Chazen Calendar April–May 2018 | Page 2

exhibitions
William Merritt Chase (American, 1849-1916), A Subtle Device, 1881, Oil on canvas,
11 7 ⁄ 8 x 18 15 ⁄ 16 in., Heckscher Museum of Art, Gift of the Baker/Pisano Collection, 2001.9.53
Dick Nguleingulei
Murrumurra, Nadulmi the
Kangaroo, ca. 1970, natural
pigments on eucalyptus
bark, 22 13 ⁄ 16 x 33 7 ⁄ 16 in.,
promised gift of Margaret
Levi and Robert Kaplan to
the Seattle Art Museum,
© 2017 Artists Rights
Society (ARS), New York
/ VISCOPY, Australia,
courtesy American
Federation of Arts.
Ancestral Modern: Australian Aboriginal Art
from the Kaplan & Levi Collection The Tile Club: Camaraderie and
American Plein-Air Painting
January 26–April 22, 2018 | Pleasant T. Rowland Galleries February 23–May 20, 2018 | Leslie and Johanna Garfield Galleries
This exhibition introduces audiences to indigenous Australian painting and sculpture, which has
blossomed since the 1970s. In the late 1960s, grassroots activism resulted in increased power and
visibility for Aboriginal people. The years that followed marked the start of an artistic renaissance in the
world’s oldest continuous artistic tradition, fueled both by the end of government policies that demanded
assimilation into white society, and by the growing desire of Aboriginal artists to share their ancient
culture with the wider world. In many cases, artists have translated motifs from traditional art forms— The Tile Club was one of many societies that formed across the United
States during the late nineteenth century. The club was founded in 1877
riding a wave of interest in the decorative arts. Members met once
a week and contributed to the “decorative age” by painting ceramic
tiles. These meetings became a time to socialize, dine, and enjoy the
music performed by guests and honorary members. Members also made
excursions to Long Island and up the Hudson River to sketch and paint,
becoming the first plein-air painting organization in the young nation.
Tiles, paintings, sculptures, and sketches—many by distinguished artists
working early in their careers—are showcased in this exhibition.
such as rock and body painting—to media that can be more easily shared with viewers around the world.
The exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Seattle Art Museum, and was made
possible by the generosity of Mrs. Donald M. Cox, the Wolfensohn Family Foundation, and an anonymous donor,
with support for the Chazen exhibition from the Brittingham Trust and the Mildred L. Stolberg Fund.