Pan American Modernism uses thematic sections to analyze the artistic exchanges that led to the expansion of modernism.
CHARLESTON, S.C., August 1, 2017 – Today the Gibbes Museum of Art announced a new major traveling exhibition opening this fall titled Pan American Modernism: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America and the United States. The exhibition, on display from October 6, 2017–January 7, 2018, explores the rich visual dialogue that flourished across the Americas from 1919–1979. Showcasing more than 70 significant works of art, Pan American Modernism examines modernism as an intercontinental phenomenon, embracing the contributions of Latin American artists, including those from Cuba.
“Pan American Modernism focuses on the breadth of modernism that exists in the Pan American regions and the similarities shared among individuals in these various parts of the Americas,” said Angela Mack, executive director of the Gibbes Museum of Art. “We’re thrilled to offer visitors a glimpse into the international artistic exchanges that occurred during this important span of sixty years to construct a fuller understanding of modernism.”
Drawn from the collection of the University of Miami’s Lowe Art Museum, Pan American Modernism features the work of artists from the Pan American regions of North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The objects are grouped into five thematic sections: Mexican Muralism and Its Legacy, The Female Muse, Abstract Expressionism, Modernist Photography and Geometric Abstraction and Its Legacy.
“There is a common misconception that the experimental, innovative course of modernism came solely from the United States and spread outward,” said Pam Wall, Curator of Exhibitions at the Gibbes Museum of Art. “Pan American Modernism allows visitors to see the broader context of modern art and the vital contributions made by Latin American artists to the history of modern and avant-garde art.”
Throughout the exhibition, the Gibbes will offer bilingual tours and educational programming in English and Spanish. In addition, the museum will host several events in conjunction with Pan American Modernism:
• October 11 – 7:00PM: Gibbes Garden Concert featuring the Garage Cuban Band. Guitarist Bill Carson, bassist Jonathan Gray, keyboardist Nathan Koci, and drummers Jack Burg and Ron Wiltrout perform their interpretation of street-style Cuban music. Bring a picnic and lawn chair and arrive early to claim a spot in the Lenhardt Garden. $25 Members | $35 Non-Members | $500 Reserved tables of 10
• October 26 – 2:30PM: Public Tour of Pan American Modernism with curator Pam Wall. Free for museum members; included with museum admission for non-members.
• October 27, 1:00PM: Literary Gibbes: A Book Club Discussion. Participants will discuss One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In collaboration with the Charleston County Public Library. Discussion is free for all, but does not include Museum admission.
• November 15 – 6:00PM: Film Screening: Alumbrones. A documentary film about life in Cuba, seen through the eyes of twelve local artists. From the troubled “Special Period” following the collapse of the Soviet Union, to the uncertain future and radical changes it faces, this film captures a country at a time of significant transformation. Spanish with English subtitles. 1hr 15min. Free for Museum Members. Included with Museum admission for Non-Members
• November 30 – 1:00PM: Film Screening: Alumbrones. A documentary film about life in Cuba, seen through the eyes of twelve local artists. From the troubled “Special Period” following the collapse of the Soviet Union, to the uncertain future and radical changes it faces, this film captures a country at a time of significant transformation. Spanish with English subtitles. 1hr 15min. Free for Museum Members. Included with Museum admission for Non-Members
• November 30 – 2:30PM: Public Tour of Pan American Modernism with curator Pam Wall. Free for museum members; included with museum admission for non-members.
To learn more about this exhibition or to purchase tickets, visit www.gibbesmuseum.org.
Pan American Modernism was developed by the Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, with the tour organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC. The exhibition is accompanied by a full-color catalog produced by the Lowe Art Museum and printed in both Spanish and English. This exhibition is made possible by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, and the Ethel-Jane Bunting Endowment Fund.
About the Gibbes Museum of Art
Home to the Carolina Art Association, established in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art is recognized among the oldest arts organizations in the United States. Housing one of the foremost collections of American Art from the 18th century to the present, the museum’s mission is to enhance lives through art by engaging people of every background and experience with art and artists of enduring quality and by providing opportunities to learn, to discover, to enjoy and to be inspired by the creative process. For more information, visit www.gibbesmuseum.org.
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Top image: Revolutionary, Cuba, 1959, by Frank Paulin (American, b. 1926); Gelatin silver print; 16 ⅛ x 20 ⅛ inches; Courtesy of the Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami. ©1959 Frank Paulin.