Stacks Exhibit at Sweetwater Center for the Arts

Stacks

September 30 – October 28, 2011
Reception: Friday, September 30, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
*Featuring live music by DJ Soy Sos from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
*The reception coincides with the Sewickley Fall Gallery Walk and includes complimentary wine, refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres.

September 2011-September 2012 marks artist Romare Bearden’s centennial year. During his time he achieved recognition for his complex semiabstract collages of photographs and painted paper on canvas. The narrative structure of his work depicts African American culture, including ritual, music, and family as his predominant themes. By the 1960s Bearden was recognized as the preeminent collagist in the U.S. He is regarded as one of the most important American artists of the 20th century. Romare Bearden spent some time in Pittsburgh and went to high school at Peabody. A large part of his work was inspired by his time in Pittsburgh. Bearden also had a reputation and several endeavors to inspire and promote other African American and younger artists, namely The Studio Museum of Harlem and Cinque Gallery, both in New York City.

The show is titled Stacks based on Bearden’s reflections on the influence the smokestacks of Pittsburgh had on his work. Thinking about the idea of stacks as layers, Bearden created work in a collage aesthetic and used color and space all in stacks. Stacks also refers to artistic influence. As artists we stack ideas, techniques and environments. One artist influences another in stacks. Artists including Christiane Leach, Staycee Pearl, Blaine Siegel, and Brett Wormsley share their Bearden inspirations in various ways in this exhibition. Stacks is curated by Alisha Wormsley, a resident and teaching artist for many cultural institutions including The Romare Bearden Foundation.

Image: Love Scar VI by Christiane Leach

Sweetwater Center for the Arts
Free!

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.