpture in California f S26 the modern era : [exhibition] San Francisco Museum of Modern Art September 3-November 21t 1976 ; National Collection of Fine Arts* Smithsonian Institutiont Washingtont D.C.t May 20-Septefflber 11, 1977. San Francisco : The Museum, cl977* 272 p. z ill. (some col.) ; 28 x 22 cm. Bibliography: p. 248-268. iK9134 Gift $ • • 1. Painting, American—Exhibitions. 2. Painting, Modern—20th century California—Exhibitions. 3. Sculpture, American—Exhibitions. 4. Sculpture, Modern 20th century California Exhibitions. 5. Artists California Biography. I. National Collection of Fine Arts (U.S.) II. Title i^ 31 JAN 91 3370173 NEWlxc 76-15734 DATE DUE THE LIBRARY NEW COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA 50 FELL STREET 94102 SAN FRANOSCO, CALIFORNIA (415) 626-4212 Painting and Sculpture in California: The Modern Era San Francisco Museum of Modern Art September 3-November 21, 1976 National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. May 20-September 11, 1977 \ a) This exhibition and its catalog were supported by grants from the Foremost-McKesson Foundation, Inc., the Crown Zellerbach Foundation, Mason Wells and Frank Hamilton and the National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, D.C., a Federal agency. (P Copyright 1977 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-15734 Table of Contents Page Acknowledgments 6 Lenders to the Exhibition 9 Preface 13 Painting and Sculpture in California: The Modern Era 19 A European's View of California Art 43 Institutions 58 Schools 69 Collecting 76 Checklist of the Exhibition 1 Modern Dawn in California: The Bay Area 82 2 The Oakland Six and Clayton S. Price 87 3 Pioneer Moderns: Los Angeles 93 4 Early Surrealist Explorations 97 5 Public Art of the 1930's 100 6 Into Abstraction: The Bay Region 1930-1945 104 7 The Romantic Surrealist Tradition 109 8 Climax: Hard Edge Abstraction, Los Angeles 115 9 Clyfford Still 119 10 Expressionism, Abstract and Figurative, in the Bay Area 1945-1956 123 11 Expressionism, Bay Area and Los Angeles, after 1956 133 12 Toward the Personal 145 13 Collage/Assemblage and the Visual Metaphor 159 14 Color and Field Abstraction 168 15 New Realism and The Visionaries 179 16 Conceptual, Environmental and Performance 186 Artists' Biographies 196 Selected Bibliography 248 Photography Credits 270 Board of Trustees and Staff Listing 271 Acknowledgments "Painting and Sculpture in California: The Modern Era" was accepted by the Board of Trustees of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as our contribution to the Twin Bicentennial of our nation and our city in early 1974. Shortly thereafter co-sponsorship was accepted by the National Collection of Fine Arts, a branch of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Our thanks go to the museum and to Dr. Joshua C. Taylor, Director of the NCFA as well as Harry Lowe, Harry Jordan and the staff of the Modern Art Department of that museum for their help and cooperation in this extensive project. Initially it was proposed that curatorial responsibility would be shared by four persons: Walter Hopps, Curator of Modern Art at the NCFA; Joseph Goldyne, who originally proposed a modified version of this exhibition to the Board; Suzanne Foley, Curator at the SFMMA and myself. It quickly became apparent that on-the-spot decision making was not compatible with the concept of committee selection and Joseph Goldyne gracefully stepped aside. Suzanne Foley has remained close to the project and has been responsible for selection in some areas but she accepted the primary duty of holding the rest of the museum's exhibition program together while Walter Hopps and I indulged ourselves in attempting to fulfill a long cherished dream. Michael McCone, Deputy Director, solicited financial help and guided the museum's operations. S.C. St. John wrestled with NEA forms and the budget. Karen Tsujimoto admirably carried out the task of coordinating loans, loan forms and photographs. Katherine Holland and Jan Butterfield, supported by Merril Greene, Linda Kent, Jean Laurie, Shelley Diekman and Louise Katzman, newly researched and compiled nearly two hundred biographies and bibliographical references from original source material whenever possible. Susan King, Registrar, executed the exacting task of arranging loan pickup, shipping, packing and insurance. Scott Atthowe of Atthowe Transportation responded admirably to the museum's statewide transportation needs. Alberta Mayo, Executive Secretary, carried out her regular full schedule and transcribed over one hundred and eighty-three pages of taped conversation between Walter Hopps and myself for use in the catalog. Karen Lee and Connie Goldsmith provided valuable clerical assistance beyond their normal duties. Julius Wasserstein and his staff completed our installation plans for the largest exhibition ever held in the museum, which meant removing and safely storing the entire permanent collection. Deepest appreciation is extended to the many museums, galleries, patrons and artists listed below who have lent cherished and often fragile works to this exhibition because they believed in the idea. Our real thanks to the artists included, who swallowed hard and accepted the fact that we were presenting them in the light of history rather than through their newest works. And equal thanks go to the estimated three thousand professional artists in California who are not included in this particular exhibition for accepting the fact that one cannot put every candle on a seventy year old's birthday cake even though each one has special meaning. Personal thanks are given to Hal Glicksman, Relf Case, John Humphrey, George Neubert, Lorser Feitelson, Helen Lundeberg, Nick Wilder, James Corcoran, Wanda Hansen, Diana Fuller, Ruth Braunstein, Paul Karlstrom, Harry Mulford and many others unnamed for their valuable assistance in locating specific works. Mason Wells and Frank Hamilton have a particular interest in the art and artists of California and have given financial assistance to many of our exhibitions dealing with California themes, including this one. And finally, it gives me great pleasure to thank the Foremost-McKesson Foundation, Inc., the Crown Zellerbach Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, D.C., a Federal agency, for generous grants in support of this exhibition and its catalog. Henry T. Hopkins Director, SFMMA Lenders to the Exhibition Private Lenders Dr. and Mrs. Sandor Burstein, San Francisco, California Akawie, Berkeley, California Tom Robert Colescott, Oakland, California Harvey California Jo Allen, Fresno, Austin Conkey, San Francisco, Mr. and Mrs. Harry W. Anderson, California Atherton, California Timothy Corcoran, Los Angeles, Jeremy Anderson, Mill Valley, California California Charles Cowles Ruth Armer, San Francisco, Jay DeFeo, Larkspur, California California Thomas Eatherton, Santa Monica, Ruth Asawa, San Francisco, California California Mr. and Mrs. Gene A. Estribou, Big Mr. and Mrs. Sid R. Bass, Fort Worth, Sur, California Texas Frederick Eversley, Venice, California Paul Beattie, Healdsburg, California Betty and Monte Factor Family Larry Bell, Ranchos de Taos, New Collection, Beverly Hills, California Mexico Mr. and Mrs. Lorser Feitelson, Los Mrs. Allen Bleiweiss, Los Angeles, Angeles, California California Mrs. Oskar Fischinger, West Irving Blum, New York, New York Hollywood, California Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bosko, Oakland, Terry Fox, San Francisco, California California Sam Francis, Santa Monica, John Bransten, San Francisco, California California Howard Fried, San Francisco, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Bransten, San California Francisco, California Charles Garabedian, Santa Monica, Rena Bransten, San Francisco, California California Mrs. August Gay, Oakland, California Nick Brigante, Hollywood, California Berta and Frank Gehry, Santa Monica, Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Brown, Fort California Worth, Texas Dr. and Mrs. Merle S. Click, Los Hans Burkhardt, Los Angeles, Angeles, California California Hal Glicksman, Venice, California Joe Goode, Los Angeles, California Joni and Monte Gordon Family, Los Angeles, California Robert Graham. Venice, California Peter Krasnow, Los Angeles, Milton T. Pflueger, San Francisco, California California Ed Gregson, Santa Monica, California Mr. and Mrs. Moses Lasky, San Mr. and Mrs. Gifford Phillips, Santa Grinstein Family, Los Angeles, Francisco, California Monica, California California Hansel Hagel, Santa Rosa, California M. Susan Lewis, Fresno, California Kenneth Price, Taos, New Mexico Alvin Light, San Francisco, Richard Reisman, San Francisco, Newton Harrison, La Jolla, California California California Wally Hedrick, San Geronimo, Mr. and Mrs. Philip E. Lilienthal, San Reiss, Venice, California California Roland Francisco, California Maxwell Handler, Santa Monica, Mr. and Mrs. C. David Robinson, Frank Lobdell, Palo Alto, California Sausalito, California California Locks, San George Herms, Los Angeles, Fay and Seymour Dr. and Mrs. K. Roost, Hillsborough, Francisco, California California California Maurice Logan, Oakland, California Mr. and Mrs. William M. Roth, San Gerald R. Hoepfner, Davis, California Douglas Alexandra Lynch, Francisco, California Sterling Holloway, Laguna Beach, and