The San Diego Museum of Art is pleased to present Nancy Lorenz: Moon Gold, the first solo museum exhibition for the noted contemporary artist Nancy Lorenz. Organized by The San Diego Museum of Art, this exhibition comprises more than 85 works, some of which are inspired by Japanese masterpieces from the Museum’s permanent collection. Nancy Lorenz: Moon Gold will be on view April 27, 2018 through September 3, 2018.
Lorenz is a New York-based artist celebrated for her sophisticated technique and luminous art. She uses materials such as mother-of-pearl inlay, lacquer, and gold leaf in painterly gestures to create outstanding works of art. Having trained in the conservation of Japanese decorative arts, Lorenz continues to employ traditional lacquering and gilding techniques as points of departure in her studio practice.
Curated by Ariel Plotek, Ph.D, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Nancy Lorenz: Moon Gold will showcase works in a variety of scale and materials, including folding screens and sculptures, paintings, lacquer boxes, sketchbooks and more. Notable works include the large-scale Rock Garden Room, which will be at the center of the exhibition, as well as a selection of what Lorenz calls “pours,” abstract works using water-gilded gesso. Unique to this exhibition, Lorenz also created several new pieces in dialogue with Japanese works from the Museum’s permanent collection.
“Nancy Lorenz: Moon Gold presents an exquisite collection of works that are highly sophisticated in technique and rich in materials,” said Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director of The San Diego Museum of Art. “Nancy Lorenz’s Japanese influence and exceptional use of traditional methods will be demonstrated throughout the exhibition. We are honored to have Ms. Lorenz unveil several new works inspired by our renowned Japanese holdings, and share them with the San Diego community and its visitors.”
Lorenz’s work has been shown in major museums and executed in significant commissions around the world, including the Portland Art Museum; the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles; the Soho Grand Hotel, New York; Chanel stores in Paris, Hong Kong, Ginza, Dubai and more.
Nancy Lorenz earned a BFA in Painting and Printmaking at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and an MFA in painting from the Tyler School of Art, studying in Philadelphia, Rome and Japan. She is a 1998 recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim award. She is a frequent collaborator of the designer Peter Marino, having worked with him for clients, including Bottega Veneta. She has also worked with jewelry designer Temple St. Clair for Paris Fashion Week.
Additional programming will complement Nancy Lorenz: Moon Gold, including a lecture with curator Ariel Plotek on May 4, 2018 and an arts workshop on May 26, 2018. There will also be an illustrated catalogue available for this exhibition, including a print from Nancy Lorenz. These limited-edition catalogues with museum-quality prints are being produced by Benrido, an atelier in Kyoto and one of the last few remaining producers of collotypes in the world.
