Austin Museum of Art (AMOA) Shows 'Austin Art Seen'

Tuesday, 24 October 2006 08:41

AUSTIN, TEXAS – The Austin Museum of Art (AMOA) announces the opening of a new year-long exhibition in the Driscoll Villa at AMOA-Laguna Gloria: Austin Art Seen, circa 1961 will be a reflection on what was happening in the visual arts in Austin at the time of the Museum’s founding, then the Laguna Gloria Art Museum.  The artists featured in this exhibition are David Adickes, Jean Williams Barac, Kelly Fearing, Constance Forsyth, Michael Frary, John W. Guerin, Paul Hatgil, Bill Hoey, Louise LaBauve, Amy Freeman Lee, William Lester, Don Snell, Everett Spruce, Ed Storms, Charles Umlauf, Donald Weismann, and Ralph White.

Austin Art Seen, circa 1961 not only celebrates our city’s artistic legacy, it focuses on the impact these artists had elsewhere.  Exhibition curator and historian Carl R. McQueary says, “Laguna Gloria has served, for six frenetic decades, as both the testing ground and launch pad for many of the state’s leading artists.  The Museum has consistently housed exhibitions representing the forefront of artistic trends – their genesis sometimes occurring not all that far from its tree-shaded porticos.”  He continues, “The purpose of the exhibition is to reexamine one of the most enduring movements in Texas art, popular in the region at the time of the museum’s creation and chartering.”  The exhibition will be on view in the renovated Driscoll Villa until September 23, 2007.

This exhibition reexamines the Modernist movement in Texas art, the art form that gained popularity during the time AMOA–Laguna Gloria was chartered.  Modernism was slow to develop in Texas, which was firmly tied to a naturalistic painting style rooted in regionalism for the first half of the century.  However, several of the seventeen local artists included in this exhibition brought Texas Modernism to national attention in the latter half of the century.

Each of these featured artists exhibited widely during their careers, many times at Laguna Gloria, and all had connections with the growing art department of The University of Texas.  Created roughly between 1946 and 1969, many of the works included in this exhibition were first exhibited at Laguna Gloria.  Although these works look surprisingly fresh today, when first seen, these bold abstractions, full of intense color and expression, effectively challenged ideas of regional art as they experimented with new forms and ideas to portray the world around them.

Austin Museum of Art–Laguna Gloria

As the Museum’s original home, AMOA-Laguna Gloria is a monument to our long-standing commitment to the community—offering a unique experience of history, art, and nature.  Visitors can tour the recently restored 1916 Italianate-style villa that was the home of Texas legend Clara Driscoll.  Inside they can view intimate art exhibitions and attend informative educational discussions focusing on art and nature.  Outside they can stroll the lush 12-acre grounds overlooking Lake Austin and enjoy sculpture and the revitalized historic gardens.  This beloved site has been declared a national treasure and is on city, state, and national registries of historic places.  It is also home to The Art School, a thriving hub of activity with more than 400 classes taught annually where adults and children are encouraged to express themselves.  AMOA-Laguna Gloria provides a tranquil setting for private parties and community gatherings year-round.  Visit www.amoa.org/