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Washington Art Matters: 1940s-1980s June 15 through August 11, 2013

Pierre, Newmann

Robert Newmann
For Pierre L'Enfant
1978
Subtractive mural, 1328 New York Ave and 13th St, NW

AtlantaChild, Platt

Michael Platt
Atlanta Child Murder Series, Yusuf Bell 9 Years Old
1983
Pastel on paper

Stair, Gilliam

Sam Gilliam
Stair
1977
Acrylic on canvas

Noatank, Puryear

Martin Puryear
Noatank
1979
Laminated wood

FaultAxisforLight, Force

Sherman Fleming/Rod Force
Fault: Axis for Light
1986
Still from 20 minute WPA performance

WetSpot, Rothschild

Gayle Rothschild
Wet Spot
1992
Silver gelatin print

Exhibition Overview

Washington Art Matters: 1940s–1980s tells the story of art made here during five crucial decades. As such, this is the first major effort by a museum to present a comprehensive history, representing those times with works by some 80 artists. The exhibition is based on Washington Art Matters: Art Life in the Capital 1940-1990, a book published by the Washington Artists Museum and co-authored by Jean Lawlor Cohen, Benjamin Forgey, Sidney Lawrence and Elizabeth Tebow. 

Washington Art Matters: Art Life in the Capital 1940–1990 represents the closing project of the Washington Arts Museum, a curatorial mission that, for more than a decade, mounted shows of work by significant, perhaps neglected, regional artists. WAM founders Renee Butler and Giorgio Furioso envision the book, its broader essays and timelines, as an appropriate coda.