Iconic works from artist Jacob Lawrence and Southern painter West Fraser connect visitors with expressive art
CHARLESTON, S.C., Nov. 29, 2016 – Each year, the Gibbes Museum of Art presents an innovative series of six to eight special exhibitions designed as an experimental platform for engaging with art in new and exciting ways and challenging established interpretations. Today the Gibbes announced two new exhibitions open from Jan. 28–April 30, 2017 that align with the Gibbes’ mission of promoting creativity, introducing new art forms and providing perspective on larger community issues.
History, Labor, Life: The Prints of Jacob Lawrence
Jan. 28 – April 30, 2017
History, Labor, Life: The Prints of Jacob Lawrence features a comprehensive overview of influential American artist Jacob Lawrence’s (1917–2000) printmaking work produced from 1963 until his passing in 2000. The exhibition includes more than 90 works exploring three major themes that occupied Lawrence’s graphic works.
“Lawrence’s bold and narrative style tells an important story about working life in American history,” said Angela Mack, executive director of the Gibbes Museum of Art. “While his slice-of-life portrayals offer a window into African American history, his work reflects challenging issues that will resonate with visitors today.”
Lawrence was primarily concerned with the narration of African-American experiences and histories. His acute observations of community life, work, struggle and emancipation during his lifetime were rendered alongside vividly imagined chronicles of the past. The past and present in his practice are intrinsically linked, providing insight into the social, economic and political realities that continue to impact and shape contemporary society today.
History, Labor, Life: The Prints of Jacob Lawrence is organized by SCAD Museum of Art in collaboration with the Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, and is curated by Storm Janse van Rensburg, SCAD head curator of exhibitions.
For images of the exhibit, click here. For high res files, please contact Hannah Nuccio.
Painting the Southern Coast: The Art of West Fraser
Jan. 28 – April 30, 2017
Painting the Southern Coast: The Art of West Fraser features approximately 25 paintings from renowned Southern artist West Fraser. The exhibition, drawn from public and private collections throughout the country, will be accompanied by several studies displayed alongside Fraser’s finished works, offering insight into his unique working process.
“The Gibbes is honored to host this special exhibition of West Fraser’s work,” said Pam Wall, Curator of Exhibitions at the Gibbes. “His paintings masterfully capture the most elusive and intriguing elements of the Lowcountry, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to share it with our visitors.”
A leading American artist in the representational and plein-air tradition, West Fraser has built his career on richly painted, atmospheric vistas of cities, coasts, and the landscape throughout the U.S. and internationally — from the pristine Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia to the hill towns on Tuscany. While he has painted throughout the Caribbean, Central America, Europe and Scandinavia, Fraser’s passion always draws him back to the marshes and landscape of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts.
For images of the exhibit, click here. For high res files, please contact Hannah Nuccio.
To learn more about these exhibitions or to purchase tickets, visit www.gibbesmuseum.org.
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.
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Media Contact
Hannah Nuccio
Lou Hammond Group
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(843) 410-5306
Top image: Forward Together, 1997, by Jacob Lawrence; silkscreen on paper; 25.5 x 40.125 inches; Courtesy of The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle © 2015 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York