El Museo de Oakland de California anuncia una nueva exposición de primavera que celebra el legado y el estilo de vida del reconocido artesano del norte de California J.B. Blunk

(OAKLAND, CA) 19 de diciembre de 2017- Esta primavera, el Museo de Oakland de California celebra el diseño y la artesanía en una nueva exposición titulada J.B. Blunk: Naturaleza, Arte y Vida Cotidiana. Inaugurada el 21 de abril de 2018 en la Galería de Arte de California del Museo de Oakland (OMCA), la exposición explora la vida y la obra de J.B. Blunk (estadounidense,1926-2002), un artista californiano que apreciaba profundamente la belleza en la vida cotidiana, y cuya obra sigue inspirando a todos los californianos y a las personas que aprecian la conexión entre la expresión creativa y el mundo natural.

Un amplio recorrido por la obra vital del artistaLa exposición J.B. Blunk : Nature, Art & Everyday Life reúne más de 80 objetos para inspirar a los visitantes del museo a ver la belleza de la naturaleza y el arte en lo cotidiano. Además de la exposición, se anima a los visitantes a ver una de las obras más conocidas de Blunk: ElPlaneta, una escultura sentada de madera roja que pesa dos toneladas y mide cinco metros de diámetro, que se exhibe de forma permanente. Encargada por el OMCA en 1969, el año de la inauguración del Museo, el edificio del OMCA se completó alrededor de la escultura, que está situada en el corazón del Museo, en el primer nivel fuera de la Galería de Ciencias Naturales de California.

"Ahora que empezamos a planificar el 50º aniversario de la apertura del Museo de Oakland de California en 1969, en 2019parece especialmente apropiado rendir homenaje al artista cuya obra se encuentra en el corazón mismo de nuestro edificio emblemático. El OMCA se construyó literalmente en torno a El Planeta de J.B. Blunk, que que sigue siendo el punto de entrada a nuestra Galería de Ciencias Naturales de California y que ha servido durante décadas como un querido e icónico lugar de encuentro y reunión, especialmente para las familias durante nuestras actividades Viernes Nights @ OMCA", dijo la directora y consejera delegada de la OMCA, Lori Fogarty.

La exposición incluirá fotografías raras, citas de quienes conocieron a Blunk y ejemplos de sus primeras obras. También se expondrán prendas de vestir, joyas y accesorios hechos a mano. También se expondrán ejemplos de las obras de madera y piedra de mayor tamaño de Blunk, lo que supone un ejemplo más de la conexión de Blunk con el mundo natural a través de los materiales que utilizaba. En la sala se proyectará un vídeo ambiental que muestra la casa de Blunk en Inverness, el paisaje circundante y el estudio de arte, junto con fotografías del valle de Inverness, que fue la inspiración de gran parte de su obra.

Un espacio dedicado al trabajo de Blunk en El Planeta incluye fotografías de archivo de la escultura en proceso. Un vídeo subtitulado con entrevistas íntimas de familiares, amigos y colegas que conocieron mejor a Blunk permitirá conocer en profundidad quién era el artista, cómo trabajaba y por qué tenía un deseo tan profundo de coleccionar y hacer.

"Blunk fue un artista inspirador que forjó su propio camino y mantuvo su compromiso de construir su vida y su práctica en concierto con la tierra", dijo Carin Adams, conservadora de arte. "Estamos encantados de tener la oportunidad de mostrar las extraordinarias obras de Blunk, desde esculturas de madera a gran escala hasta objetos cotidianos como sus tazas de cerámica. Esperamos que los visitantes salgan de esta exposición comprendiendo quién era Blunk, y cómo ellos también pueden apreciar la belleza en lo cotidiano, como hizo Blunk".

J.B. Blunk: Naturaleza, arte y vida cotidiana cuenta con el apoyo de la Junta de Mujeres del Museo de Oakland y de los miembros del Foro de Donantes. La exposición se podrá ver del 21 de abril al 9 de septiembre de 2018 en la Galería de Arte de California del OMCA.

Press images available to download in the online press room.

ABOUT J.B. BLUNK
Inspired by Japanese philosophy of nature and art’s inseparability, the late J.B. (James Blain) Blunk (American, 1926–2002) was a mid-century artist who found inspiration in the natural beauty surrounding his Northern California home in Inverness, California. Blunk worked primarily with the organic materials that he found, creating handcrafted furniture, ceramics, and sculptures out of clay, wood, and stone that he collected.

In the late 1960s, Blunk was a maverick artist living off the land in Marin County, making sculptural furniture that disregarded the line between art and craft. Before he arrived in Northern California, he studied ceramics under Laura Andreson at UCLA. Upon graduation, Blunk was drafted into the Korean War and arranged to be discharged in Japan, where a chance encounter with Isamu Noguchi led to apprenticeships with the famed potters Kitaoji Rosanjin and Toyo Kaneshige. These transformational experiences and relationships set the course for his unique approach to art.

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history, and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA‘s groundbreaking exhibits tell the many stories that comprise California with many voices, often drawing on first–person accounts by people who have shaped California‘s cultural heritage. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the Museum as they learn about the natural, artistic, and social forces that affect the state and investigate their own role in both its history and its future. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California‘s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage.

VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. Museum admission is $15.95 general; $10.95 seniors and students with valid ID, $6.95 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for Members and children 8 and under. There is a $4 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. The accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum. museumca.org

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS & PROJECTS

RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom
Marzo 24–Agosto 12, 2018
Hip-Hop is one of the widest reaching cultural and social movements of the last 50 years. Discover the unexpected story of how Hip-Hop changed the world, starting from its roots on the streets, before rap, DJing, street art, breakdancing, and street fashion launched into mainstream popular culture. Learn about the West Coast’s and San Francisco Bay Area’s influences on this global phenomenon. Hear first-person accounts from artists and experts about how, beyond big business, Hip-Hop continues to provide a platform for creative expression, activism, youth development, and education. There is a $4 charge for this special exhibition in addition to regular Museum admission.

ON VIEW

Metamorphosis & Migration: Days of the Dead
Through Enero 14, 2018

This year, OMCA’s biennial Days of the Dead exhibition is inspired by the lifecycle of the Monarch Butterfly. Known for its mass migration each winter, this butterfly’s journey spans several generations, all of whom follow the same routes their ancestors took. In Mexico, the returning Monarchs also symbolize the returning souls of loved ones who have passed away.

In Metamorphosis & Migration: Days of the Dead, explore ofrendas and artworks inspired by the Monarch’s migration and themes of tradition and transformation. View rarely-seen butterfly specimens from OMCA’s collection alongside newly commissioned artworks. Artist Hung Liu honors her mother’s passing through a series of hearfelt paintings. Favianna Rodriguez ponders migration and immigration in a new way using her “Migration is Beautiful” butterfly imagery. Chris Treggiari and Peter Foucault honor colleague Alex Ghassan, who lost his life in the tragic Ghost Ship fire. And, traditonal Days of the Dead altars by Bea Carrillo Hocker and Rafael Jesús González, as well as installations by Oakland International High School and Thornhill Elementary School, energize this connumal space for reflection and empowerment in these turbulent times.

Nature’s Gift: Humans, Friends & the Unknown
Through Enero 21, 2018
This fall, experience the world premiere of Nature’s Gift: Humans, Friends & the Unknown, a dazzling immersive experience that takes you through the rainbow into another world. A one-of-a-kind and interactive environment by FriendsWithYou—the artist collective including Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III—the large-scale, light-filled installation sparks joy and positivity, and sets the stage for friendship, magic, and social connection. A soothing, multi-sensory experience for all ages, we invite you to allow your senses to get lost in this imaginative and otherworldly place. There is a $4 charge for this special exhibition in addition to regular Museum admission.

Question Bridge: Black Males
Through Febrero 25, 2018
Hailed as one of the Bay Area’s Top Exhibitions in 2012 by the San Francisco Chronicle, Question Bridge: Black Males returns to the Oakland Museum of California this fall. Immerse yourself in intimate videos—woven together and arranged to simulate face–to–face conversations between participants—among a diverse group of 150 Black men across the United States. Hear these men answer each other’s questions with exceptional honesty and vulnerability, and share stories, beliefs, and values in a personal portrayal of their lives. Encompassing themes of family, love, interracial relationships, community, education, and wisdom, Question Bridge: Black Males presents nuanced portraits of past, present, and future of Black men in American society. Listen, watch, learn, and start your own conversations with this profoundly moving installation.

In 2012, the Oakland Museum of California presented Question Bridge: Black Males, an innovative and widely exhibited video installation from artists Chris Johnson and Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with Bayeté Ross Smith and Kamal Sinclair. Joining the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Brooklyn Museum, OMCA is proud to acquire this groundbreaking and poignant work for its collection.

Take Root: Oakland Grows Food
Through Enero 13, 2019
Unearth Oakland’s multi–layered world of food in Take Root: Oakland Grows Food, an exhibition exploring aspects of growing food in Oakland. Enjoy this hands–on exhibition with the entire family to understand what factors determine where, how, why, and what is grown throughout the city. Hear personal stories from farmers and growers within the community, see compelling illustrations and maps, and meet the diverse flavors of Oakland. Learn what motivations Oaklanders have for growing food—including access to healthy and delicious ingredients, environmental and social justice values, or simply the joy of tending a garden. Visitors will be invited to share personal stories, explore interactive activities, and gain a deeper understanding of Oakland’s agriculture.

* * *