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Behold, America!

Art of the United States from Three San Diego Museums
November 10, 2012 through February 10, 2013

Behold, America! includes works from the colonial period to the present that together tell a cohesive and dynamic story of the history of art in the United States. The exhibition is a part of an innovative collaboration between three renowned museums: the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, The San Diego Museum of Art, and the Timken Museum of Art.  The exhibition will be presented as three distinct, but related shows at the three institutions. The works at the Timken Museum of Art will focus on the concept of Forms and include traditional still-lifes by Raphaelle Peale and more contemporary works by Sam Gilliam. The San Diego Museum of Art will host the Figures component of the exhibition featuring portraits by John Singleton Copley, Cindy Sherman, and John Currin. At the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego works related to the notion of Frontiers will showcase art created by Robert Irwin, Ann Hamilton, Albert Bierstadt, Asher B. Durand, and Eastman Johnson.

Learn More

Visit BeholdAmerica.com to view a full exhibition description, locations, and a calendar of related events.

Submit

What does being an American mean to you? View video responses and instructions on how to submit your own response.


See video
Linda
See video
Danny
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Sandra
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Kiki
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Naomi, Alekxis, Andrea
See video
Adam

 

Full captions

*Front Page: (Film still) Christian Marclay. Telephones, 1995. Video, Running time: 7 minutes, 30 seconds. Gift of the Suzanne Figi Latin American and Contemporary Art Fund.

Images, from left to right:

Albert Bierstadt, 1830-1902, Cho-looke, the Yosemite Fall. Oil on canvas, 1864. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, 1966.001

Robert Henri, 1865–1929, Bernadita. Oil on canvas, 1922. Gift of the San Diego Wednesday Club, The San Diego Museum of Art, 1926.138

Lorna Simpson, b.1960. Guarded Conditions. 18 color Polaroid prints, 21 engraved plastic plaques, and plastic letters, 1989. Museum purchase, Contemporary Collectors Fund, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 1990.12.1-28

Ellsworth Kelly, b.1923. Red Blue Green. Oil on canvas, 1963.83 Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Jack M. Farris, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 1978.3

Eastman Johnson, 1824–1906, The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket. Oil on canvas, 1880. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, 1972.002

John Singleton Copley, 1738-1815, Mrs. Thomas Gage. Oil on canvas, 1771. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, 1984.001

John Currin, b.1962. The Hobo. Oil on canvas, 1999. Museum purchase, Contemporary Collectors Fund, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 2000.3

Albert Bierstadt, Cho-looke, the Yosemite Fall. Oil on canvas, 1864. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
Albert Bierstadt, Cho-looke, the Yosemite Fall. Oil on canvas, 1864. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
Robert Henri, Bernadita. Oil on canvas, 1922. Gift of the San Diego Wednesday Club, 1926.138, The San Diego Museum of Art
Robert Henri, Bernadita. Oil on canvas, 1922. Gift of the San Diego Wednesday Club, 1926.138, The San Diego Museum of Art
Lorna Simpson, Guarded Conditions. Mixed media, 1989. Contemporary Collectors Fund, 1990.12.1-28, Museum of Contemporary Art SD
Lorna Simpson, Guarded Conditions. Mixed media, 1989. Contemporary Collectors Fund, 1990.12.1-28, Museum of Contemporary Art SD
Ellsworth Kelly, Red Blue Green. Oil on canvas, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Jack M. Farris, 1978.3, Museum of Contemporary Art SD
Ellsworth Kelly, Red Blue Green. Oil on canvas, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Jack M. Farris, 1978.3, Museum of Contemporary Art SD
Eastman Johnson, The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket. Oil on canvas, 1880. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art
Eastman Johnson, The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket. Oil on canvas, 1880. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art
John Singleton Copley, Mrs. Thomas Gage. Oil on canvas, 1771. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
John Singleton Copley, Mrs. Thomas Gage. Oil on canvas, 1771. Putnam Collection, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
John Currin, The Hobo. Oil on canvas, 1999. Contemporary Collectors Fund, 2000.3, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
John Currin, The Hobo. Oil on canvas, 1999. Contemporary Collectors Fund, 2000.3, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

Related Events and Exhibitions

Behold America! Exhibition Catalogue

Behold, America! Art of the United States from Three San Diego Museums offers a dynamic examina...

More Information

Symposium: Behold, America!

Schedule of Events 9:00 a.m. | Coffee and Pastries 9:30 - 9:40 a.m. | Welcome by Roxana V...

More Information

Location

The San Diego Museum of Art
1450 El Prado
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
(619) 232-7931

Mailing address
PO Box 122107
San Diego, CA 92112-2107

Hours

Sunday 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat.
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday Closed


Summer Hours
June 6 through August 29

Sunday 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Mon., Tues., Fri., Sat.
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.*

*See calendar for exceptions

Flickr Photos

Grand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaOpening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East AsiaGrand Opening Celebration: Art of East Asia

Member Spotlight

Shannon Fogg, Supporting Member
Jason Ranger, Household Member

Twitter Feed

RT @sdma: Create a narrative quilt inspired by Young Art 2013 during an adult workshop, this Saturday afternoon. http://t.co/7zyycexVOx...
1 week 4 days ago
#ArtIsNotaCrime is out! http://t.co/hUa8Uur8P6 ▸ Top stories today via @12ozProphet @Complex_Art @SDMA
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Amazing artstop in progress @SDMA with the brilliant John Marciari, @BPOC_SD documenting so check the mueum's YouTube if you missed it!
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@SDMA Hey check out my new video! http://t.co/wx6qDTS3iu
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@SDMA Will there be amazing food to match the amazing art? #sandiego #SD #Lajolla
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