June 9, 2024 – September 8, 2024
CROCKER ART MUSEUM
216 O Street Sacramento, CA 95814
featuring work by
MORE ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
& INSTALLATION IMAGES
The Portland Vase: Mania and Muse asks why and how a singular Classical vase becomes a legend, an “influencer,” and an artistic and commercial muse across time and place.
The Portland Vase, an ancient Roman glass cameo amphora, has resonated with artists, makers, collectors, and consumers for centuries. The Portland Vase: Mania and Muse asks why and how a singular Classical vase becomes a legend, an “influencer,” and an artistic and commercial muse across time and place from artists such as Josiah Wedgwood to sculptor Viola Frey. Featuring more than sixty-five artworks, this exhibition examines the role of brands in our culture, considers why Classical traditions dominate the artistic canon, and how that tradition might be reconsidered and disrupted.
Guest curated by Rachel Gotlieb, PhD.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
American
b. 1970 Albany, NY
lives and works between Joseph, OR and Meissen, Germany
b. 1982 Rochester, NY,
lives and works in Penfield, NY
PROGRAMMING
Tour – Portland Vase: Mania and Muse
Wednesday, June 12 | 1pm
Free with museum admission
Journey into art on view with docents to guide your visit. Enjoy a drop-in tour any day the Museum is open, or plan ahead for one of the themed tours outlined below. Some tours may be requested in American Sign Language, Cantonese, French, Madarin, and Spanish with a two-week advance notice. Email education@crockerart.org to inquire.
Member Reception
Friday, June 28 | 5:30pm
Join the Crocker Art Museum for a special member reception celebrating the exhibitions:
Backstory – Portland Vase: Mania and Muse (via YouTube Live)
Saturday, August 3rd | 12pm
$8 – $12
Go behind the scenes of the exhibition The Portland Vase: Mania and Muse with this virtual panel discussion featuring speakers across three continents. Moderated by exhibition curator Rachel Gotlieb, with artists Clare Twomey, Glenn Barkley, and Nancy Selvin, this international conversation considers how and why a singular Classical vase became an artistic and commercial muse across time and place, and how these contemporary artists are rethinking and addressing art and social histories through reinterpretations of this iconic vessel.
ABOUT CROCKER ART MUSEUM
Discover a diverse collection of artworks that span centuries, continents, and cultures at the Crocker Art Museum, the primary resource for the study and appreciation of fine art in the Sacramento region. In addition to a robust schedule of changing exhibitions, visitors can explore California art dating from the Gold Rush to the present; a renowned collection of Master Drawings and European paintings; one of the largest international ceramics collections in the United States; and collections of Asian, African, and Oceanic art.
Engagement with art is at the heart of everything we do, and our calendar of events offers innovative art experiences for visitors of all ages, including family-friendly programs, thought-provoking talks and conversations, inspiring concerts and films, and more.
