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Bristol Museum & Art Gallery opens its doors to ‘Raw Materials: Four American Artists 1972-2007’
A new exhibition in association with ARTIST ROOMS On Tour with the Art Fund
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery’s summer exhibition, ‘Raw Materials: Four American Artists 1972-2007’ opens to the public on Saturday, June 30.
The free exhibition runs until Sunday, September 23 and offers visitors the chance to see work by Ed Ruscha, Lawrence Weiner, Bruce Nauman and Jenny Holzer, key names in the American post-Minimalist, Conceptual scene from the 1960s to the present day.
Raw Materials features key pieces by each artist, including some stunning neon work by Nauman, Holzer’s early street posters, wall texts by Weiner and paintings spanning Ruscha’s career. The exhibition is selected from ARTIST ROOMS, Anthony d’Offay’s gift of over 1100 art works to the nation, made with support from the Art Fund. Museums and galleries across the UK are participating in a tour of ARTIST ROOMS.
The use of language in the work on display is a striking feature of this unique collection brought together especially for Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. In addition to the works, visitors can take part in a series of events, talks and activities, including: Anthony d’Offay in conversation, free gallery tours and family workshops.
Head of Bristol’s museums, galleries and archives, Julie Finch, says: ”Our summer exhibition brings together icons of American art whose work has been a major influence on art today. The exhibition will challenge visitors to look at art in a new ways, explore the use of words as art and encourage debate. Thanks must go to ARTIST ROOMS, Anthony d’Offay’s gift to the nation and the Art Fund for making this exhibition possible.”
The works on display are taken from ARTIST ROOMS, an inspirational collection of modern and contemporary art donated by Anthony d’Offay to Tate and National Galleries of Scotland for the nation. The ARTIST ROOMS tour, now in its fourth year, is showing at 17 museums and galleries across the UK in 2012. The tour is made possible thanks to the support of national fundraising charity the Art Fund which helps UK museums and galleries to buy, show and share art.
To find out more information about the exhibition visit www.bristol.gov.uk/museums
To find out more information about ARTIST ROOMS On Tour please visit www.artfund.org. To see the full ARTIST ROOMS collection please visit www.tate.org.uk/artistrooms and www.nationalgalleries.org/artistrooms
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Photo Credits: Bruce Nauman: La Brea/Art Tips/Rat Spit/Tar Pits (1972) © ARS, NY & DACS London 2012 – Ed Ruscha: Pay Nothing Until April (2003) © Edward Ruscha
