Art Museum of South Texas Brings Masterpieces of American Modernism Exhibition to Corpus Christi

Sep 30, 2018

AMST newest exhibition opens to the public Friday, September 14 with a Members Preview Reception on Thursday, September 13 at 5:30-7 p.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The exhibition, Masterpieces of American Modernism from the Vilcek Collection of American Art will be on display at the Art Museum of South Texas (AMST) September 14, 2018 through January 6, 2019. The collaborative curatorial partnership between AMST and the Vilcek Foundation in New York City brings 50 works by 15 major 20th century artists from the Vilcek Collection to Corpus Christi. Marica and Jan Vilcek have assembled an amazing collection of masterworks representative of a crucial time period in the history of American art.  The American Modernist Collection is a promised gift to the Vilcek Foundation, reflects the Vilcek’s love for the art of this country.

In 1965, Dr. Jan T. and Marica Vilcek immigrated to the USA. When asked what drew them to collect American art, Marica responded that the final stage of their immigration was embracing the art of the country that they feel has embraced them. The Curator of the Vilcek Collection, Emily Schuchardt Navratil, states that the collection reflects the Vilcek’s love for American art and the impact immigrants have on it, with eight of the 28 artists in their collection born outside the USA.

Drawn to depictions of New York City, they collected art of the place they have called home for over 50 years and thus images of the city represent an important aspect. George Ault’s “View from Brooklyn, 1927,” is a scene of deep snow in the foreground followed by a continuous row of dark windows of a factory with distant atmospheric views of the city. Similarly, seven works by Stuart Davis strike a chord between abstraction and realism, highlighting the chaos and joy of everyday life in the city using color, shape and pattern to communicate complex space relationships.

The Vilcek Collection includes multiple works by each artist including Oscar Bluemner’s “Sonnet Series,” Ralston Crawford’s “Torn Sign” group, and several pieces by Stanton MacDonald Wright, Morgan Russell, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Andrew Dasburg. Themes throughout the collection highlight the virtues of details in landscape and architecture. Tone and form within these subjects are still evident today as noted in the initial AMST building, designed by another master of American Modernism, architect Philip Johnson.

For more information and to schedule an interview with the visiting collector or curator, contact Karol Stewart at 361.825.3513.

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The Art Museum of South Texas, located at 1902 N. Shoreline Blvd. Corpus Christi, Texas is open to the public Tuesday – Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm. and is closed on Monday.  For admission information details contact the museum at 361-825-3500 or visit www.artmuseumofsouthtexas.org