American Art: 1945 to the Present
from the Collection
November 13, 2015 – December 1, 2017
This exhibition expands a theme introduced in the museum’s first floor exhibition, 150 Years of American Art (ca. 1795- 1945). While that exhibition provides a visual narrative of emerging American identity as seen through art, this exhibition features art and decorative arts created since World War II, as American art emerged as a major force in the global art world.
As the center of the art world shifted from Paris to New York, American artists separated themselves from the European past and its traditions. American art works became larger in both scale and theme, more gestural and abstract, as artists forged a new American artistic vocabulary. MMofA possesses many works in its collection that represent major American artists whose contributions to the history of art are significant. Many of these works have seldom been on view (if at all). This major installation includes both nationally and regionally recognized artists.
This exhibition also includes American Master Crafts 1945-Present (from the collection): West vs. East: Developments in Contemporary Ceramics (curated by Susie Bowman, The Kiln, Fairhope) and GLASS: Versatility/Virtuosity (curated by Rene Culler, Glass Program of the University of South Alabama), as well as an exhibition of American Photography: 1945-Present (from the Collection).
