Press

ALBANY, N.Y. - The dramatic loneliness of an Edward Hopper cityscape and the frantic pace of a John Sloan street corner will be among the realistic images displayed as In the City: Urban Views 1900-1940 Masterpieces from the Whitney Museum of Art at the New York State Museum from May 21 to July 11.

It is the second exhibit in the Fleet Great Art Exhibition and Education Program, which brings exhibits to Albany from New York City's great art museums. In the City follows the wildly popular Pop Art: Selections from the Museum of Modern Art. All exhibits will be in the State Museum's West Gallery.

The turbulence of World War I and the Great Depression fueled American artists as they depicted city life in the first 40 years of this century.
"These paintings uniquely capture the texture and spirit of the first half of this century. The exhibit brings to life the astonishing changes we experienced as a nation," said Mark Schaming, the State Museum's Director of Exhibitions.

Many of the works in the latest exhibition of the series will feature the Ashcan School led by Robert Henri. As their figurehead, Henri, encouraged these artists - including Sloan, Everett Shinn and George Luks - to paint urban life as they saw it and to break with the sentimental idealism of academic art.

These artists were the first in this country to draw their inspiration from modern city life in all its manifestations, not only the fashionable but the seamy side as well. Many got their start as newspaper artists, who would make hurried sketches on deadline to accompany a story in the next day's paper. They would be dispatched to a fire or riot scene, where they would take notes -- mentally and on paper -- hurry back to the newsroom and complete an illustration.

Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney built her collection by supporting these artists who responded to and recorded urban life. In 1914 she established the Whitney Studio, her first art gallery that soon became an important gathering place for artists. Hopper, Reginald Marsh and Sloan had their first solo exhibitions there. In 1931, Mrs. Whitney opened the Whitney Museum of American Art to exhibit work by living artists. Her founding collection of 700 works served as the focus of the Whitney Museum in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Fleet Great Art Series is made possible by a $450,000 donation from Fleet Financial Group. The Hearst Foundation Inc. has also given the State Museum a $100,000 grant to strengthen the program, which includes educational workshops for both students and adults. The State Museum, part of the State Education Department, is committed to lifelong learning for all New Yorkers.

State Sen. Roy M. Goodman, R-Manhattan, initiated these exhibits by encouraging the partnership between the State Museum and the great art museums of New York City.

Harry M. Rosenfeld, editor-at-large of the Times Union of Albany, was also instrumental in assisting the State Museum.

Additional support comes from WRVE 99.5, the (Albany) Times Union, WNYT News Channel 13 and Lang Media.

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*Call 518/474-0079 for slides.