American Images: Selections from the SBC Collection of Twentieth-Century American Art
October 17 marked the opening of one of the most extraordinary exhibitions ever presented by The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Mo. Titled "American Images: The SBC Collection of Twentieth Century American Art," the show features the works of celebrated American artists including Romare Bearden, George Bellows, Edward Hopper and Andy Warhol.
The SBC Collection, owned by Southwestern Bell Corporation., is considered one of the premier collections of 20th century American art. Comprised of more than 1,000 works, the SBC Collection reflects the art of a society of diverse national and ethnic background works "by artists who share an American nationality but who celebrate their individual cultural heritage through their art," notes a spokesperson for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, which recently sponsored an exhibition from the SBC Collection.
Company officials say that the SBC Collection of Twentieth Century American Art is "a daily reminder of the companys rich, one-hundred-year history." Although begun only in 1985, the collection covers a period from the first years of this century to contemporary times. It provides a visual record of historical times, thus the SBC Collection reflects the changing environment in which the company has operated since the turn of the century.
Southwestern Bell Communications officials note also that SBC is committed to "sharing this wonderful resource with loans to museums for exhibitions," such as the current one at The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, which is the first public showing of the Collection in Missouri.
The exhibition was mounted with the assistance of the Carey Ellis firm of Houston, Texas, curatorial agency for the SBC Collection. It features the works of 28 artists and includes watercolors, oils, pastels, crayon on paper, lithographs, serigraphs and screenprints on paper, etchings on paper, mixed media on paper, gouaches on paper, lenticular photos, a mixografia print and a gelatin silver print.
Among well-known pieces included in the show are Andy Warhol's serigraph and screenprint on paper "Letters to the World," Charles Burchfield's watercolor "High Noon," Edward Hopper's etching on paper "Night Shadows," Theodore Roszak's oil "42nd Street" and Romare Bearden's lithograph "In the Garden."
Other artists represented in the exhibition are Adolf Dehn, Alex Katz, Roberto Isaac De la Rocha, Barbara Kruger, Ellsworth Kelly, George Bellows, Helen Frankenthaler, Helen Torr, Jim Dine, Jacob Armstead Lawrence, John Sloan, Marsden Hartley, Max Weber, Robert Henri, Robert Mapplethorpe, Reginald Marsh, Stuart Davis, Bertram Hartman, Ernest Fiene, Elizabeth Murray, Oscar Bluemner and Robert Longo.
CATALOGUE OF PAINTINGS IN THE EXHIBITION
| Max Weber New York - 1912 Oil on canvas 21 1/4" x 25 1/4" |
George Bellows Artists Evenings - Early 20th Century Lithograph on paper 9 1/2" x 12 7/8" |
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| Charles Burchfield High Noon - 1916 Watercolor on paper 20" x 13 7/8" |
Robert Henri In the Deep Woods - 1918 Pastel on paper 12 3/8" x 19 7/8" |
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| Robert Henri Sunlight in the Woods - 1918 Pastel on paper 15 1/4" x 19" |
Edward Hopper Night Shadows - 1921 Etching on paper 7 7/16" x 8 7/8" |
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| John Sloan Romany Marye in Christopher Street - 1922 Etching on paper 8 1/2" x 8 3/4" |
Reginald Marsh Rue Bonaparte-Priests-Lovers - 1928 Lithograph on paper 9 1/4" x 13 1/2" |
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| Oscar Bluemner West Pond, South Braintree - 1930 Gouache on paper 5" x 6 7/8" |
Marsden Hartley Drawing #9 - 1930 Conte crayon on paper 15 7/8" x 12 1/2" |
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| Helen Torr Composition - 1935 Oil on canvas 22 1/4" x 25 1/2" |
Theordore J. Roszak 42nd Street - 1936 Oil on canvas 47" x 59 1/4" |
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| Ernest Fiene New York Harbor - 1937 Watercolor on paper 22’ X 17" |
Bertram Hartman Washington Square Park in Spring - 1939 Watercolor on paper 14 7/8" x 22" |
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| John Sloan Sunbathers on the Roof - 1941 Etching on paper 7" x 7 15/16" |
Rockwell Kent Asgaard Cornfield, Asgaard, 1945 - 1945 Oil on canvas 28" x 44" |
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| Adolf Dehn Winter Scene, 1948 - 1948 Watercolor on paper 18" x 25 3/4" |
Stuart Davis Detail Study #1 for Cliche - 1955 Gouache on paper 12 3/4" x 15" |
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| Ellsworth Kelly Red Over Black - 1971 Lithograph on paper 25" x 30" |
Romare Bearden In the Garden - 1979 Lithograph on paper 28 3/4" x 21 1/8" |
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| Jim Dine Self-Portrait - 1980 Lithograph on paper 49 7/8" x 35" |
Alex Katz Blue Umbrella - 1980 Lithograph on paper 20" x 30" |
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| Barbara Kruger Untitled (Your money or your life/God is on your side) - 1985 Lenticular photo 20" x 20" |
Barbara Kruger Untitled (We decorate your Life/This is for someone special and you know who you are) - 1985 Lenticular photo 20" x 20" |
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| Robert Longo Arena Brains - 1986 Lithograph on paper 44" x 28 7/8" |
Andy Warhol Letter to the World - the Kick - 1986 Serigraph and screenprint on paper 35 1/2" x 35 5/8" |
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| Elizabeth Murray Down Dog - 1988 9-Color Litho/12 collaged papers 41" x 50 3/4" |
Helen Frankenthaler Tahiti - 1989 Mixografia print 32" x 53 1/4" |
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| Jacob Armstead Lawrence Builders in the City - 1993 Gouache on paper 19" x 28 5/8" |
Roberto (Beto) Isaac De la Rocha Untitled - 1994 Mixed Media on paper 8 7/16" x 11" |
