WESTERN- FLAVORED SUMMER WITH EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS, JUNE 10 � AUGUST 22
See a video on the exhibition
Two spectacular Western art exhibits open June 10 at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, along with paintings and drawing by Aron Wiesenfeld. Other exciting events and projects are planned for a summer-long celebration of Western culture.
The Masterworks of Western Paintings features panoramic, colorful and lyrical paintings of the nineteenth century by Albert Bierstadt. His melodramatic canvases of the Sierras created an atmosphere that was innovative to the West. The exhibit then moves to the Southwest, to the chroniclers of the 1890s through 1927: Maynard Dixon, Walter Ufer, Joseph Sharp and others who depicted the vistas, grand canyons, monolithic forms of red and ocher buttes, Native Americans and cowboys on their horses. Other artists include: Edgar Payne, George Catlin, Conrad Buff, Carl Oscar Borg, Edward Borein, and Frank Tenney Johnson.
�These are paintings by the very biggest names in Western art,� said Curator Emily Falke. �We are privileged to have these paintings in our gallery.�
The Best of the West: Bakersfield Collects exhibit is comprised of works from 17 lenders from Kern County with eclectic western collections. Over 140 pieces will be in the show, including paintings, watercolors, bronze and wood sculptures, etchings, ceramics, buffalo heads, artifacts including spurs, bits, saddles, ropes, bridles, blankets, guns boots, hats and chaps, and stage coaches. Pieces date from the early 1900s to the present and depict Native American art, cowboys and Southwestern contemporary art.
�This is going to be tremendously popular in Kern County, given our Western heritage and the ranching history here. So many people in this area enjoy Western art and they are going to be surprised and pleased at the amount of pieces here on exhibition,� said Beth Pandol, director of marketing for the Museum. �These are pieces from some amazing collections and we�re very lucky to have them for exhibition.�
Both The Masterworks of Western Paintings and Best of the West: Bakersfield Collects are presented by: Wells Fargo Bank, Aera Energy LLC, Tejon Ranch, Citizens Business Bank and The Bakersfield Californian. Sponsors include: Historical Collections Council of California, MaryLee & Phil Zander, Ginnie & Stan Eschner, KERO ABC 23, Valley Public Television, Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center and Frankie and E.G. Berchtold.
The pieces are on loan from
Gene Autry Museum of Western Art
Irvine Museum
John Bloomberg Collection
George Stern
Ray Redfern Galleries
Additionally, the Wells Fargo �Buffalo Bill� stagecoach will be on display for the evening.
Also opening on June 10 is Aron Wiesenfeld: Paintings and Drawings. This mysterious and visceral retrospective is a cross section of the work Wiesenfeld has been doing for the past five years. The subjects of these drawings and paintings confront perilous circumstances on quixotic paths. They are often pilgrims, refugees, or nomads, traveling through the silent, �non� places of the world, between the cultivated and the wild. This exhibit is sponsored by KERO ABC 23.
The June 10 opening will also feature the lively music of Highway 65 and hors d�oeuvres by Big Mike�s Ragin� BBQ and Bakersfield Marriott. Cost is $5 for members, $10 non-members.
As part of the Best of the West theme, the Bakersfield Museum of Art, along with The Bakersfield Californian and KERO ABC 23, will collect stories from local residents about how their families came to live in the West. �Going West � The Story of How Our Family Came to the Western U.S.� is a project to chronicle the stories of the journeys families took, either in the distant past or recently, to live in the Western states. Residents are asked to submit stories of no more than 500 words of how their families moved to the West, whether that be on a wagon train or by an airplane from Asia, along with incidents, details and historical information that tell the story of moving west. (additional press release to come)
These stories of �Going West� will be featured on July 31, 10 a.m. � 2 p.m., at the �Go West Day� at the Museum. �Go West Day� will feature children�s arts and crafts, cowboy activities, storytelling, music, food and more. Admission will be $1 and will include admission to the galleries. The day is sponsored by The Bakersfield Californian and KERO ABC 23.
Download a flyer and submission form for "Going West."
Exhibitions run from June 10 �August 22, with an opening reception on June 10 at 6 p.m. Members are admitted for $5 and non-members are admitted for $10. There will be appetizers, no-host bar and entertainment. For more information call 661-323-7219.
Looking for a western-themed book for summer? Check out this reading list from the Kern County Library.