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 company’s 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
1) Max Weber
New York – 1912
Oil on canvas
21 1/4" x 25 1/4"
2) George Bellows
Artists Evenings – Early 20th Century
Lithograph on paper
9 1/2" x 12 7/8"
3) Charles Burchfield
High Noon – 1916
Watercolor on paper
20" x 13 7/8"
4) Robert Henri
In the Deep Woods – 1918
Pastel on paper
12 3/8" x 19 7/8"
5) Robert Henri
Sunlight in the Woods – 1918
Pastel on paper
15 1/4" x 19"
6) Edward Hopper
Night Shadows – 1921
Etching on paper
7 7/16" x 8 7/8"
7) John Sloan
Romany Marye in Christopher Street – 1922
Etching on paper
8 1/2" x 8 3/4"
8) Reginald Marsh
Rue Bonaparte-Priests-Lovers – 1928
Lithograph on paper
9 1/4" x 13 1/2"
9) Oscar Bluemner
West Pond, South Braintree – 1930
Gouache on paper
5" x 6 7/8"
10) Marsden Hartley
Drawing #9 – 1930
Conte crayon on paper
15 7/8" x 12 1/2"
11) Helen Torr
Composition – 1935
Oil on canvas
22 1/4" x 25 1/2"
12) Theordore J. Roszak
42nd Street – 1936
Oil on canvas
47" x 59 1/4"
13) Ernest Fiene
New York Harbor – 1937
Watercolor on paper
22’ X 17"
14) Bertram Hartman
Washington Square Park in Spring – 1939
Watercolor on paper
14 7/8" x 22"
15) John Sloan
Sunbathers on the Roof – 1941
Etching on paper
7" x 7 15/16"
16) Rockwell Kent
Asgaard Cornfield, Asgaard, 1945 – 1945
Oil on canvas
28" x 44"
17) Adolf Dehn
Winter Scene, 1948 – 1948
Watercolor on paper
18" x 25 3/4"
18) Stuart Davis
Detail Study #1 for Cliche – 1955
Gouache on paper
12 3/4" x 15"
19) Ellsworth Kelly
Red Over Black – 1971
Lithograph on paper
25" x 30"
20) Romare Bearden
In the Garden – 1979
Lithograph on paper
28 3/4" x 21 1/8"
21) Jim Dine
Self-Portrait – 1980
Lithograph on paper
49 7/8" x 35"
22) Alex Katz
Blue Umbrella – 1980
Lithograph on paper
20" x 30"
24) Barbara Kruger
Untitled (Your money or your life/God is on your side) – 1985
Lenticular photo
20" x 20"
25) Barbara Kruger
Untitled (We decorate your Life/This is for someone special and you know
who you are) – 1985
Lenticular photo
20" x 20"
26) Robert Longo
Arena Brains – 1986
Lithograph on paper
44" x 28 7/8"
27) Andy Warhol
Letter to the World – the Kick – 1986
Serigraph and screenprint on paper
35 1/2" x 35 5/8"
28) Elizabeth Murray
Down Dog – 1988
9-Color Litho/12 collaged papers
41" x 50 3/4"
29) Helen Frankenthaler
Tahiti – 1989
Mixografia print
32" x 53 1/4"
30) Jacob Armstead Lawrence
Builders in the City – 1993
Gouache on paper
19" x 28 5/8"
31) Roberto (Beto) Isaac De la Rocha
Untitled – 1994
Mixed Media on paper
8 7/16" x 11"
Note to Editors: Sources of information or comment about individual
pieces of art in the SBC Collection:
* Dr. Joseph E. Geist, Gallery Ashby-Hodge Curator, CMU Professor
Emeritus of English. Phone: 660-248-6304 or 248-6324 at CMU or 248-2826
at home.
* David Carter, SBC Communications, San Antonio, Texas. Phone:
210-351-2131
* Julie Kinzelmann, Vice President, Carey Ellis Company, Houston, Texas.
Phone: 713-523-8753
* Thomas R. Kellaway, Editor & Publisher, "American Art Review," Kansas
City, Mo. Phone 913-451-8801
