Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood

FAIN: GI-50633-14

Peabody Essex Museum, Inc. (Salem, MA 01970-3726)
Lynda Roscoe Hartigan (Project Director: August 2013 to April 2017)

Implementation of a major exhibition that explores the work of American artist Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975).

The Peabody Essex Museum is organizing "Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood," the first major Benton exhibition in 25 years. The exhibition will take a fresh approach to this quintessential 20th-century American artist by revealing the important connections between Benton's art and popular movies, as well as how both expanded the role of storytelling in 20th- century America. Benton developed a cinematic style of painting that melded European art historical traditions and modern movie production techniques that he learned while working on silent movie sets in the early 1900s. After opening in 2015 at PEM, the show will travel to the co-organizing institutions: the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (NAMA), the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (ACMAA), and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Associated Products

American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood (Catalog)
Title: American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood
Author: Austen Barron Bailly
Abstract: Thomas Hart Benton was a thoroughly American artist. His regionally focused paintings and murals depicted everyday American life as well as the country’s history. This volume focuses on one of Benton's most American associations: Hollywood. Not only did Benton create commissioned murals and portraits of film stars and movies, but he also developed a style that was highly cinematic. This volume is the first to collect all the works conceived by Benton for the film industry. It includes ephemera, photographs, and documents of Benton at work, along with a series of thought-provoking essays that explore a diverse array of topics—from Benton’s engagement with American identity, to parallels between his use of Old Master methods and film production techniques. Fans of Thomas Hart Benton will find surprising insights into his career, while those fascinated by Hollywood history will discover how one of America’s most revered artists shaped and was in turn influenced by the film industry. The exhibition American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood will be on view June 6, 2015 to September 7, 2015.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://pemshop.com/products/american-epics-thomas-hart-benton-and-hollywood
Catalog Type: Exhibition Catalog
Publisher: Prestel/DelMonico Books

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