Home : Exhibition Series 

The Triumph of French Painting: 17th Century Masterpieces from the Museums of FRAME

OCT 11, 2003 – JAN 4, 2004

Making its world premiere, this exhibition of 41 stellar works, drawn from the French and American museums of FRAME, presents the very highest level of work from a century when painting emerged as one of the splendors of French culture.

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Helen Frankenthaler: The Woodcuts, 1973-2000

DEC 13, 2003 – FEB 15, 2004

Helen Frankenthaler, one of America’s most important artists of the past fifty years, is best known as one of the artists who helped spark the color field painting movement that grew out of the school of Abstract Expressionism in the 1950’s. Heavily influenced by Pollock's drip paintings, Frankenthaler developed an innovative staining technique in which acrylic pigment is poured directly onto unsized canvas.

Frankenthalers works are well known in Portland through the Clement Greenberg collection, a recent Portland Art Museum acquisition from the famous New York art critic, who became interested in the artists work early in her career.

The focus of this exhibition is the artists’ groundbreaking working in the historic medium of woodblock prints.

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Nature Abstracted:

MAR 22, 2004 – AUG 1, 2004

The images in this installation are drawn from the Museum’s permanent collection of works on paper by Northwest artists. All, in some way, use natural forms as the basis for explorations of abstraction whether subtly altering space and form or dramatically re-envisioning their subjects.

The natural world has been a continuous theme in the art of the Northwest from its beginnings to the present day. It follows then that, in the aftermath of WWII when Northwest artists began trying new modernist styles and techniques, they worked with familiar subjects. The prints, drawings and paintings on view here reveal the myriad ways in which their enduring interest in natural processes and forms was transformed by such experiments. From the Northwest coast to the mountains to the rainy Willamette Valley and beyond, these images explore the natural world through the lens of abstraction.

On view in the Richard and Deane Rubinstein Gallery on the third floor of the Hoffman Wing.

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From Fra Angelico to Bonnard: Masterpieces from the Rau Collection

JAN 24, 2004 – AUG 22, 2004

The Portland Art Museum proudly presents, for the first time for American audiences, an exhibition of paintings from the renowned collection of Dr. Gustav Rau (19222002). The 95 paintings in the exhibition represent one of the world’s most distinguished art collections, which spans nearly six centuries of art and features rarely-seen masterpieces by Fra Angelico, El Greco, Fragonard, Czanne, Gainsborough, Courbet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt, Bonnard and others.

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Frank Lobdell: Making and Meaning

MAY 22, 2004 – AUG 29, 2004

This summer the Portland Art Museum presents a survey of over five decades of paintings, drawings and lithographs by San Francisco artist Frank Lobdell. For over half a century, Lobdell’s work has immeasurably enriched the local and national cultural landscapes.

His stature is reflected in the acclaim of art critics, in the respect of his fellow artists and in the admiration of his students. His prominence in the San Francisco art scene since 1947 has made him a legend in the Bay Area. The show includes more than two dozen stellar drawings.

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Daumier to Lautrec: French Prints and Drawings

JUL 31, 2004 – OCT 24, 2004

Building on the success of the 2002 special exhibition Paris to Portland, this exhibition continues Portland’s love affair with 19th-century French art. Taking as its centerpiece the Elles lithographic series by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec?the generous gift of local private collectors’this exhibition traces the intriguing and often entertaining depiction of French society by some of France’s greatest artists.

Revolution, industrialization and the ensuing migration of the populace from country to city provided enormous stimulation for characterization and commentary. This presentation of 70 works is a lively examination of the myriad ways in which Daumier, Millet, Degas, Pissarro, Cassatt, Toulouse-Lautrec and other artists viewed their society.

Organized by the Museum and curated by Dr. Annette Dixon, Curator of Prints and Drawings, Daumier to Lautrec: French Prints and Drawings unites important prints and drawings selected from local private collections and the Museum’s permanent collection, including recent acquisitions. The exhibition is presented in honor of the Gilkey Center’s 10th Anniversary.

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Edward Weston: A Photographer’s Love of Life

SEP 11, 2004 – NOV 28, 2004

Edward Weston (American, 1886 - 1958) is a legendary figure and one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. The exhibition Edward Weston: A Photgrapher's Love of Life, features some of Weston's key works from the 1930s through World War II through an impressive selection of rare vintage prints, complimented by personal letters and postcards from Weston's family. Living on the West Coast, Weston was a member of a like-minded "straight photography" group of associates, loosely coined "group 'f/64'" - the name dirived from a lens aperture commonly used by large-format photographers. Fellow members in the group included: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Consuelo Kanaga and Willard Van Dyke. Weston piloted his career as a photographer with ingenuity and determination, often going door-to-door to sell his works. Driven to explore the unmanipulated power of form and beauty, Weston by 1922 left his pictorial past behind, ultimately becoming a pioneer of modern photography and the first photographer to be awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.

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Lustrous and Translucent: Chinese Yellow Glass from a Northwest Collection

SEP 30, 2004 – DEC 12, 2004

With a discerning eye and a love for imperial yellow Peking glass, a Northwest collector has assembled an important group of unique works and loaned a selection to the Museum. From an intricately carved snuff bottle to an inscribed long-necked vase from the Qianlong reign (1736-1795), each object glows with the color so admired by emperors.

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Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Pont-Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975-85

SEP 11, 2004 – JAN 2, 2005

For nearly half a century, Christo and Jeanne-Claude have combined the artistic force of the individual creator with the methods and materials of the industrial and post-industrial society. Never before seen in America, this exhibition traces the course of a 10-year process that transformed Paris’s oldest bridge into one of the largest temporary artworks of all time. Once again, the Pont-Neuf was the social heart of the cityas it was nearly 400 years ago.

Preliminary drawings, collages, photographs and correspondence tell the dynamic story of how one of the largest artworks ever created in Paris was realized. Completely wrapped in 454,178 square feet of woven polyamide fabric, 42,900 feet of rope, the Pont-Neuf became the gilded center of the international avant-garde art world. Christo and Jeanne-Claude invite us to forget the inherent anachronism of a structure first built in 1606 and realize the force of a symbol that unites the concepts of using fabric and presentation with the poetic longings for mystery and the possibility of transcendence.

Discover a dramatic creative journeyfrom concept, exploration, imaging, securing official permissions and fabricating materials’to the final 14-day metamorphosis of ancient stone into a work of art.

This exhibition’s only American appearance will introduce Northwest audiences to the Christos prior to the February opening of The Gates, Central Park, New York, 1979-2005.

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Ed Cauduro Collection: Recently Extended!

SEP 4, 2004 – JAN 23, 2005

A contemporary art collector since the late 1950s, Mr. Cauduro has brought important works to our community. He has shared his collection through exhibitions at the Museum, and has made over 30 gifts to the permanent collection. This special-focus exhibition features some of those gifts along with artworks on loan from Mr. Cauduro.

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Lucian Freud: Etchings from the UBS Art Collection

OCT 30, 2004 – JAN 23, 2005

Lucian Freud (1922- ) is a German-born, British painter and grandson of Sigmund Freud. Often described as a "Realist", Freud is one of the foremost contemporary figurative painters of the time. Intimate portraits and nudes are his specialities, often observed in arresting close-up poses with a subjectivity and intensity that sets him apart from the sober tradition characteristic of most British figuritive art since the Second World War. Lucian Freud: Etchings from the UBS Art Collection incorporates in a single presentation late Freud etchings from the collection of UBS, organized in 1999 by the Yale Center for British Art, and prints created from 1982 onwards - when Freud returned to the art of etching after a 34 year hiatus. Reflecting the alienation and angst of our time, thse 40 etchings are the intimate, introspective result of Freud's probing vision.

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Childe Hassam: Impressionist in the West

DEC 10, 2004 – MAR 6, 2005

In 1904 and 1908, leading American Impressionist Childe Hassam visited Oregon and the surrounding region, trying his hand at capturing the varying terrain of the West. Traveling throughout the state and into Washington, Idaho, and later, California, Hassam painted over 60 works of landscapes, seascapes, portraits, and still lifes. Organized by the Portland Art Museum, the exhibition Childe Hassam: Impressionist in the West, brings together for the first time ever some 25-30 paintings from these two trips, as well as paintings from Hassam's larger body of work. Also on view are works by Portland Art Museum founder, C.E.S. Wood, the lawyer, art collector, and fellow painter who convinced Hassam to come West and explore the beauty of the country, often painting side-by-side.

RELATED EXHIBITIONS

In Black and White: Prints by Childe Hassam

This exhibition showcases prints by Childe Hassam from the Museum's permanent collection. On view in the Jackie and Jerry Inskeep Gallery through March 6.

River, Desert, Forest, Sky: Watercolors by C.E.S. Wood

The Portland Art Museum celebrates its heritage with a survey of works in watercolor by Oregon artist and founding patron C.E.S. Wood. On view in the Center for Northwest Art in the Richard and Deanne Rubinstein Gallery through March 27.

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Crowd Appeal: Impressions of Edo Japan

JAN 29, 2005 – APR 3, 2005

Drawn from the Museum's world-renowned collection of Japanese woodblock prints, this exhibition of some 60 works from the Edo period (1615-1868) has an unusual focus  the portrayal of the diverse characters who populated the landscape, from rural settings to the marketplace and hustle and bustle of city streets.

The prints range in dates from the end of the 17th century through the 19th century and demonstrate the development of woodblock printing techniques, along with permutations of style and taste during Japan's most important period of printmaking.

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Diane Arbus: Family Albums

FEB 19, 2005 – APR 24, 2005

Diane Arbus (1923-1971) is one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century. Her style has been described as direct, provocative, and unsettling. She is renowned for her portraits of mid-20th century Americans, depicting people from all walks of life, from individuals living on the fringes of society to well-known personalities such as Jayne Mansfield, Ricky Nelson, and Bennet Cerf.

Diane Arbus: Family Albums is a compilation of images that addresses a broad view of humanity and also questions the perceptions of family and the relationship of the individual to society. This collection of 81 contact sheets and prints combines many of her best-known with a number of never-before-seen images, and help reveal a photographer intimately aware of the artistic and commercial practice of photography and the social and cultural tensions of her time.

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People of the River: Native Arts of the Oregon Territory

JAN 22, 2005 – MAY 30, 2005

This winter, the Portland Art Museum welcomes home over 200 artifacts to the Pacific Northwest region through the mounting of a major exhibition People of the River: Native Arts of the Oregon Territory, a one and only event dedicated to the artistic expression of the Native Americans who have lived for over 10,000 years along the shores of the Columbia River. In an area that stretches over 300 miles from the mouth of the Snake River to the Pacific Ocean, this region has a rich heritage of decorative and functional objects. Highly prized and collected in the late 19th and early 20th century, many of these items were stored away in museums and private collections, never to be displayed publicly. Now - with many pieces returning to the Northwest for the first time - this expansive exhibition presents these artifacts together, as a testament to the thriving civilization that played a significant role in the history of the Oregon Territory.

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Northwest Masters: Forgotten Prints from 1910 to 1945

APR 9, 2005 – JUN 5, 2005

Northwest Masters surveys the largely unknown work of 21 key printmakers in Oregon and Washington in the early 20th century, from ca. 1910 to the mid-1940s. This period saw the earliest development of prints in the Northwest. Little is known about the genesis and evolution of Northwest printmaking. This exhibition of nearly 70 prints has been selected from the rich holdings of the Portland Art Museum; the Oregon Historical Society, Portland; Art Space Gallery, Bay City, Oregon; and four private collections. Northwest Masters attempts to fill gaps in knowledge through the examples of artists’ work uncovered by guest curators Morgan Walker and Christy Wyckoff, two contemporary Portland artists.

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Great Expectations: John Singer Sargent Painting Children

JUN 18, 2005 – SEP 11, 2005

Opening June 18, the Museum’s major summer exhibition, Great Expectations, offers a first-ever exploration of the role of children in the work of the 19th century’s greatest society portraitist. This view of 42 works features small, intimate studies and large, salon-style portraits, as well as genre paintings, in an intriguing look behind the exquisitely painted surfaces and into the minds of Sargent’s subjects and the artist himself.

Although best known for his high-style society portraits, John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925) created a number of works featuring children. This exhibition examines these works in light of the cultural trends that contributed to the redefinition of childhood in fin-de-sicle Europe and North America.

Come tour this lush, colorful, charming, and changeable world of childrenand discover how this great expatriate artist strategically used child imagery at key stages of his career to secure a legacy for both himself and his patrons.

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Eleven Decades of Modern Silver: A Taste for Coffee and Tea

JUL 23, 2005 – JAN 29, 2006

Anticipating the opening of the Center for Modern and Contemporary Art, Eleven Decades of Modern Silver showcases modernist innovations in silver design. The exhibition explores how the traditional silver forms of tea and coffee sets reflected the rapidly changing aesthetics of the 20th century. Styles range from Arts and Crafts to Post-Modernism and include makers such as the Mulholland Brothers, Georg Jensen, William Spratling and John Marshall. The exhibition is drawn from the museum’s Margo Grant Walsh 20th Century Silver and Metalworks Collection as well as local and regional collections.

Guest curated by Margo Grant Walsh and Marcella Peterson with museum curators Bruce Guenther and Margaret Bullock.

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Out of the Darkness: Contemporary Mezzotints

DEC 17, 2005 – MAR 12, 2006

This diverse collection of approximately 65 works by eminent contemporary printmakers showcases works by more than 30 artists, including the modern masters of the mezzotint, Mario Avati and Yozo Hamaguchi. Drawn predominantly from the the Museum's collection of graphic works, many prints have never been on display, while others will be shown for the first time since their debut in the Museum's acclaimed International Print Exhibition organized by Gordon Gilkey in 1997.

A challenging and labor-intensive method first developed in 17th-century Germany, mezzotint fell into near-obscurity during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Don't miss this rare chance to see why this specialized technique has enjoyed a deserved re-emergence throughout Europe, America, and Japan.

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Hesse: A Princely German Collection

OCT 29, 2005 – MAR 19, 2006

The term Hessian evokes the 18th century German soldiers whose training and prowess were so esteemed that they were engaged by the British to fight in the American War of Independence. Few outside of Germany, however, know of the noble family that has led the state of Hesse since the 16th century and continues to this day.

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From Anxiety to Ecstasy: Themes in German Expressionist Prints

MAR 18, 2006 – JUN 11, 2006

Flourishing from around 1905 to 1933, the German Expressionist movement captured the emotional and psychological toll of living in the modern world. Exploring both the negative underside of life as well as positive paradigms for change, this exhibition of over 60 works focuses on the themes of social criticism, nudes, performers, portraits, exotic influences, and the "Other." Predominately drawn from the rich holdings of the permanent collection, this is the first exhibition to feature the Museum's outstanding array of German graphic art from this period in more than ten years. Highlights include works by Kathe Kollwitz, Max Beckmann, Ernst Kirchner, Max Pechstein, Otto Mueller, and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff.

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Hilda Morris:

APR 15, 2006 – JUL 16, 2006

Hilda Morris (1911 - 1991) was at the center of the Northwest's avant-garde for much of her career, producing a large body of innovative, influential bronze sculpture. Now, in this definitive survey exhibition of more than 50 of her sculptures, drawings, and paintings are on view.

Morris and her husband, the Abstract Expressionist painter Carl Morris, settled in Portland, Oregon in 1941. Except for extended trips to New York, she worked in Portland until 1969, introducing rigorous thinking about abstraction to the Pacific Northwest incorporating the rhythms of dance, music and mathematics, emphasizing the organization of organic structure. However, due to a complex set of circumstances, including distance from art-world centers and her own independence of mind-as well as changing trends and directions in art, Morris's work, and indeed, her career, have been obscured.

This exhibition examines this significant artist's innovations anew, along with her search for hidden relationships and metaphorical correspondences in the material world.

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Great Painters in Brescia From the Renaissance to the 18th Century:

APR 29, 2006 – SEP 17, 2006

Great Painters in Brescia introduces the city of Brescia, Italy as a site of major artistic endeavors over three centuries. The town of Brescia, situated in the region of Lombardy, lies on the border in between Lombardy and the Veneto. Brescia was one of the remarkable centers of art starting in the Renaissance and continuing through the 18th century. This is apparent from the rich holdings of its museums including the Santa Giulia City Museum and the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo created in 1908 with the collections formed by Count Leopoldo Martinengo and Count Paolo Tosio. Although the accomplishments of Brescian masters have long been appreciated in England, only a few examples are present in American museum collections. The exhibition from the museums of Brescia organized by Linea d'Ombra presents an overview of the development of the art of painting in this north Italian city over three centuries.

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Oregon Biennial 2006:

JUL 29, 2006 – OCT 8, 2006

Celebrating the present moment in Oregon’s art scene, the 2006 Oregon Biennial affirms the Museum’s commitment to Oregon artists and ongoing support of their work.

Jennifer A. Gately
The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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Pierre Huyghe: This is Not a Time for Dreaming

SEP 23, 2006 – DEC 31, 2006

The Portland Art Museum presents a video exhibition by French artist Pierre Huyghe.

Bruce Guenther
Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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APEX: Roy McMakin

SEP 30, 2006 – JAN 14, 2007

Internationally respected Seattle artist and designer Roy McMakin creates furniture, sculpture, paintings, and drawings that draw inspiration from domesticity, Craftsman aesthetics, and classic Modernism.

Jennifer A. Gately
The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art

The Wintercross Foundation Gallery  |     |   More >

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Fourteen Artists/Fourteen Years: Mahaffey Fine Art

SEP 30, 2006 – JAN 14, 2007

The Portland Art Museum presents an exhibition celebrating Mahaffey Fine Art, a print workshop that has produced fine prints in Portland since 1992.

Dr. Annette Dixon
Curator of Prints and Drawings

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt

NOV 5, 2006 – MAR 4, 2007

The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt features the largest selection of antiquities ever loaned by Egypt for exhibition in North America. The exhibition includes objects that have never been on public display and many that have never been seen outside of Egypt.

The exhibition is organized by United Exhibits Group, Copenhagen, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in association with the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Cairo. Objects are loaned by the Egyptian government and come from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the Luxor Museum and the sites of Tanis and Deir el-Bahari. The exhibit is curated in Portland by Bill Mercer, Curator of Native American Art

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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Damien Hirst: Four Works from The Broad Art Foundation

JAN 13, 2007 – APR 22, 2007

Among the most celebrated artists of his generation, Damien Hirst has evolved a fresh and challenging attitude and approach to the production and exhibition of contemporary art.

Bruce Guenther
Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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Personal Best: Photographs by Elliott Erwitt

JAN 20, 2007 – APR 29, 2007

A world-renowned advertising and journalistic photographer, Elliott Erwitt sprung to fame through his 1959 photograph of Khrushchev and Nixon arguing in front of a Westinghouse refrigerator.

Terry Toedtemeier
Curator of Photography

Helen Copeland Gallery  |     |   More >

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Minimalism/Postminimalism: Selections from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation

MAR 31, 2007 – MAY 13, 2007

Drawing upon a long tradition in Modernism of abstract geometric art, Minimalist artists created objects of extreme spareness, leading the viewer to focus on color, shape, proportion, materials, and his or her own experience of the artwork.

Dr. Annette Dixon, the Museum’s Curator of Prints and Drawings, and Marnie P. Stark, Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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APEX: Chris Johanson

JAN 27, 2007 – MAY 27, 2007

Portland artist Chris Johanson creates thought-provoking paintings, drawings, sculpture, video, and installations that combine observations of contemporary society with a raw urban realism.

Developed and curated by Jennifer A. Gately
Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art

The Wintercross Foundation Gallery  |     |   More >

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Dorothy Yezerski: Mediterranean Views

FEB 14, 2007 – JUN 3, 2007

Portland artist Dorothy Yezerski (1921-2003) spent the better part of her artistic career captivated by the historical sites of Italy and Greece, which she conveyed with a unique aerial perspective through colorful, abstract compositions.

Jennifer Gately
Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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Manuel Neri: The Figure In Relief

MAR 31, 2007 – JUL 29, 2007

Through 10 bronze sculptures with oil-based pigments, this exhibition offers an exploration of Neri’s ideas about the figure in sculptural space and within the relief format.

Bruce Guenther,
Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Arlene & Harold Schnitzer Sculpture Court  |     |   More >

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The Drawn Line

MAY 5, 2007 – AUG 12, 2007

The Drawn Line features some 65 European and American drawings selected from the Portland Art Museum collection.

Bruce Guenther, Dr. Annette Dixon, Jennifer A. Gately, Marnie P. Stark

Helen Copeland Gallery  |     |   More >

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Kehinde Wiley:

MAY 5, 2007 – AUG 19, 2007

Kehinde Wiley’s provocative portraits mine deeply rooted traditions of Western painting to address prevailing social stereotypes and the cultural constructions of identity as manifested in dress, gesture, and gender.

Bruce Guenther
Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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Rembrandt and the Golden Age of Dutch Art: Treasures from the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

JUN 2, 2007 – SEP 16, 2007

This must-see exhibition, the ultimate collection of 17th-century Dutch masterpieces, makes its only West Coast appearance at the Portland Art Museum.

Penelope Hunter-Stiebel, Consulting Curator of European Art

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APEX: Wes Mills

JUN 9, 2007 – OCT 7, 2007

With their roots in Minimalism, Montana artist Wes Mills’ subtle graphite and ink drawings reflect a personal experience of the western landscape and a high regard for the history or art.

Jennifer A. Gately
The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art

The Wintercross Foundation Gallery  |     |   More >

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Camouflage:

AUG 4, 2007 – NOV 4, 2007

This fall, the Portland Art Museum presents Camouflage, an exhibition of eight paintings that explores artists’ use of pattern in the post-World War II era.

Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art.

Arlene & Harold Schnitzer Sculpture Court  |     |   More >

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Graphic Force, Humanist Vision: Leonard Baskin Works on Paper

AUG 18, 2007 – NOV 11, 2007

A major figure in 20th–century American art, Leonard Baskin’s overarching concern was the expression of the power and depth of the human condition at its most primal.

The exhibition is organized by the Portland Art Museum and is curated by Marnie P. Stark, Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings.

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Ursula von Rydingsvard

SEP 1, 2007 – DEC 30, 2007

Ursula von Rydingsvard’s massive carved cedar sculpture, Pod Pach?, is in a continuous state of motion as it lifts and settles in a gesture that suggests a human back bending.

Organized and curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

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Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts, Earthly Delights: Early Chinese Art from the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Collection

MAY 21, 2005 – DEC 31, 2007

This exhibition presents highlights from Harold and Arlene Schnitzer’s remarkable collection of early Chinese art. The pre-Han Kingdom of Chu and the Han Dynasty periods are well represented through an impressive variety of items.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Highlights from the Paul and Clara Gebauer Collection of Cameroon Art:

FEB 11, 2006 – AUG 29, 2008

These masks, utilitarian objects, horn carvings, metal sculpture, and more provide a rare glimpse into the rich culture of Cameroon unavailable almost anywhere else.

Marge Riley Education Gallery  |     |   More >

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Chuck Close Prints: Process and Collaboration

OCT 6, 2007 – JAN 6, 2008

Renowned painter and master printmaker, Chuck Close, challenges the accepted boundaries of traditional printmaking in his investigation into the principles of perception.

Curated for the Portland Art Museum by Annette Dixon, Curator of Prints and Drawings, The Vivian and Gordon Gilkey Center for Graphic Arts.

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APEX: Ann Gale

OCT 13, 2007 – FEB 10, 2008

Psychologically charged, Gale’s fragmented, tension-filled portraits capture many hours of shifting light and changing emotion in one concentrated moment.

Developed and curated by Jennifer A. Gately.

The Wintercross Foundation Gallery  |     |   More >

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New on the Wall: Recent Photo Acquisitions

FEB 23, 2008 – JUN 15, 2008

Explore the Museum's latest photography acquisitions in a thought–provoking exhibition that illustrates the diverse photographic concerns and activities of more than 50 artists.

The exhibition is organized by the Portland Art Museum and curated by Terry Toedtemeier, Curator of Photography.

Vivian & Gordon Gilkey Center For Graphic Arts  |     |   More >

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In Winter, Silk Linings: The Kimono in Print

NOV 17, 2007 – FEB 17, 2008

Japan’s national costume, the kimono, is more than a garment. Explore the significance of kimono ensembles in the Museum’s distinguished collection of woodblock prints.

Guest-curated by Lynn Katsumoto.

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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Silver

The Museum’s extensive silver collection is comprised of more than 100 pieces, ranging from a 15th-century drinking bowl to a spectacular Rococo cup and cover with maker’s marks of Lewis Herne and Francis Butty.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Asian Art

Renowned for the depth and breadth of its holdings in Japanese prints and early Chinese art, the Asian art collection consists of nearly 4,000 Japanese, Chinese, and Korean objects dating from the 3rd millennium BCE to today.

Curated by Maribeth Graybill, Ph.D., Curator of Asian Art.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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American Art

The Museum’s significant collection of American paintings and sculptures provides an overview of the history of American art and includes works by Childe Hassam, J. Alden Weir, John Sloan, and George Inness.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Modern and Contemporary Art

Since its founding, the Museum has closely followed and supported contemporary art. Featured in the six-floor Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art, this collection holds work dating from the early 20th century.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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European Art:

APR 13, 1992 – APR 13, 1982

European art has been at the core of the permanent collection since the Museum's first acquisition: 100 casts of Greek and Roman sculptures. The collection is comprised of works dating from Classical Antiquity to the 19th century.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Native American Art

The Museum's collection of Native American art, remarkable for both its depth and diversity, consists of more than 5,000 prehistoric and historic objects created by some 200 cultural groups from throughout North America.

Curated by Anna Strankman, Curator of Native American Art.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Northwest Art

The vast Northwest art collection distinguishes the Museum from other regional institutions. Consisting of historical and contemporary works by artists in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming, the holdings trace the history of the region's art.

Curated by Jennifer A. Gately, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Photography

The 5,000 works in the Photography Collection span the history of the medium as fine art in the 19th and 20th centuries, with emphasis on 20th–century photography in Oregon and the West.

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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Mixografia: Innovation and Collaboration:

JAN 10, 2009 – APR 26, 2009

Mixografia was founded in 1968 in Mexico City by Luis and Lea Remba as a fine print workshop for collaboration on print editions. Celebrated Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo’s desire for more volume and texture in his prints inspired Luis Remba to invent a process that permitted the printing of images in relief with fine surface detail.The exhibition is organized by the Portland Art Museum and curated by Annette Dixon, Ph.D., curator of prints and drawings.

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Prints and Drawings:

NOV 8, 2007 – NOV 9, 2012

The largest of the Museum’s collections ranges from the 12th century to today and features works by Cézanne, Rembrandt, Matisse, and Picasso. An invaluable resource, the more than 20,000 works are accessible to visitors in the Haber Study Room.

Curated by Annette Dixon, Ph.D., Curator of Prints and Drawings.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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James Castle:

NOV 10, 2007 – DEC 31, 2007

Explore works from the Museum's holdings and local collections by James Castle (1900–1977), who is often considered one of the most prominent, self-taught outsider artists of our time.

Curated by Jennifer A. Gately, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art.

Richard & Deanne Rubinstein Gallery  |     |   More >

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Contemporary Northwest Art Awards:

JUN 14, 2008 – SEP 14, 2008

Experience the diversity of contemporary art thriving in the Northwest. Presenting new work by the award recipients — Dan Attoe, Cat Clifford, Jeffry Mitchell, Whiting Tennis, and Marie Watt — this inaugural exhibition is at the core of the summer program.

Developed and curated by Jennifer A. Gately, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art.

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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Rock/Paper/Scissors: Postwar European Works from the Collection

NOV 30, 2007 – APR 21, 2009

Follow post–World War II European sculpture as it evolves from the traditional figure on a pedestal to ever–larger installation works based in new materials such as hemp and burlap.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Patt & Mark Suwyn Louisiana-Pacific Foundation Gallery  |     |   More >

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Klaus Moje:

MAY 31, 2008 – SEP 7, 2008

For more than 50 years, Klaus Moje has pushed the boundaries of the capabilities of glass. This 30–year retrospective traces Moje’s artistic progression and features the debut of The Portland Panels: Choreographed Geometry.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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Wild Beauty: Photographs of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867-1957:

OCT 4, 2008 – JAN 11, 2009

From rock formations to waterfalls, vast curves and bends to massive mountain views, the Columbia River Gorge’s beauty has been an inspiration to professional and amateur photographers alike for nearly 150 years. The images in Wild Beauty, a 90-year photographic survey of the Columbia River Gorge, comprise some of the most striking and poignant pictures taken of the area from 1867 to 1957.

Organized by the Portland Art Museum and curated by Terry Toedtemeier, Curator of Photography.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Richard Deacon

JAN 26, 2008 – JUN 1, 2008

Portland Art Museum will present a new monumental sculpture by internationally celebrated British artist Richard Deacon.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator, and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Portland Art Museum  |     |   More >

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APEX: Jenene Nagy

FEB 16, 2008 – JUN 22, 2008

See the latest site–specific installation by Portland artist Jenene Nagy, who questions the need to invent idealized spaces with imaginative landscapes that blur the boundaries between built and natural environments.

Developed and curated by Jennifer A. Gately, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art.

The Wintercross Foundation Gallery  |     |   More >

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Clear Cut: Sculptures in wood from Northwest collections

NOV 10, 2007 – MAR 3, 2008

From the tradesman’s sign and the whirligig to the Cigar Store Indian and the rocking horse – wood carving formed the backbone of historic American folk art, and represents some of the first forays into sculpture in the United States. Providing a continuing inspiration for 20th-century sculptors, folk art forms find fresh echo in Clear Cut, a selection of post-World War II works drawn from Museum recent acquisitions and northwest collections.

Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

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Every Picture Tells a Story: Persian Narrative Painting

FEB 16, 2008 – JUL 27, 2008

Epic and lyrical Persian poetry form the foundation for the works in this presentation, which highlights the Shähnameh or Book of Kings, the Iranian national epic and a world literature masterpiece often unknown to English readers.

Curated by Maribeth Graybill, Ph.D., Curator of Asian Art.

Brantley Gallery  |     |   More >

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APEX: Marc Dombrosky

JUN 28, 2008 – OCT 26, 2008

Experience Tacoma artist Marc Dombrosky's unique investigation into language, community, and place.

Co-curated by Jennifer A. Gately, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art, and Marnie P. Stark, Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings.

The Wintercross Foundation Gallery  |     |   More >

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China Design Now:

OCT 10, 2009 – JAN 17, 2010

Explore the recent explosion of critically compelling design and architecture projects created in China, contextualizing the impact of rapid economic development on these projects in three of the country’s major cities—Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

Adult - $15 (includes general admission)*
Seniors (55+) and Students (18 and older with ID) - $12 (includes general admission)*

* China Design Now is a timed entry exhibition. Advance tickets recommended and available at portlandartmuseum.org.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Ed Ruscha:

JUN 14, 2008 – SEP 21, 2008

Featuring two large triptychs, Azteca and Azteca in Decline, this exhibition explores Ed Ruscha's virtuosic trompe l’oeil technique and fascination with then and now, before and after.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, Chief Curator, and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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Celebrating Prints: Recent Acquisitions

JUN 21, 2008 – OCT 5, 2008

View a selection of prints acquired during the last five years by artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Sol LeWitt, and Kara Walker.

Co–curated by Annette Dixon, Ph.D., Curator of Prints and Drawings, and Marnie P. Stark, Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings.

Vivian & Gordon Gilkey Center For Graphic Arts  |     |   More >

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Making Merry: The Circus and Carnival in Graphic Art:

OCT 11, 2008 – JAN 4, 2009

From poetic drama or outrageous humor to awesome physical feats that stretch the imagination, carnivals and circuses dazzle audiences with their varied performances by clowns, acrobats, beasts, and beauties. Often viewed as a metaphor for the human condition and the absurdity of life, carnivals and circuses have intrigued artists for centuries.

Organized by the Portland Art Museum and curated by Marnie P. Stark.

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Gifts of Honor: Beaded Bags from the Columbia River Plateau:

AUG 30, 2008 – JUN 30, 2009

For centuries, Native American artists have embraced and incorporated new materials into their work, creating cultural expressions in innovative ways. In the 19th century, extensive intertribal trade networks and Euro-american traders supplied Native people of the Columbia River Plateau with a variety of highly prized new materials, including glass beads and cloth from Europe. Artists quickly appreciated the possibilities for artistic and cultural expression and adapted these materials in inventive ways.

Curated by Anna Strankman, Curator of Native American Art.

Marge Riley Education Gallery  |     |   More >

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Jonathan Lasker:

OCT 4, 2008 – JAN 11, 2009

Jonathan Lasker is one of a handful of painters to emerge at the end of the 1970s who brought forward a provocatively reinvented abstraction at a moment when painting was considered bankrupt. Neither a New Image painter nor Neo-Expressionist, Lasker harnessed compositional exactitude and certain tropes of abstraction with a richly physical paint handling to make a highly individualized post-modern painting.

This exhibition is part of an ongoing series of contemporary art exhibitions organized by Bruce Guenther, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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Eternal Celadon: Ceramics and Jades from East Asia:

AUG 9, 2008 – FEB 8, 2009

For thousands of years, the Chinese have treasured jade above gold or silver. Associated with magical healing powers and immortality, jade is extremely difficult to carve. Among ceramics, the celadons–green-glazed, high-fired wares nuanced with overtones of olive, gray, or blue–were prized not only for their resemblance to jade but because of the high level of technical sophistication they represent. This presentation brings together jades and ceramics from the Museum’s holdings and private collections to illustrate the resonance between stone and stoneware.

Organized and curated by Maribeth Graybill, Ph.D., the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Asian Art.

Brantley Gallery  |     |   More >

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APEX: MK Guth:

NOV 1, 2008 – MAR 1, 2009

Multidisciplinary artist MK Guth explores the concepts of personal and collective identity as understood through myth, fairytales, and heroic figures.

Curated by Jennifer A. Gately, Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art.

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La volupté du goût: French Painting in the Age of Madame de Pompadour:

FEB 7, 2009 – MAY 17, 2009

Experience some of the most sumptuous paintings ever made when the Portland Art Museum and Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours, bring La volupté du goût: French Painting in the Age of Madame de Pompadour to Portland for its exclusive U.S. presentation.

Curated by Philippe Le Leyzour, Director, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours, and Penelope Hunter-Stiebel, Consulting Curator of European Art, Portland Art Museum. The Portland installation design and interpretation were led by Chief Curator Bruce Guenther and Tina Olsen, Director of Education and Public Programs.This exhibition has received major organizational support from FRAME (French Regional and American Museum Exchange).

Belluschi Building  |     |   More >

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Rachel Whiteread:

JAN 17, 2009 – MAY 3, 2009

Having exhibited at the 47th Venice Biennale and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Rachel Whiteread is one of Britain’s most celebrated women sculptors working on the international stage.

This exhibition is part of an ongoing series of contemporary art exhibitions organized by Bruce Guenther, curator of modern and contemporary art.

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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Virtual Worlds: M.C. Escher and Paradox

JUN 6, 2009 – SEP 13, 2009

Printmaker Maurits Cornelis Escher (Dutch, 1898-1972) created visual puzzles in which logic and absurdity coexist. This exhibition traces the development of the artist’s work from his early stylized depictions of landscape and architecture to his later use of repeated geometric patterns.

The exhibition is organized by the Portland Art Museum and curated by Annette Dixon, Ph.D., curator of prints and drawings.

Julie Neupert Stott Gallery and the Jackie and Jerry Inskeep Gallery  |     |   More >

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APEX: Chris Jordan:

MAR 7, 2009 – JUL 12, 2009

Through Running the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait, a large-format series of digital collages comprised of repeatedly patterned photographic images, Seattle-based artist Chris Jordan visualizes statistics that are easy to overlook.

APEX: Chris Jordan is curated by Ingrid Berger, curatorial assistant.

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PNCA at 100:

JUN 6, 2009 – SEP 13, 2009

PNCA at 100 will celebrate the centennial of the Museum Art School, now Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, chief curator and curator of modern and contemporary art.

Collins Gallery and Schnitzer Sculpture Court  |     |   More >

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Sensitive Vision: The Prints of Beth Van Hoesen:

MAY 2, 2009 – AUG 16, 2009

This retrospective of prints by San Francisco artist Beth Van Hoesen features approximately 70 prints drawn from the permanent collection of the Portland Art Museum.

The exhibition is organized by the Portland Art Museum and curated by Annette Dixon, Ph.D., curator of prints and drawings.

Helen Copeland Gallery and the Adams Foundation Foyer  |     |   More >

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Ganesha: A New Elephant for Portland:

FEB 14, 2009 – SEP 28, 2009

The Portland Art Museum’s new stone sculpture of the Hindu god Ganesha made its debut Saturday, February 14 in the Brantley Gallery.

Curated by Maribeth Graybill, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Asian Art

Brantley Gallery  |     |   More >

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Sanford Biggers:

MAY 16, 2009 – AUG 30, 2009

New York-based artist Sanford Biggers is recognized for complex, richly evocative installations centered on themes of identity and history. This installation, titled Blossom, is a mixed media work incorporating a massive tree, found piano, and Biggers' compositional reworking of Billie Holiday's 1939 jazz anthem Strange Fruit.

Curated by Chief Curator Bruce Guenther.

Jubitz Center Modern & Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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Marking Portland: The Art of Tattoo:

JUN 20, 2009 – SEP 13, 2009

Experience the art of tattoo – through time and across cultures – with Museum-wide kiosks showcasing tattoo-related art from the permanent collections and interactive, multimedia presentations featuring Portland-area tattoos and their stories.

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APEX: Joseph Park:

JUL 18, 2009 – NOV 15, 2009

Inspired by film noir and animation in his early work, Seattle-based artist Joseph Park’s recent paintings comprise a complex visual structure built upon reflections and foreboding narrative situations from a range of photographic sources.

Curated by Chief Curator Bruce Guenther.

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Word and Image/Word as Image:

AUG 22, 2009 – NOV 29, 2009

Featuring works by artists from Albrecht Dürer to Ed Ruscha, this exhibition examines the relationship between word and image in prints over the course of more than 500 years, from the Renaissance to today.

Helen Copeland Gallery and the Adams Foundation Foyer  |     |   More >

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DISQUIETED:

FEB 20, 2010 – MAY 16, 2010

DISQUIETED will explore the doubt and anxiety that characterize contemporary life.

Organized by the Portland Art Museum and curated by Bruce Guenther, curator of modern and contemporary art.

Schnitzer Sculpture Court, the Julie Neupert Stott Gallery, the Jackie and Jerry Inskeep Gallery, and the Collins Gallery  |     |   More >

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Raphael: The Woman with the Veil:

OCT 24, 2009 – JAN 3, 2010

Don’t miss the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view Raphael’s renowned painting La Velata (The Woman with the Veil), opening October 24.

Curated by Brian Ferriso, The Marilyn H. and Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. Director

Adult - $17 (includes general admission and China Design Now)*
Seniors (55+) and Students (18 and older with ID) - $14 (includes general admission and China Design Now)

* Raphael: The Woman with the Veil is a timed entry exhibition. Advance tickets recommended and available at portlandartmuseum.org.

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Beyond Place: Recent Photography Acquisitions:

DEC 5, 2009 – MAR 14, 2010

Beyond Place: Recent Photography Acquisitions explores place as a subject in photographs by an international roster of artists. The selected works are mostly free of the human figure and focus instead on the power of the photograph to imaginatively transport the viewer, to inspire emotional musings, and to reveal the unknown.

Bruce Guenther, curator of modern and contemporary art

Helen Copeland Gallery and the Adams Foundation Foyer  |     |   More >

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The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb's Book of Genesis:

JUN 12, 2010 – SEP 19, 2010

This summer, the Museum will present the drama and sweep of the Book of Genesis as illustrated by the internationally celebrated artist R. Crumb.

Host curator: Bruce Guenther, curator of modern and contemporary art.

The Julie Neupert Stott Gallery, the Jackie and Jerry Inskeep Gallery, and the Collins Gallery  |     |   More >

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A Pioneering Collection: Master Drawings from the Crocker Art Museum:

JUN 12, 2010 – SEP 19, 2010

This exhibition of Old Master drawings from the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento consists of 56 of the most handsome works in the collection, dating from the late 15th through the 19th centuries.

A Pioneering Collection: Master Drawings from the Crocker Art Museum was organized by the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA. Host curator: Annette Dixon, Ph.D., curator of prints and drawings.

Helen Copeland Gallery and the Adams Foundation Foyer  |     |   More >

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Cy Twombly:

FEB 6, 2010 – MAY 16, 2010

This exhibition showcases three recent works that illuminate Cy Twombly's deep interest in painting and poetry, line and word.

Curated by Bruce Guenther, curator of modern and contemporary art.

Fourth floor galleries of the Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art  |     |   More >

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More Than a Pretty Face: 150 Years of the Portrait Print:

MAR 20, 2010 – MAY 30, 2010

Featuring some 70 works by artists ranging from James McNeill Whistler to Chuck Close, this exhibition focuses on the portrait print from the late 19th to the early 21st century.

Curated by Annette Dixon, Ph.D., curator of prints and drawings.

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Private Passions: Snuff Bottles and Ceramic Jarlets:

DEC 16, 2009 – JUL 11, 2010

Private Passions marks the public debut of two collections recently given to the Museum: The Maybelle Clark Macdonald Collection of Chinese and Japanese Snuff Bottles and the Jeanne Gunther Hemphill Collection of Asian Ceramics.

Curated by Maribeth Graybill, Ph.D., the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Asian Art.

Brantley Gallery  |     |   More >

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Surrounded by Beauty: Selections from the Elizabeth Cole Butler Bequest:

DEC 16, 2009 – JUL 11, 2010

Surrounded by Beauty: Selections from the Elizabeth Cole Butler Bequest celebrates the generosity of Elizabeth Cole Butler and her vision to share works of Native American art with the public.

Curated by Anna Strankman, curator of Native American art.

Marge Riley Education Gallery  |     |   More >

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