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Lectures
Join us in the Auditorium for free, engaging lectures related to the featured exhibition Action/Abstraction.

Art After Dark Exhibition Lecture
Saturday, October 18
Lecture at 7:30 pm (Event starts at 6:30 pm)
Free to Members ($15 Guests)
Charlotte Eyerman, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Saint Louis Art Museum
Celebrate the opening of Action/Abstraction at this annual Members party. Enjoy an exhibition lecture by Charlotte Eyerman, curator of modern and contemporary art, as well as live music, dining in Puck's Restaurant, shopping, docent tours, and light refreshments.

Important: Registration is required, and this is a Member's event. Please visit www.slam.org/events or call 314.655.5381 to register or for more information.

Action/Abstraction
Tuesday, October 28
7:00 pm
Norman L. Kleeblatt
Susan & Elihu Rose Chief Curator, The Jewish Museum, New York
Charlotte Eyerman, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Saint Louis Art Museum

Norman Kleeblatt, curator of Action/Abstraction, will discuss the origins of the exhibition's ideas and the evolution of its presentation while emphasizing the exciting juxtapositions of art and the new insights about art history that resulted. Following the presentation, Kleeblatt will be joined on stage by Charlotte Eyerman for a discussion on the challenges of mounting an exhibition that explores the debates surrounding Abstract Expressionism and its influences.

Rise and Fall of the Irascibles: The Conflictual Heart of the New York School
Friday, November 7
7:00 pm
Thomas Crow, Rosalie Solow Professor of Modern Art, New York University Institute of Fine Arts

Conflict, competition, and combat pushed American avant-garde artists to create some of their most extreme and important statements before, during, and after World War II. This struggle defined the ethos of the New York School. Esteemed art historian and critic Thomas Crow is best known for his influential writing on the role of art in modern society and culture. His books include The Rise of the Sixties: American and European Art in the Era of Dissent, Modern Art in the Common Culture, and The Intelligence of Art. Crow is also a contributing editor to Artforum.

Curator Dialogue
This program takes place at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis. Space is limited and reservations are recommended. Please call 314.935.4523 for reservations. After the lecture, all attendees are invited to the Saint Louis Art Museum for a viewing of Action/Abstraction during the special evening hours. The Museum will remain open until 9:30 pm.

New York Hot and California Cool
Thursday, November 20
6:00 pm
Free
Reservations required:
call 314.935.4523
 
Join Charlotte Eyerman from the Saint Louis Art Museum and Sabine Eckmann from the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum for a lively, informal dialogue as they explore the visual art and culture of New York and California during midcentury as highlighted in these museums' concurrent exhibitions: Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940–1976 and Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury.

Gallery Talks
Join us in the Main Exhibition Galleries for lively and informative discussions about Action/Abstraction. Gallery Talks for the featured exhibition will be limited to 20 attendees; please arrive early.

The Problem of Sculpture in Abstract Expressionism
October 28, 11:00 am; October 31, 6:00 pm
John Klein Associate Professor of Art History and Archaeology, Washington University in St. Louis

Blind Spots: Women & Minority Artists in Abstract Expressionism
November 11, 11:00 am; November 14, 6:00 pm
Angela Miller, Professor of Art History and Archaeology, Washington University in St. Louis

So Am I an Action Painter? De Kooning and the Trouble with Language
November 18, 11:00 am; November 21, 6:00 pm
Laura Fried, Assistant Curator, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

Action/Abstraction: Behind the Scenes
December 9, 11:00 am; December 12, 6:00 pm
Charlotte Eyerman, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

After Action Painting: Harold Rosenberg's Anxious Objects and Allan Kaprow's Environments
January 8, 11:00 am; January 9, 6:00 pm
Meredith Malone, Assistant Curator, Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

Special Evening Program for Beaux Arts Council Members
Beaux Arts Council Members are invited to join us in Puck's Restaurant for a special evening Exhibition Presentation by Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Charlotte Eyerman. Membership at the Beaux Arts Council level or above is required to attend this event.

Action/Abstraction Presentation
October 9 & 10, 2008
6:00–7:30 pm
Puck's Restaurant
$35 per person (Beaux Arts Council Members)

Films
Abstract Expressionism had a profound influence on American avant-garde filmmakers of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Working outside of Hollywood, these film artists rejected scripted narratives and cinematic camera work in favor of improvisation, abstraction, and a raw filmmaking process that was visible to film viewers. Films are presented in the Museum's Auditorium, and doors open 30 minutes before showtime.

Pull My Daisy (1959)
(Directed by Alfred Leslie and Robert Frank; written and narrated by Jack Kerouac; featuring Allen Ginsburg, Gregory Corso, and Peter Orlovsky; 28 minutes)
Shadows (1959)
(Written and directed by John Cassavetes; starring Ben Carruthers, Lelia Goldoni, Hugh Hurd; 87 minutes)
Friday, December 5
7:00 pm
$5 ($3 Members)
 
Two films known for their improvised nature and experimental sensibility, Pull My Daisy and Shadows were often shown together at art house theaters when they were first released. Both films feature nonprofessional actors as characters living on the outskirts of mainstream America. These films simultaneously explore bohemian New York in the late 1950s and universal human experiences and conflicts.

Selected Shorts by Shirley Clarke, Stan Brakhage, and their Contemporaries (1959–1965)
Friday, December 12
7:00 pm
$5 ($3 Members)

Shirley Clarke, Stan Brakhage, and many of the avant-garde filmmakers working in the 1950s and 1960s hoped to achieve a purer form of cinema through increased abstraction and the abandonment of traditional narrative. Much like the Abstract Expressionists, they felt that through abstraction they could better communicate essential human truths. By using innovative techniques, they pushed film into a totally new conceptual and artistic realm.

Adult and Family Classes
Indulge your love of art and learning at the Saint Louis Art Museum this fall. Unique enrichment classes allow adults to focus on the latest exhibitions and the Museum's amazing collection of art from around the world. The Museum is also a wonderful place for children and adults to explore and make art together. All materials are provided and no experience is necessary. To register, please call 314.655.5298.

Adult Studio Class:
Drawing in the Galleries: Into Abstraction
Fridays, October 3–November 7 (5 Sessions)
(No class October 31)
6:00–8:00 pm
Class size is limited to 15 participants
$80 ($50 Members)

Learn and practice basic drawing skills while sketching from sculpture and painting in the Museum. Students will experiment with a variety of drawing materials and papers to explore line, shape, value, perspective, and composition. No experience is necessary and all materials are provided. Instructor: Jesse Thomas, Painter and Adjunct Drawing and Painting Instructor at Washington University in St. Louis School of Art, Maryville University, Fontbonne University, and St. Louis Community College

Adult Seminar:
The Origin, Evolution, and Impact of Abstract Expressionism
Thursdays, October 23–November 13 (4 Sessions)
10:30 am–12:00 pm
Class size is limited to 20 participants
$80 ($50 Members)

Abstract Expressionism left a deep and lasting footprint in the landscape of postwar American art. Join us as we take a fresh look at this artistic movement from its beginnings to its later influence on Pop, Minimalism, and other contemporary art styles. The class will also include visits to the exhibition Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940–1976. Instructor: Bradley Bailey, Assistant Professor of Art History, Saint Louis University

Adult Seminar:
Art Criticism 101
Saturdays, October 25–November 15 (4 Sessions)
10:30 am–12:00 pm
Class size is limited to 20 participants

This class will provide an introduction to both the history and craft of writing art criticism. Participants will review well-known art critics of the past as well as those active today and will discuss their influence on artists, museums, and the art market. Through readings, lectures, discussions, and gallery visits, participants will also learn the basics of writing art criticism and will have the opportunity to write their own short critical pieces. The class will include a visit to the featured exhibition Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940–1976 to explore the legendary rivalry of the critics Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg. Instructor: Ivy Cooper, Associate Professor of Art History, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Her art reviews and criticism have appeared in The Riverfront Times, New Art Examiner, Art Papers, and other local and national art journals and publications.

Family Workshops:
October 18, Unusual Portraits
November 1, Music for Your Eyes
November 15, Hot and Cool Abstract Art
December 6, Art Made from What?
10:30 am–12:00 pm (4–6 years old)
1:00–2:30 pm (7–2:30 pm)
$10 per person, per workshop ($8 Members)
Pre-register by calling 314.655.5298

Explore the Museum and all its treasures with your child. Each workshop combines a lively visit to the galleries with a unique, hands-on art project inspired by the Museum's masterpieces. Adults are encouraged to participate and create along with the children.

Preschool Workshops:
October 11, Walk-Around Sculpture
October 25, Musical Art
November 8, Action Jackson Paints
November 22, Tick-Tock Artful Clocks
10:30–11:30 am (3–4 years old)
$10 per person, per workshop ($8 Members)
Pre-register by calling 314.655.5298

Introduce your little one to the joy of looking at and making art. Each of these one-hour family workshops combines a playful gallery visit with a hands-on activity developed especially for preschoolers. Adults are encouraged to participate and create along with the children.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER EVENTS


Member Nights
November 20, 2008: 6:30–9:30 pm
December 9, 2008: 6:30–8:30 pm (Please note: this is a new date)
January 8, 2009: 6:30–8:30 pm
Sculpture Hall and Main Exhibition Galleries

Action/Abstraction will be open on three Thursday nights for Members only.

Avoid the crowds and enjoy free docent tours and refreshments available for purchase. Current membership card is required for admission. For more information, please call 314.655.5335.


Beaux Arts Council Lunch & Learn—Special evening program
Thursday, October 9: 6:00–7:30 pm
Friday, October 10: 12:00–1:30 pm (repeat program)
Puck's Restaurant
$35 per person

Join us in Puck's Restaurant for a special evening Exhibition Presentation by Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Charlotte Eyerman. If you can't make it to the evening event, it will be repeated the following day.

Membership at the Beaux Arts Council level or above is required to attend this event. Please call 314.655.5358 for more information.


Beaux Arts Council Annual Dinner
Thursday, October 16

The 28th Annual Beaux Arts Council Dinner will celebrate the achievements of the past year and the opening of the exhibition Action/Abstraction. Please call 314.655.5358 for more information.


Art After Dark
Members Party and Open House
Saturday, October 18
6:30–9:00 pm
Free for Members ($15 Guests)

Celebrate the opening of Action/Abstraction at this annual Members party. Enjoy an exhibition lecture by Charlotte Eyerman, curator of modern and contemporary art, as well as live music, dining in Puck's Restaurant, shopping, docent tours, and light refreshments.

Registration is required. Please visit www.slam.org/events or call 314.655.5381 to register or for more information.


Young Friends Celebrate Action/Abstraction
Saturday, October 25
6:30–9:00 pm
$40 Young Friends Members
($50 non-Members)

Join the Young Friends for the opening of Action/Abstraction with an evening that includes live jazz, drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and tours of the exhibition. Please call 314.655.5350 or email youngfriends@slam.org for more information.


Collectors Circle: Contemporary Art Society
Lecture and Conversation
Tuesday, October 28
6:00 pm (Private Reception, Puck's) & 7:00 pm (Public Lecture, Auditorium)

Norman Kleeblatt, curator of Action/Abstraction, will discuss the origins of the exhibition's ideas and the evolution of its presentation while emphasizing the exciting juxtapositions of art and the new insights about art history that resulted. Following the presentation, Kleeblatt will be joined on stage by Charlotte Eyerman for a discussion on the challenges of mounting an exhibition that explores the debates surrounding Abstract Expressionism and its influences.


$100 Contributing Wine and Cheese Reception
Tuesday, December 2
6:30–8:30 pm
Free to Sustaining level Members & above

Members at the $100 Contributing level and above are invited to an evening viewing of the exhibition Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940–1976. Enjoy complimentary wine, cheese, and hors d'oeuvres as you view the exhibition on your own, with the multimedia iPod tour, or on small docent tours. Invitation to follow.

COMPLIMENTARY EXHIBIT


Abstraction in American Photography opens September 19, and compliments the featured exhibition Action/Abstraction. The exhibition features nine photographs from the Museum's collection by artists such as Aaron Siskind and Minor White who explore the potential for abstraction in photography.

Created between the early 1940s and the early 1960s, the images in the exhibition highlight a variety of techniques for pursuing abstraction, ranging from formal exercises generated in the darkroom to spiritual explorations of the physical world.

Curated by Eric Lutz, assistant curator of prints, drawings, and photographs, Abstraction in American Photography will be on view in Gallery 321 through December 14, 2008.

Click Here to Learn More >>

PICTURED WORKS OF ART
(left to right, top to bottom)

David Smith, American, 1906–1965; Cubi XIV, 1963; stainless steel; 125 1/2 x 78 x 30 3/4 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Friends Fund 32:1979; Art © Estate of David Smith / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

Arthur Siegel, American, 1913–1978; Untitled, 1948; gelatin silver print; 19 7/8 x 16 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Alexander Novak and Family 467:2002

Karl Benjamin, Black Pillars, 1957; oil on canvas; 48 x 24 inches; Private collection; © Karl Benjamin, courtesy of Louis Stern Fine Arts, West Hollywood

Pull My Daisy, December 5