NEW PALTZ, NY.- The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz is the recipient of a $71,000 exhibitions grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art, which will support a spring 2024 exhibition focusing on four diverse, early-20th century artists: Miguel Covarrubias, Isami Doi, Aaron Douglas, and Winold Reiss.
The Dorsky Museum exhibition, tentatively titled “Global Connections: Four Artists in New York in the 1920s,” is one of 57 projects supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art through its latest round of grant funding.
The exhibition, guest curated by Bard College Professor of Art History Tom Wolf, is a temporary loan exhibition based on extensive original research into histories of cross-cultural inspiration and influence among the diverse artists Covarrubias, Doi, Douglas and Reiss (Mexican, Japanese Hawaiian, African American and German American, respectively).
Unpacking the connections between these four artists and focusing on artwork they produced that relates to the United States, Europe, Asia, and Mexico, this exhibition will further the discourse on multiculturalism in American art. Together, these four artists from different backgrounds illustrate a thus-far untold story of American art that raises challenging questions about histories of race, representation and multiculturalism that are relevant and necessary today.
The concept stems from the research of guest curator Wolf, a specialist in 20th century American art, Asian American artists, and art colonies. Wolf previously received an American Philosophical Society Franklin Research Grant in support of his research and writing for this project.
“When the initial proposal for this project was shared with the Museum Exhibitions Committee, our group of expert advisors expressed unequivocal support and great eagerness for the project,” said Anna Conlan, the Neil C. Trager Director of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art. “From the beginning, I personally have been captivated by this story and have encouraged Professor Wolf to pursue it.”
“Global Connections” is planned to open on Feb. 3, 2024 and will occupy 3,500 feet of gallery space in The Dorsky Museum, centering paintings, prints, drawings and books. It will include a self-portrait by each artist, as well as works that reflect each of their ethnic heritage and enthusiasm for multiculturalism.
Tom Wolf is a frequent collaborator with The Dorsky who serves as a member of the Museum’s Exhibitions Committee and has previously guest curated exhibitions including “Eva Watson-Schütze: Photographer” in 2009 and “Carl Walters and Woodstock Ceramic Arts” in 2017.
