The Bakersfield Museum of Art Shows Prints from the Clark Foundation for Mexican Folk Art

Written by Radames Patricio Tuesday, 13 December 2011 22:59

Bakersfield, California.- The Bakersfield Museum of Art is pleased to present "Estampas de la Revolución Mexicana: Prints from the Clark Foundation for Mexican Folk Art" on view at the museum from December 8th. The 85 linoleum block prints presented in this exhibition portray important episodes of the Mexican Revolution by 16 artists from the Taller de Gráfica Popular, People’s Graphic Workshop or TGP.  Founded in 1937 by artists Leopoldo Mendez, Pablo O’Higgins, and Luis Arenal, Taller was a vibrant collective of established and emerging artists committed to the direct use of visual art in the interest of social change.  Many of the artists in Taller had fought in the Revolution and their ideals are strongly imbued in these powerful prints.  Fame was not an objective for these artists; rather, they saw the value in the collective process and were primarily focused on educating the masses about the struggles and triumphs that surrounded the Mexican Revolution.

Today, their significance resonates far beyond the Mexican borders, educating people worldwide. In parrallel with "Estampas de la Revolución Mexicana" the museum is also showing "De La Mano: Print Based Work from La Mano Press and La Mano Gráfica". This exhibition will highlight print-based works made by artists involved with La Mano Press in Los Angeles and La Mano Gráfica in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.  The artists selected by curator Gabriela Martínez, utilize print-based processes in traditional and non-traditional ways.  Addressing issues of identity, gender, migration and urbanization, gentrification and language, their work confirms that printmaking continues to be a vital and relevant medium.

The Bakersfield Museum of Art began as the Cunningham Memorial Art Gallery in 1956 with a donation from the Walter Osborn family who desired to establish an art gallery in memory of their daughter Marion Osborn Cunningham (1911-1948). Their considerable donation was amplified by the generosity of caring individuals who provided the building blocks for the gallery to be constructed on city land. Upon its completion, the Gallery was given to the City to be operated by volunteers of the Bakersfield Art Association and a City appointed Art Commission. The voluntary association administered the gallery highlighting works of local artists with occasional visiting exhibits. The name change to the Bakersfield Museum of Art occurred in 1990 with establishment of the Bakersfield Art Foundation as the independent governing agency. Just one year later the Museum gained important national status with accreditation from the American Association of Museums. Following major endowments from the Patricia Crail Brown Foundation and the late Dr. George and Millie Ablin, a capital campaign to expand the Museum began in earnest in 1997. In June of that same year, the Foundation purchased the building and land from the City of Bakersfield and launched the project that expanded the museum to 17,400 square feet. In February 2001, the beautiful new Bakersfield Museum of Art proudly opened its new doors to the community. Visit the museum's website at ... http://www.bmoa.org

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