Exhibitions

On Press: Women Printmakers of the Early 20th Century

July 15, 2023 - October 8, 2023

Despite women taking an active role in the American art scene since the mid-1830s, they still faced many challenges in a male dominated field by the turn of the century. By the early 1900s, the prospect of formal training and having a career as a female artist had become a reality, in part by the support of institutions, programs, and groups that practiced a gender-inclusive and democratic approach to art such as the Art Students League of New York, the American Artists Group, and federally funded opportunities like the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project. This exhibition presents works on paper by female artists, from 1900 through the 1950s, who were seizing on these new opportunities and laying the foundation for future generations of artists. The etchings, woodcuts, and lithographs included in the exhibition range from portraits to landscapes and genre scenes that reflect the social realities of the time. Artists in the exhibition include Peggy Bacon, Minna Citron, Lucienne Bloch, and more.

American Realism: Visions of America 1900–1950

September 9, 2023 - December 30, 2023

Drawn from the collections of the Flint Institute of Arts, Muskegon Museum of Art, and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, American Realism highlights paintings, works on paper, and sculpture from the 1900–1950 that capture the evolving experience of 20th century America. The closing of the 19th century and first decades of the 20th century saw massive changes in the American Art scene, as artists, still heavily influenced by Western European art centers, began to aggressively seek to define a new “American Art.” Fueled by trade, industry, and immigration, New York grew into a dominant international city, easily rivaling its European counterparts as a hub of finance and culture. Artists responded to this transformative period with explorations of the changing social scene and growing urban landscape, resulting in a revolutionary time for American art. 

Drawing primarily from the collections of three Michigan museums–the Flint Institute of Arts, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, and the Muskegon Museum of Art, the show begins in the early 1900s and continues through the 1940s, highlighting artists whose work sought to define the era. The exhibition will feature the works of such well-known artists like Robert Henri, George Bellows, Guy Pene du Bois, Edward Hopper, Peggy Bacon, Reginald Marsh, Hughie Lee-Smith, and many others, including Michigan artists who too sought to define the changing ways of living. Emphasis will be given to women and artists of color active during this period, sharing a deeper look into the stories and lives of the era. 

After its premiere at the Muskegon Museum of Art, American Realism will travel to the Flint Institute of Arts and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

Exhibition Dates:

Muskegon Museum of Art: May 11 – August 27, 2023

Flint Institute of Arts: September 9 – December 30, 2023

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts: January 21 – April 14, 2024