Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

American Art Uncovered

Courtesy The Philip's Collection Alan Tucker’s ‘The Rise’ features in the next exhibit of 19th and 20th century American art at The Philip’s Collection.
COURTESY THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION
Alan Tucker’s ‘The Rise’ features in the next exhibit of 19th and 20th century American art at The Philip’s Collection.

It may be surprising to many a patriotic Hoya that, in the field of art history, the United States has traditionally lagged behind. It wasn’t until the 20th century — after WWI wiped out the major artistic populations of Europe — that the United States was able to come to the forefront and dominate the global art scene. The newest exhibit at The Phillips Collection, “Made in the U.S.A” seeks to emphasize the fantastic creative outputs of American art in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

The exhibit is one of the largest I’ve ever seen from the Phillips. Featuring 202 works by over 150 different American artists from the personal collection that Duncan Phillips amassed until his death in 1961 (and slightly beyond that, since his wife continued to make purchases in his name after his death), the exhibit presents a curious and revealing cross section of American art in the 20th century.

The exhibit is divided both thematically and chronologically, with 12 sections ranging in subject matter from the power of realistic depictions of nature to cityscapes to disillusionment with modern life. The collection of abstract expressionist modern art is undoubtedly the centerpiece of the exhibit. These works are not usually on display — unlike the museum’s renowned Rothko Room — but they represent an amazing cross section of masters of American abstraction that may not get such prominent billing in art history textbooks as Stuart Davis and Morris Louis.

What makes this exhibit really special is the balance of renowned with less-familiar artists. Phillips made many of his purchases when artists’ careers were still on the rise. In most cases, he had no idea whether they would prove significant in the long run or if their fame would fade and their works would lose financial and historical value. As a result, both the permanent collection at the Phillips and “Made in the U.S.A.” serve to bring out under-recognized artists who deserve to be considered in the canon of American art history, especially female artists, first-generation immigrants and people of color. Many of the paintings by artists like Edward Hopper and Milton Avery were the first of their works purchased for museum collections.  In the case of early realist master Thomas Eakins, Phillips considered him the forefather of American art in the 20th century and actively sought out his works for purchase for his collection. No one else held Eakins in such high regard and his paintings, now highly sought after as examples of American realism, were passed over by other institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago.

Phillips clearly had a knack for recognizing not only artistic talent, but also value and significance as well.

A new innovative feature that sets “Made in the U.S.A.” apart from the pack is the new uCurate feature and website. First designed for the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, the technology suite and companion website allows visitors to design and customize their own dream exhibition using 52 of the paintings featured in “Made in the U.S.A.” If you’ve ever dreamed of curating an exhibit, this is a great and easy way to dip your feet into the art world. The website also allows you to adjust the painting locations and wall colors.

This modern twist added to a fairly traditional, retrospective exhibit shows that the Philips Collection isn’t just hung up on its past. It is clear that it is equally dedicated to moving into the future and continuing to present its collection of American art in innovative and groundbreaking ways.

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