Contemporary American Realism:
2008 Biennial

September 13 – November 2, 2008

Sponsored by Miriam and Ian Rolland Family Foundation and in part by Designer Craftsman Guild

Gallery of Images from this Exhibition

America has enjoyed a long, rich history of Realist art from Colonial times to the present. The Fort Wayne Museum of Art is pleased to expand the discourse on this enduring tradition by presenting Contemporary American Realism: 2008 Biennial.

For 2008, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art invited six Realists, a mix of established to mid-career and emerging artists, to participate in the exhibition. In their diverse works, Don Jacot, Dave Kurz, Richard Maury, Maria Tomasula, John Tuccillo, and Vincent Valdez successfully push Realism in different directions.

The majority of the exhibition, however, is devoted to representing the current trends in Realist painting, sculpture, and drawing across the country. One hundred artists were selected from an outpouring of entrants from large and small communities in 28 different states, an even broader representation than in 2006. This overwhelming response confirms that there are Realist artists working throughout the entire country and challenges the notion of New York City’s dominance as the country’s artistic center.

Although a seemingly narrow focus, the art in this exhibition presents a vast range of ideas, approaches, styles, and subject matter. Some artists are building and expanding upon the legacies of Photorealism, Magic Realism, trompe l’oeil, and urban realism. Others strive to capture light and texture, or delve into the psychology of the situation or sitter. Several create fantastic and macabre narrations or even border on abstraction.

Contemporary American Realism: 2008 Biennial will be accompanied by an exhibition catalogue with an essay by former Director of the National Academy of Design, Dr. Annette Blaugrund and Dr. Donald Kuspit, Professor of Art and Philosophy, SUNY at Stony Brook.

Lecture & Opening Reception

Friday, September 12, 2008

Free FWMoA members / $5 non-members

Lecture – 6:30 pm (gallery doors open at 6 pm)
Opening Reception – 7:30 – 9 pm

Catering by Tony Ficaro of Splendid Fare

RSVP to Brian Wagner at 422-6467, ext 341 or wagner@fwmoa.org prior to September 8.

Silver members and above are invited to join Executive Director Charles Shepard for a Preview Cocktail Party at 5:30 pm in the Auer Library. Please RSVP to Brian Wagner.

The guest lecturer for this evening is renowned artist Susanna Coffey, 2008 Biennial juror.

Realism Symposium

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Mark your calendar for the Museum’s first symposium — American Realism Explored — will feature renowned art historians Dr. Erika Doss from the University of Notre Dame and Dr. Robert Cozzolino of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.