Portraiture has a long and distinguished history in Western New York that includes turn-of-the-century photopictorialist photographers Howard Beach and Clara Sipprell, highly regarded regional portrait painters Tony Sisti and George Palmer, documentary photographer Milton Rogovin, illustrators Philip Burke and Alan Cober, and other contemporary artists such as Hallwalls founding members Robert Longo, Cindy Sherman and Ellen Carey. Portraits (and in some cases self-portraits) in all media not only represent a sampling of the achievements of artists associated with Western New York, they also provide a valuable commentary on our social history.
This exhibition consists of photographs, drawings, paintings, and prints from the Gerald Mead Collection that date from the late nineteenth century to the present by artists who are an important part of the art history of this region. These artists include: Brendan Bannon, Howard Beach, Harvey Breverman, Philip Burke, Ellen Carey, Particia Carter, Alan Cober Max Collins, William Cooper, Annie Crawford, Alfred Dixon, Julia Douglas, Hal English, Jackie Felix, Wilhemina Godfrey, Les Krims, Alexander Levy, Robert Longo, Arnold Mesches, George Palmer, James Pappas, Frank Penfold, Juan Perdigeuro, Joseph Piccillo, Walter Prochownik, Agnes Robertson, Milton Rogovin, Clara Sipprell, Anthony Sisti, Peter Stephens and Joseph Whalen among others. This overview of portraiture from several decades (the works date from 1883 to 2017) explores the range and depth of artistic expression in this genre and underscores the unique contributions made by the artists who have created these exceptional works. Additionally the artists included in this exhibition were associated with numerous art organizations such as the Buffalo Society of Artists, Patteran Society, Hallwalls, CEPA, Big Orbit and several area educational institutions.
Gerald Mead is an award winning artist and educator, arts writer and leading authority on Western New York art. He is currently an independent curator and serves on the boards of several arts organizations in Buffalo. Since 1987 he has assembled a private collection of over 1,100 artworks by artists associated with this region by birth or residency. Thematic exhibitions from the Gerald Mead Collection have been presented at numerous college and university galleries and other public venues, most recently at the Kenan Center in Lockport, NY. He has also lent works from his collection for major exhibitions at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Castellani Art Museum, UB Art Galleries, Buffalo Arts Studio, CEPA and Hallwalls and frequently lectures on art and collecting.
Exhibit coming this fall to the Townsend Gallery
The Townsend Gallery at the NACC Presents
FACES OF WESTERN NEW YORK:
Portraits from the Gerald Mead Collection
Oct 20—Nov 26, 2017