OSU Museum of Art Announces Exhibition of Work by American Pop Artist James Rosenquist

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

The OSU Museum of Art is pleased to introduce James Rosenquist: Illustrious Works on Paper, Illuminating Paintings at the Postal Plaza Gallery from Nov. 10, 2014 through March 14, 2015.

Rosenquist is an internationally known American Pop artist who became a public figure in the 1950s alongside contemporaries Andy Warhol, Roy Lichenstein, and Claes Oldenburg. Curated by Sarah C. Bancroft, co-curator of the artist's full-career retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in 2003, this focused survey exhibition elucidates the arc of Rosenquist's multifarious career. Key paintings are included in each section, complementing the array of works on paper and illustrating his artistic prowess in all media.  

“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.”

James Rosenquist is the first in an ambitious series of exhibitions, the New York Project, 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 OSU Museum of Art Director Victoria Berry.

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,” a collection of designs by students in the Department of Design, Housing, and Merchandising. Nov. 19, 6 pm, Postal Plaza Gallery.

Reception: Nov. 20, 5 – 8 pm, Postal Plaza Gallery

Curator’s Talk: Sarah C. Bancroft featuring James Rosenquist via Skype. Nov. 21 at 2 pm in the Student Union Theater. Doors will open 30 minutes early and seating is on a first come, first served basis.