The Magic of Signs: American and European Art of the 1950s and 60s from the Collection of Richard S. Zeisler ’37
The installation presents European and American sculptures, prints, and works in other media from the 1950s and 60s donated and bequeathed to Amherst College by Richard S. Zeisler, Class of 1937. Featured artists include such significant figures as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Eduardo Chillida, Niki de Saint Phalle, Ilya Bolotowsky and Mary Bauermeister. Although their artistic approaches range from geometrical abstraction to colorful narration—Bolotowsky’s Double Column, Red, Blue and Yellow (1972) refers to Concrete Art, Chillida’s Plaque #4 (1958) appears archaic, andSaint Phalle’s You Are My Bird (1968) evokes a sensual fairy tale—their work demonstrates a common interest in the impact of ambiguous forms and sign systems. In this way, all of the fifteen artworks presented here invite viewers to engage with the magical world of their signs and explore their sense.
On April 27 at 4:00 p.m. Bettina Jungen, Thomas P. Whitney (Class of 1937) Curator of Russian Art, will present a talk of the exhibition.