It’s common in Monterey County to see artists working “en plein air,” or in the open air with easel and paints. This artistic tradition began in the late 1800s when the draw of a remote peninsula on the edge of the Pacific began to attract creative people.

Monterey became quietly famous as a sort of artist’s colony. In 1959, a group of local art enthusiasts desiring a community of art forum formed a chapter of the American Federation of the Arts in Carmel. Fifty years later, this community art forum has grown to become the Monterey Museum of Art-the steward of this region’s enormous artistic heritage with more than 14,000 permanent works of art housed in numerous galleries in two downtown locations.

To celebrate half a century as the artistic center of the community, MMA presents two new exhibitions opening this month, one at each museum location. The first of these is “50/fifty: 50 Gifts for the Next Fifty Years,” opening this Saturday, March 28, and continuing through June 21 at MMA La Mirada.

The 50/fifty exhibition will feature 50 significant works of art that have been given or are promised to the museum for its anniversary celebration.

There will be an exhibition preview tomorrow (Friday) evening from 6-8 pm. Opening day is “Community Day,” with free admission for Monterey County residents and visitors. Community Day will include activities for the entire family, such as postcard art with watercolor paints and other media.

“We’re really looking to the future with this exhibition,” said E. Michael Whittington, executive director of the MMA, speaking of how these donated works will deepen the museum’s collection. “The generosity of this community is heartening.”

Highlights of this exhibition include early California paintings by John O’Shea, Granville Redmond and Sidney Yard; photographs by Ansel Adams, Yousuf Karsh, Imogen Cunningham and W. Eugene Smith; contemporary art by Joan Savo, Kenjilo Nanao, Johnny Apodaca and Barry Masteller; and contemporary Japanese pottery.
“Some of the most important gifts are photos by Yousuf Karsh, one of the most celebrated American photographers of the 20th century.” Karsh photographed artists such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Andy Warhol, as well as other influential personalities of his era.

Whittington said he was also very excited about seven works that have just come into the collection, purchased from funds provided by the Collector’s Guild. “These span the 20th century. They include early California work, two San Francisco Bay Area abstract expressionist works and a vintage photo by Imogen Cunningham.”
On Saturday, April 18, the Pacific Street Galleries will open for the second 50-year celebration exhibition, “Made in Monterey.” This exhibition will showcase the rich artistic landscape of the Central Coast region with works that have been created in or inspired by this area. Artwork will be chronologically and thematically displayed.
Whittington and chief curator Marcelle Polednik will give a talk on the making of this exhibition, “Behind the Scenes of Made in Monterey,” on April 11 at 3 p.m. “This is the most ambitious exhibition the museum has undertaken,” said Whittington. “We’ve been closed from January to April to accommodate it.” Preparations have included research, conservation of paintings, innovation of interpretive strategies and development of family programs.

There will be a preview April 15 from 6-8 pm and an “Art After Hours” night on April 16 from 5-7 pm. As with the first exhibition, opening day is a “Community Day” with free admission for Monterey County residents and visitors. Community Day will also feature family activities, where children will receive a tote bag full of things to do, such as an “I Spy” game and a listening activity that will go along with the “nocturnes” exhibit, which features paintings depicting the landscape at night and recordings of nocturnal sounds.

This ambitious exhibition tells the story of Monterey’s culture, history and physical landscape through painting, photography and paper works. The museum’s interpretive tale begins with the first European artists to arrive, such as Raymond Yellend and Jules Tavernier.

“When they arrived in the 1870s, they discovered a place frozen in time,” said Whittington. “It was difficult to get here, there was no railroad yet, this region was ‘at the end of the world.’ The romance of the Monterey Peninsula was extremely intoxicating.” This fascination is exemplified in the paintings of Yellend and Tavernier, which reflect the wild landscapes of the region.

“The history of the work created in Monterey was an indicator of what was going on in the larger world,” said Whittington. “For example, it was reflective of the modernist movement and the (Works Progress Administration), the program during the depression that employed artists. We use works of art as springboards to discuss a larger context of social and cultural issues in the world, from 1875 to today.”

One of the featured works of “Made in Monterey” illustrates this springboard effect well. Armin Hansen’s “Man of the Sea,” painted in 1922, is among two of Hansen’s pieces being specially cleaned and conserved for this exhibition.

“It shows a marvelous view of the bay and two Portuguese men engaged in the fishing industry,” Whittington said. “The sardine industry not only put Monterey on the map, but it also fed the bellies of soldiers in World War II. This is one of the stories of Monterey. It also looks at immigration, our ethnic heritage.”

Another gallery will be dedicated to one of Monterey’s greatest traditions-photography. Ansel Adams and Edward Weston both lived and worked here, where they formed their famous group of photographers, “Group f/64” (named because they set their aperture at that setting to get both the foreground and background in focus). The black and white work of these photographers records the natural beauty of this region that has inspired such a rich artistic legacy.

MMA’s two 50-Year exhibitions offer Monterey Peninsula residents a wonderful opportunity to explore this legacy, learning about the history and heritage of the region while enjoying the aesthetic appreciation of important works of art. And with family activities integrated throughout the museum, these exhibitions can help inspire the next generation of artists on the peninsula. Here’s to the next fifty years!

Lily Dayton can be reached at montereybaylily@gmail.com

Copyright® 2009 The Monterey County Herald