Oklahoma State University Museum of Art opens Rosenquist exhibition at Postal Plaza Gallery
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
The Oklahoma State University Museum of Art is featuring the works of internationally known American Pop artist James Rosenquist at the Postal Plaza Gallery through mid-March in an exhibit titled “James Rosenquist: Illustrious Works on Paper, Illuminating Paintings.”
Rosenquist became a public figure in the 1950s alongside contemporaries Andy Warhol, Roy Lichenstein, and Claes Oldenburg. The exhibition illustrates the many facets of Rosenquist's career. Key paintings are included in each section, complementing the array of works on paper and illustrating his artistic prowess in all media.
The exhibit is curated by Sarah C. Bancroft, who also served as co-curator of Rosenquist’s full-career retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in 2003. “The exhibition offers a great, focused overview of James Rosenquist’s career, from his earliest artistic explorations in the 1960s to recent, billboard-size works,” said Bancroft. “Ultimately, he's always thinking and pushes us to think as well. But he does this in a very bright, colorful manner, which you may expect from someone who mastered painting advertisements all across New York City.”
The Rosenquist exhibition is the first in an ambitious series called the New York Project, which was developed to bring the work of major New York artists to Oklahoma and provide groundbreaking teaching and engagement opportunities for the OSU community.
“The New York Project offers an experience often limited to major urban centers of art and seldom found in more rural locations such as Stillwater,” said Victoria Berry, director, OSU Museum of Art.
This exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue and organized by the OSU Museum of Art. Related programs during the opening month are listed below. All events are free and open to the public.
Fashion Show: Highlighting “Soft Pop,” Nov. 19, 6 p.m., Postal Plaza Gallery. With the occasion of James Rosenquist’s exhibit, apparel designers from the OSU Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising developed a collection of designer denim and knits for summer 2015 inspired by the tenets of the 1960s Pop Art movement. The fashion show will be followed by an open forum where the designers will explain their process and attendees can examine the pieces more closely.
Reception: Nov. 20, 5-8 p.m., Postal Plaza Gallery.
Curator’s Talk: Sarah C. Bancroft featuring James Rosenquist via Skype. Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. in the Student Union Theater. Doors will open 30 minutes early and seating is on a first come, first served basis.
About the OSU Museum of Art
Exhibitions and programs at the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art are sponsored by OSU Founding Patrons, OSU/A&M Board of Regents, OSU Foundation, and the Oklahoma Arts Council. For more information about the OSU Museum of Art, visit museum.okstate.edu or call 405-744-2780.