Where we keep finding treasures
By
Alec Clayton
Published in the Weekly Volcano, Feb. 7, 2019
"Four Seasons - Indian Summer," archival pigment print on Sunset Fiber rag, by Wendy Red Star, gift of Loren Lipson, courtesy the artist |
After
visiting the new Benaroya Wing at Tacoma Art Museum for the second time, I
wandered through the other galleries, which featured shows I had previously
reviewed, and was delighted to see how much I enjoyed revisiting these shows.
Which illustrates two important things about TAM: first, that exhibitions
remain on view much longer than exhibitions in commercial galleries (a full
year and a half, for instance, for American
Artists in the American West) and second, the tremendous variety of art on
exhibit in multiple galleries guarantees you’ll always find something to your
liking no matter how your taste runs.
I
admit to having biases. I was extremely skeptical when TAM opened the new wing
featuring the Haub Family Collection of Western Art, and again when they opened the new Rebecca and Jack
Benaroya Wing featuring glass art from Pilchuck. I was not anxious to see a
bunch of cowboy-and-Indian art, and I figured
Tacoma had quite enough glass art already, thank you very much. But I’m happy
to say I’ve been pleasantly surprised by much of the art in both those wings.
Currently,
one large gallery is devoted to the quiet, contemplative and structurally
strong black and white landscape photography of Terry Toedemeier with photos of natural phenomena in, mostly,
Oregon (and some in Washington). This show ends Feb. 17, so see it soon.
Not
to be missed is “Current,” a 30-foot long glass sculpture by
Martin Blank, installed in the museum lobby
during the run of the opening exhibition of the Benaroya Wing. Blank is the
artist who created the “Fluent Steps” in the reflecting pool at the Museum of
Glass. “Current” is a series of rough aquamarine slabs of glass mounted on and
behind metal strips and standing wood beams. It represents the flowing waters
of Puget Sound. It is monumental and stunning due to the sparkling color of the
glass, strong material contrasts and sheer size.
Jaune
Quick-to-See Smith is an internationally-known Native American artist whose work will be shown for
three months beginning March 9. Her “In the Footsteps of My
Ancestors” references traditional Native American art but is also as thoroughly
modern as a painting can be, with drawing and mark-making that call to mind
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Willem de Kooning and Fay Jones, with hints of early
Jackson Pollock before he started dripping paint.
Just
opened are Animals: Wild and Captured in
Bronze and Immigrant Artists and the
American West, both drawn from the Haub Family Collection; and coming soon is Native
Portraiture: Power and Perception, an
exhibition that counters romanticized and idealized portraits of Native
Americans by presenting portraits of American Indians by American Indians,
opening Feb 10. Also coming soon in the Hub Wing are Winter in the West and Places
to Call Home: Settlements in the West,
both opening Feb. 17.
Various
exhibitions, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday,
check website for closing dates, $15 adults, $13 students and seniors, free for
military and children 5 and younger, free Third Thursday from 5-8 p.m., Tacoma
Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, 253.272.4258, www.tacomaartmuseum.org.
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