Contemporary California Art: Selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation

Sam Francis, Untitled (1983); John McCracken, The Case for Fakery in Beauty (1967); Billy Al Bengston, Klenator Draculas (1977); Ronald Davis, Bend III (1968)

Billy Al Bengston, Klenator Draculas (1977); Ronald Davis, Bend III (1968); Kelly Berg, Le Sirène (2020); Lita Albuquerque, Part of the Stellar Axis: Antarctica Installation (2006); Lita Albuquerque, Ceaseless Memory (1984); Ed Moses, Can They Swim (2013); Ned Evans, Got Red (2008); Joel Morrison, Untitled (2001)

John Baldessari, Horizontal Men (1984); Edward Ruscha, Gal Chews Gum (2019); RETNA, Escribo (2011); Edward Ruscha, Made in California (1971); Ed Moses, Viker (2008)

Tony Berlant, Venice-West (1995); Bruce Conner, Suitcase (1962); Charles Arnoldi, Impound (1985); Ed Moses, Can They Swim (2013)

Edward Ruscha, End (1983); Velizar Mihich Vasa, Column No. 3088 (2003); Doug Edge, Containers No. 2 (2003); Scot Heywood, Untitled Yellow, Blue, Red (2007); Peter Lodato, Nine No. 2 (Magenta and Gold) (2004)

Joe Goode, Untitled (Commissioned Work) [Blue] (1979); Jack Goldstein, Untitled (1988); Craig Kauffman, Yellow-Blue (1965); Velizar Mihich Vasa, Column No. 3088 (2003); Doug Edge, Containers No. 2 (2003); Scot Heywood, Untitled Yellow, Blue, Red (2007)

Kamol Tassananchalee, The Four Elelments No. 5 (2007); Gary Lang, BLUELIGHTEIGHT (2015); Andy Moses, Morphology H20 (2013); Andy Moses, Morphology 1205 (2014); Gisel Colon, Oval Melt Glo-Pod, (iridescent Black Blue) (2014); Jack Goldstein, Untitled (1988)

Date:  January 30, 2023 – March 11, 2023

Curated By: Billie Milam Weisman
Venue: California State University Northridge Art Gallery
18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA, 91330

https://www.csun.edu/mike-curb-arts-media-communication/events/california-art-contemporary-art-selections-frederick-r

Exhibited Artists:
Lita Albuquerque, Peter Alexander, Charles Arnoldi, John Baldessari, Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Kelly Berg, Tony Berlant, Casper Brindle, Gisela Colon, Bruce Conner, Mary Corse, Ronald Davis, Doug Edge, Ned Evans, Charles Fine, Sam Francis, Jack Goldstein, Joe Goode, Channing Hansen, Tim Hawkinson, Scot Heywood, Charles Christopher Hill, David Hockney, Craig Kauffman, Gary Lang, Annie Lapin, Peter Lodato, John McCracken, Joel Morrison, Andy Moses, Ed Moses, Manfred Müller, Evan Nesbit, Eric Orr, Kaz Oshiro, Ruth Pastine, Edward Ruscha, Kamol Tassananchalee, Robert Therrien, Velizar Mihich Vasa, and Tom Wudl.

Contemporary California Art: Selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation

Since the 1960s, California has evolved as a center for contemporary art that rivals New York in its accomplishments and innovation. This exhibition highlights the distinct idiosyncratic styles of California artists inspired by their daily lives and surroundings. The local terrain, vibrant sun, beautiful sunsets, blue skies, surfboards, and fast, flashy cars gave wave to new Art movements such as Light and Space and Finish Fetish.  Frederick R. Weisman began collecting art during this time and strongly believed in supporting artists in his own community. In doing so, he became a supporter of California's first original style in contemporary art.

The art on view represents a number of different approaches to express the influence of the California environment and the new wave of artists. Artists such as Ron Davis, Craig Kaufman, John McCracken, and Vasa used resins and acrylics to create smooth surfaces like surfboards. Today, Gisela Colon uses molded acrylic to create a surface that shifts and engages the viewer as they pass by. Many of these same artists would also be inspired by the surfing culture along the coast and create artworks directly on surfboards, such as Any Moses’s work on view.  

The Light and Space artists such as Larry Bell and Mary Corse created — minimal and experiential artworks unique to California that reflect the broad glow of our environment. Others persuade by the simplicity of form, such as Peter Lodato, Scott Heywood, Kaz Oshiro, and Charles Christopher Hill. Lita Albuquerque takes her queues from the earth and spirituality. While Ed Ruscha, Joe Goode, Peter Alexander, and Ruth Pastine reflect the atmosphere, sunsets, and blue skies. Joel Morrison shows social consciousness in the use of recycled materials in addition to vibrant colors. Bruce Conner’s assemblages would shock, disturb, and mirror the dystopian post-war America of the Beat generation, Suitcase, featured would meld those ideologies of unrooted existence with sacred emblems.