2010 Special Exhibitions Schedule Announced!

The Dayton Art Institute has announced its 2010 special exhibitions schedule, which focuses on three diverse facets of American art: the lush works of the California Impressionist movement, abstract art of the mid-20th century, and a celebration of African-American art. The Dayton Art Institute will also host a retrospective of works by noted Dayton artist Willis “Bing” Davis.

The 2010 exhibition lineup consists of:

February 20, 2010 – June 13, 2010
All Things Bright and Beautiful:
California Impressionist Paintings from the Irvine Museum

Donna Schuster, On the Beach, c1917

All Things Bright and Beautiful is comprised of 60 important California Impressionist paintings from the collections of the Irvine Museum. It is the only museum in California dedicated to the preservation and display of California Impressionism, or Plein-Air paintings, an art style that flourished in California from 1890 to 1930. The paintings from this beautiful and important regional variant of American Impressionism are principally landscapes that document the lush splendor of California before the state’s huge population growth and mass urbanization.

July 24, 2010 – October 10, 2010
Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Grace Hartigan, Modern Cycle, 1967

Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum features 43 key paintings and sculptures by 31 of the most celebrated artists who came to maturity in the 1950s. Modern Masters examines the complex and varied nature of American abstract art in the mid-20th century through three broadly conceived themes that span two decades of creative genius – “Significant Gestures,” “Optics and Order” and “New Images of Man.” The exhibition features works by noted artists such as Sam Francis, Philip Guston, Hans Hofmann, Franz Kline, Josef Albers, Ad Reinhardt, Romare Bearden and Jim Dine.

November 6, 2010 – January 30, 2011
100 Years of African-American Art: The Arthur Primas Collection

Charles White, Gospel Singers, 1951

100 Years of African-American Art presents works from the Arthur Primas collection.This significant collection contains nearly 300 works, including paintings, sculptures, works on paper, graphics and documents, and covers a period of 150 years. 100 Years of African-American Art presents 75 works from the Arthur Primas collection, representing more than 30 artists. These artists, many under the extreme pressure of an unresponsive public, brought forth magnificent art which reflects the African-American experience and aesthetic.

In conjunction with 100 Years of African-American Art, The Dayton Art Institute will collaborate with the University of Dayton on Marking the Past/Shaping the Present: The Art of Willis Bing Davis, a retrospective of works by the noted Dayton artist. Davis attended The School of The Dayton Art Institute and has been a fixture of the Dayton arts community for several decades. The University of Dayton will display Davis’ photographs and ceramics, while The Dayton Art Institute will host an exhibition of his paintings and drawings.

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