Suites: From the Permanent Collection

November 9 – December 12, 2004

University Museum of Contemporary Art

Suites, on view during the second of the fall semester, includes a selection of works from the Permanent Collection that constitute either an evolving sequence or a theme-based series. Among the exhibited works are four prints from Fred Becker’s Life of John Henry (1935-39) created when the artist was a member of the WPA program. Becker eventually became a professor in the Art Department at the University of Massachusetts, his intelligence and good humor touching all with whom he had contact during his long tenure. It is with great sadness that we learned of his death earlier this summer, and the Gallery would like to dedicate this exhibition to the memory of his spirit.

Other artists whose works are featured are Jennifer Bartlett, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Elliot Erwitt, Duane Michals, Aaron Siskind, and Al Souza. Also on display is The New York Collection for Stockholm (1973), a portfolio of small-sized works in various media by 30 American artists who began to establish their reputations in the 1960s including Lee Bontecou, John Chamberlain, Jim Dine, Dan Flavin, Ellsworth Kelly, Donald Judd, Roy Lichtenstein, Louise Nevelson, Nam June Paik, James Rosenquist, Richard Serra, Keith Sonnier, Cy Twombly, and Andy Warhol among others. In its original state, The New York Collection consists of painting, sculpture, and work incorporating film and video, and is permanently installed at the Moderna Museet, Stockholm, in appreciation of that institution’s recognition of the importance of these then quite young American artists. The exhibited portfolio was published in an edition of 300 as part of a fund-raising effort enabling the Moderna Museet to purchase the unique and substantially larger artworks. It represents a “pocket-size” history of the 1960’s by reflecting the multiplicity of styles that came into prominence such as Pop Art, Minimalism, Color Abstraction, and New Technology.

The New York Collection for Stockholm was conceived and produced by Experiments in Art and Technology, commonly referred to as E.A.T, which was a non-profit organization in operation between 1966 and 1993. E.A.T. was co-founded by artist Robert Rauschenberg and engineer William Klüver with the aim of sponsoring collaboration between artists and scientists as well as facilitating international cultural exchange. The University Museum of Contemporary Art received the portfolio in 1977 as a gift from Mr. Rauschenberg.