ACQUISITION OF
WASHINGTON GALLERY OF
MODERN ART COLLECTION
50 YEAR LATER
AT THE OKCMOA
OPENING SAT. FEB. 17TH
“The New Art: A Milestone Collection Fifty Years Later” opens Feb. 17
New exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of transformative OKCMOA acquisition
OKCMOA purchase, Washington Gallery of Modern Art Collection, l968.
Courtesy of OKCMOA. Photo by Joseph Mills
In 1968, the Oklahoma Art Center (the predecessor to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art) purchased the 154 piece
collection of the Washington Gallery of Modern Art, transforming Oklahoma City’s collection of contemporary art.
Opening Saturday, Feb. 17 on OKCMOA’s first floor, “The New Art: A
Milestone
Collection Fifty Years Later,” will feature 52 works from this
collection, including paintings, prints, sculptures and drawings.
“The acquisition of this collection by
the Oklahoma Art Center was both visionary and courageous,” said
President and CEO E. Michael Whittington. “At the time, many of the
artists represented here were at the beginning of their
careers. Since then, these artists and their work have become the
definitive examples of early Contemporary American art. This exhibition
celebrates these important works of art and the significant legacy of
arts leaders in Oklahoma City during the late 1960s.”
David Park, Double Portrait, 1959, oil on canvas, 44 by 50 inches,
OKCMOA purchase, Washington Gallery of Modern Art Collection, 1968.
Courtesy of OKCMOA. Photo by Bryan Cook
“The Washington Gallery of Modern art
transformed the Washington, D.C. art scene and brought focus and
interest to D.C. as a leader in contemporary art,” added Director of
Curatorial Affairs Dr. Michael J. Anderson. “We are lucky
to have these incredible artworks here in Oklahoma City permanently.
Not only has this helped establish the city as a leading collector of
abstract
expressionism, post painterly abstraction, color field painting,
minimalism, and pop art but it has helped spur additional gifts,
including 125 works from the Paul and Esther Reed Trust by Washington
Color School artist Paul Reed.”
Blogger's note: Ellsworth Kelly's Red Blue, 1968, was not able to be accurately copied from the painting
through the internet. If you get a chance to see the collection at the museum, I urge you to look for this
90 x 69 1/2 inch painting for the meeting of the vibrancy, as curator Roja Najahi says, of the vertical red stripe through the center of the deep blue background.
Blogger's note: Ellsworth Kelly's Red Blue, 1968, was not able to be accurately copied from the painting
through the internet. If you get a chance to see the collection at the museum, I urge you to look for this
90 x 69 1/2 inch painting for the meeting of the vibrancy, as curator Roja Najahi says, of the vertical red stripe through the center of the deep blue background.
Open from 1961 to 1968, the Washington
Gallery of Modern Art brought recognition to D.C.’s contemporary art
scene. Among the many groundbreaking shows, the Gallery’s exhibition of
the “Washington Color Painters” featuring works
by Washington-based artists defined the most important movement of the
nation’s capital: Washington Color School. When the Washington Gallery
of Modern Art closed in 1968, due to increasing competition among
Washington museums to exhibit contemporary art,
the Oklahoma Art Center made the bold decision to purchase this
historically significant collection.
Exhibition highlights include works by Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Diebenkorn, Grace Hartigan, Sam Gilliam, Robert Indiana and Paul Reed, along with rarely shown
works by Morris Louis, Ruth Vollmer, Lee Bontecou and John Latham.
Adult
admission is $12, with discounts available for seniors, students and
members of the military. Admission for Museum members is always free.
The Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
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