The de Saisset Museum presents LandsCApes: Glimpses of Everyday California on view January 15 thrugh January 28, 2011.
We live in a fast-paced world where cell phones, email, Wi-Fi, and Twitter keep us constantly connected. We frequently rush through our days, focused on the tasks at hand or the desire to reach our final destination. Although we see the world around us, we often forget to really look—to notice subtle shifts in the seasons or the way new development alters a landscape. The artists in this exhibition dare to slow down, to examine their surroundings, and to give shape to the sites of everyday California.
Ryan Reynolds, I-80, 2008, oil on five panels, 12 x 36 inches, courtesy of the artist
LandsCApes: Glimpses of Everyday California assembles a diverse group of artists, who work in a variety of mediums, ranging from painting and sculpture to prints and photography. Together, the pieces in this exhibition present a multi-faceted view of California. Through the eyes of these artists, landscape becomes much more than pristine wilderness; it includes industrial sites, city views, seascapes, congested highways, and endless stretches of farmland. The works depict California’s landscape as the embodiment of awe and wonder—untouched nature at its best; a product of inevitability—the forward march of growth and progress; and sometimes a site of conflict—the collision between humans and nature.
The images in this show reveal glimpses of the everyday. The artists use real sites as inspiration, often venturing no further than a short drive from home. And, in the process they call attention to the landsCApes we sometimes fail to notice.
Artists in this exhibition include Todd Hido, Yvonne Jacquette, Chelsea James, Richard Misrach, Ryan Reynolds, and Chris Sicat among others.
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