Past Exhibition

Stilleven: Contemporary Still Life

September 12 – December 20, 2015

Melvin Henderson-Rubio Gallery

Stilleven (the Dutch word for still life) features work by contemporary artists from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia who focus on still life in their artwork. Organized by Director John Olbrantz and Collection Curator Jonathan Bucci, the exhibition features paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, glass, and mixed media by 27 artists, including Katherine Ace, Holly Andres, David Giese, Norman Lundin, Flora Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick, Henk Pander, and Sherrie Wolf (a complete artist list).

With origins in antiquity and the late Gothic period, still life painting emerged as an important theme in Western painting by the late 16th and early 17th centuries. While still life reached its zenith in the hands of the Dutch and Flemish masters of the 17th century, it has continued to be an important if under-recognized genre for the past three centuries.

Beginning in the 20th century still life has expanded beyond the simple observation of inanimate objects to embrace a variety of approaches and intents. Some of the artists in this exhibition, such as Norman Lundin, use still life themes to explore formalist issues of atmosphere and light, while others such as Amjad Faur use it to make social or political statements. David Giese has created wildly fanciful and improbable still life compositions, and Karen Hackenberg use still life themes to address environmental issues such as pollution, the importance of recycling, and waste. For many artists in the exhibition, art historical references abound.

EXHIBITION RELATED EVENTS

Lecture
Stealing Art: Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal

Friday, September 11, 2015 at 5 p.m.
Paulus Lecture Hall
Willamette University College of Law
245 Winter St. SE
Campus map: building #11
Free and open to the public

Portland painter and printmaker Sherrie Wolf will discuss her work over the past 35 years; Wolf is featured in a small solo exhibition, Sherrie Wolf: Object Lessons, in the Study Gallery and Print Study Center as well as being included in the Stilleven: Contemporary Still Life exhibition.

Exhibition Opening Reception

Friday, September 10, 2015 at 6 p.m.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
RSVP (acceptances only): museum-art@willamette.edu or call 503-370-6855

Evening for Educators

Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, 4:30 - 6 p.m.
The Maribeth Collins Lobby and Melvin Henderson-Rubio Gallery 

Educators are invited to join education curator Elizabeth Garrison and exhibition curator Jonathan Bucci for a preview of the exhibition, “Stilleven: Contemporary Still Life” at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. This workshop is designed to help teachers prepare students for a field trip to the exhibition, as well as broaden curriculum concepts for use in the classroom. The exhibition continues through Dec. 20. Advance registration for this free workshop is required by Sept. 28 by calling 503-370-6855.

A Teachers Guide for this exhibition will be available September 30. 

| Teachers Guide | School Tours | Join our Educator List |

Family Activity Day

Saturday, October 10, 2015, noon - 4:00 p.m.
The Maribeth Collins Lobby and Melvin Henderson Rubio Gallery
Family Activity Day includes a number of still life art projects for children and their families.
Admission is complimentary.

Tuesday Gallery Talks

Join docents at the museum for a guided tour of the exhibition. Tours commence at 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday between September 15, 2015 - December 15, 2015.
Free and open to the public.

Financial support for this exhibition has been provided by general operating support grants from the City of Salem’s Transient Occupancy Tax funds and the Oregon Arts Commission.