WELLESLEY, MA.- The Davis Museum and Cultural Center, Wellesley College presents its exciting fall schedule of exhibitions and public programs, with an emphasis on contemporary art, ranging from the presentation of a major exhibition of German postwar prints to contemporary art and digital animation, complemented by an exhibition of medieval prayer books from Wellesley College collections. Public programs feature a free film series on Experimental German Artists’ films, a scholarly symposium, a concert, and cooking demonstrations incorporated with gallery tours.
The exhibition “Recent Acquisitions: Contemporary Art,” is on view through Feb 15. New works of art from the last four decades address the production of art with post-colonial and diasporic themes, such as the photographs of Joy Gregory and the prints of Enrique Chagoya, and the ways in which artists use text to examine contemporary modes of communication, seen in sculptures by Jenny Holzer and Roni Horn. On view are complete print portfolios by Richard Anuszkiewicz, Lee Krasner, and Robert Mangold, adding to the Davis’s collection of Op Art, Abstract Expressionism, and Minimalism.
Dancing Cranes, through Feb 15. - Dancing Cranes is a digital animation and sound project by a collaborative group of visual and audio artists known as localStyle. This six-minute digital projection invites the viewer to participate in the juxtaposition of sound and image. localStyle’s intent is to challenge the viewer to analyze his or her own perceptual biases. Using the symbolism of the crane in Asian societies and the utopian hopes of the Russian Constructivists, this work reflects multicultural perspectives of peace, longevity, and wisdom.
Two and One: Printmaking in Germany, 1945 – 1990, through Jan 18 This major exhibition provides a rare overview of postwar twentieth-century printmaking. Printmaking during this period reflected the political realities of German division, cold war tensions, and subsequent reunification and illustrated the artistic continuities between the two Germanys. The exhibition brings together 180 single prints and portfolios by 80 artists including such masters as Gerhard Altenbourg, Horst Antes, Georg Baselitz, Joseph Beuys, - Anselm Kiefer, A.R. Penck, Otto Piene, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, and Paul Wunderlich. Related public programs include a gallery discussion, a scholarly symposium, a concert and listening station, open class sessions, a film series, a German meal and guided tour, and a poetry reading.
