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Exhibition

The Campaign for Art

Modern and Contemporary
May 14–September 18, 2016

This exhibition — one of several highlighting contributions from the museum’s Campaign for Art — introduces the range and quality of these newly committed and gifted works in a multidisciplinary selection that strengthens and deepens SFMOMA’s collection. Among the Painting and Sculpture highlights are two key paintings by Jackson Pollock, important works by Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, and an entire gallery dedicated to Joseph Beuys. A space devoted to the late work of Diane Arbus showcases a major gift to the Photography department. Media Arts features significant historic pieces by performance and video pioneers Ant Farm, Lynn Hershman Leeson, and Nam June Paik. In Architecture and Design, a selection of chairs, each of a single material, along with experimental works of architecture, bring innovation into focus.

Exhibition Preview

Black and white photograph of five masked people of various ages standing beneath a tree on a large, open lawn
Square abstract expressionist painting composed of heavy curved black lines and fields of color, predominately pink, with many vertical lines of dripped paint
Three-sided vertical copper structure with two copper shelves
Abstract composition with strong vertical and diagonal lines; yellow, black, red and white paint strokes predominate
Portrait of a blonde woman composed of a grid of individually painted square cells with pink undertones
A white-walled vitrine atop thin steel legs, containing several metal and glass objects
Seated woman drinking from a cup
Artwork image, Francis Bacon's Figure with Two Owls, Study for Velazquez
Artwork image of Diane Arbus's photograph Untitled (6)
Artwork image, Ed Ruscha's painting Smash
Artwork image, Jasper John's painting Bushbaby
Artwork image, Nam June Paik's TV Crown

Diane Arbus, Untitled (8) 1970-71, 1970-71; promised gift of Jeffrey Fraenkel and Alan Mark; © Estate of Diane Arbus, LLC

Lee Krasner, Four, 1957; fractional and promised gift of Barbara and Gerson Bakar; © Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; photo: Ben Blackwell

Donald Judd, Armchair, 1984; collection SFMOMA, gift of Byron R. Meyer; photo: Katherine Du Tiel

Gerhard Richter, Geäst (Branches), 1988; fractional and promised gift of Pat and Bill Wilson; © Gerhard Richter

Chuck Close, Cindy, 2013; promised gift of Jim Breyer; © Chuck Close; photo: Kerry Ryan McFate, courtesy Pace Gallery

Joseph Beuys, Untitled (Vitrine with Four Objects/Plateau Central), 1962–80; fractional and promised gift of Norah and Norman Stone; © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst Bonn, Germany; photo: Ben Blackwell

Richard Diebenkorn, Coffee, 1959; fractional and promised gift of Barbara and Gerson Bakar; © Richard Diebenkorn Foundation; photo: courtesy Richard Grant/Richard Diebenkorn Foundation

Francis Bacon, Figure with Two Owls, Study for Velazquez, 1963; fractional and promised gift of Helen and Charles Schwab; © 2011 Estate of Francis Bacon / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; photo: Ben Blackwell

Diane Arbus, Untitled (6) 1970-71, 1970-71; promised gift of Jeffrey Fraenkel and Alan Mark; © Estate of Diane Arbus, LLC

Ed Ruscha, Smash, 1963; gift of Helen and Charles Schwab through The Art Supporting Foundation; © Ed Ruscha; photo: courtesy the artist and Gagosian Gallery

Jasper Johns, Bushbaby, 2005; promised gift of the Roberts family; © Jasper Johns / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY; photo: Ben Blackwell

Nam June Paik, TV Crown, 1965/1999; collection SFMOMA, gift of the Hakuta family; © Estate of Nam June Paik; photo: Katherine Du Tiel

The presenting sponsor of The Campaign for Art exhibitions is

Bank of America

Leadership support is provided by Collectors’ Forum, an SFMOMA art experience group. Major support is provided by the Prospect Creek Foundation. Additional support is provided by Robin Wright and Ian Reeves.