Viola Frey, American, 1933-2004. The Decline and Fall of Western Civilization, 1992. Ceramic and glazes. 95 x 202 x 66 inches. Artists’ Legacy Foundation, Oakland, CA. 2019 © Artists’ Legacy Foundation / Licensed by ARS, New York.
Monumental: The Art of Viola Frey
March 14, 2020 - October 25, 2020
Harris - Burger GalleryThis exhibition includes drawings, glass, and ceramics from the last 15 years of California artist Viola Frey’s life. When asked about her early artistic influences, Frey answered, “I had to make my own culture.” She found inspiration at her family’s farm in Lodi, California. From the discarded farm machinery that littered their property to trinkets from the local flea market, everyday items influenced her subject matter. In college she discovered art history and incorporated elements like ancient vessels alongside pop culture references. In the mid-1970s, Frey’s art took on the monumental scale for which she is most well known. Her backyard in Oakland, California, doubled as her studio for over two decades until she moved to an even larger space where she continued to create bigger, brighter artwork until her death in 2004.
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Installation
From the Exhibition
Viola Frey, American, 1933–2004. Western Civilization Series, 2000. Ceramic and glazes. 90 x 70 inches. Artists’ Legacy Foundation, Oakland, CA. 2019 © Artists’ Legacy Foundation / Licensed by ARS, New York
Viola Frey, American, 1933–2004. Untitled, Fighting Men Series, 2001. Glass and china paint. 14 x 9 x 9 inches. Artists’ Legacy Foundation, Oakland, CA. 2019 © Artists’ Legacy Foundation / Licensed by ARS, New York. Photographed by M. Lee Fatherree
Viola Frey, American, 1933–2004. Western Civilization Diptych #4, 1997. Pastel on paper, 41 1/2 x 59 1/4 inches. Artists’ Legacy Foundation, Oakland, CA. 2019 © Artists’ Legacy Foundation / Licensed by ARS, New York
