PHILBROOK PRESENTS ICONS OF AMERICAN ART
American Artists, American Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1776–1976 opens September 25, 2024
TULSA, OK., September 16, 2024 – It’s no secret that 2024 is a pivotal year for America: a presidential election, the summer Olympics, and even a Beyoncé country album. This fall at Philbrook, guests will experience iconic American masterpieces including powerful portraits, sweeping landscapes, and exquisite still lifes by Mary Cassatt, Barkley L. Hendricks, Edward Hopper, Anna Klumpke, Alice Neel, Isamu Noguchi, Georgia O’Keeffe, Horace Pippin, Thomas Moran, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Laura Wheeler Waring, Andrew Wyeth, and many more.
Through artwork from the incomparable Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) collection, this exhibition presents 200 years of groundbreaking work by nearly one hundred American artists. Some of the paintings and sculptures on view—the most acclaimed and recognizable examples of American art—have shaped conversations about the nation’s history and identity. Other works are by artists who may be less familiar but are no less central to the story of America. Through innovative works by artists traditionally excluded from the historical narrative, a deeper understanding of the story of American art emerges. The artists featured in this special exhibition were all shaped and impacted in some way by PAFA, some through education, others through the exhibition of their work.
“From the moment visitors step into the exhibition, they will be surrounded by artwork from across the span of American history,” said Philbrook Curator Susan Green. “Whether they enjoy learning about the past and stories all-too-often excluded from textbooks or simply being immersed in a landscape or still life, each guest will discover a work of art that impacts them. And with 102 works in the exhibition, hopefully they’ll fall in love with more than one.”
From Gilbert Stuart’s instantly recognizable Revolutionary War-era portrait of George Washington to Barkley L. Hendricks’ portrait celebrating Black Power and Vietnam War-era protests, this exhibition explores the first two centuries of change, progress, and representation that defined American art.
“Philbrook is proud to be able to share these iconic works of American art with Tulsa,” said Interim Executive Director Megan Nesbit. “Museums play a crucial role in reflecting and shaping our collective narrative, and exhibitions like American Artists, American Stories help us to understand our shared, complex history and to see a future full of potential.”
American Artists, American Stories poses many questions. What is American art? What makes an artist American? Who gets to decide? It’s complicated.
This exhibition at Philbrook is presented by the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, The George & Wanda Brown Foundation, and Millie Millspaugh.
American Artists, American Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1776–1976 is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Lead support was provided to PAFA by the William Penn Foundation, with additional support from the Richard C. von Hess Foundation and donors to PAFA’s Special Exhibitions Fund. In-kind support is provided by Christie’s and Gill & Lagodich Fine Period Frames, New York. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Fast Facts
Title: American Artists, American Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1776–1976
Dates: September 25–December 29, 2024
Location: Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Rd. Tulsa, OK 74114
About Philbrook Museum of Art
Philbrook Museum of Art is committed to being Tulsa’s most welcoming and engaging cultural institution, providing a unique trifecta of experiences: a historic home, world class art museum, 25 acres of gardens.
Philbrook Museum of Art opened on October 25, 1939. The addition of a 70,000 square foot wing in 1990 turned the historic home into a modern museum complex. A major garden renovation in 2004 cemented the Museum’s reputation as “the most beautiful place in Oklahoma.”
Through bold action and strategic investment, we create a space for new ideas, diverse stories and perspectives, and social connection. The Philbrook Collection features more than 16,000 objects with a focus on American, Native American, and European art. Serving over 160,000 visitors annually, Philbrook shines a light on Tulsa’s storied and complex past while building a diverse and creative vision of the city’s future.
About the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Founded in 1805 as the first school and museum of fine arts in the United States, PAFA celebrates the transformative power of art and art-making. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America’s diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.
About the American Federation of Arts
The American Federation of Arts (AFA) is the leader in traveling exhibitions internationally. A nonprofit organization founded in 1909, the AFA is dedicated to enriching the public’s experience and understanding of the visual arts through organizing and touring art exhibitions for presentation in museums around the world, publishing exhibition catalogues featuring important scholarly research, and developing educational programs.