1963 - 1964
SWC ART
EVENTS
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March 19, 1964
Something Will Be Happen-ing
Coined by artist Allan Kaprow in 1959, "Happenings" were wide ranging loosely structured art performance events, centered on concepts of art and life, and expressed, with audience participation, through assorted theatrical, musical, artistic and everyday activities.
This Happening, sponsored by the Associated Women Students (AWS) and promoted ostensibly as a discussion panel about Pop Art, was a three ring circus of Pop art displays, eccentric performances, questions and eventually a panel discussion.
The evening culminated with 6'9" student, Garnet Linzey parading into the event (mimicking the famous "I dreamed I...in my Maidenform Bra" advertisement campaign) carrying the appropriate sign and attire (see image).
Souvenir to Be Cherished Forever
Sept 9 - 27, 1963
Container Corporation of America's Great Ideas of Western Man
“From 1950 to the mid-1970s, the CCA ran advertisements in a series called "Great Ideas of Western Man." Art Director Herbert Bayer commissioned major artists and designers to illustrate selected ideas of the greatest philosophers, writers, scientists, and cultural, religious, and political figures of history. “ (source)
Each year these highly touted advertisements would be printed and collected into a portfolio for sale or display.
Oct 7 - 25, 1963
Lee Christensen - Paintings
Dec 2 - 20, 1963
The Illustrator or Designer... as a Painter
In an attempt to blur the lines between Commercial and Fine Artists, Matheny called upon his past graphic design coworkers and associates to submit an example of an illustration as well as a painting for comparison.
Jan 6 - 17, 1964
Faculty Show: Richard Robinson - Painting & Sculptures
Feb 3 - 14, 1964
Faculty Show: Ron Lawson – Photographs
Feb 17 - March 6, 1964
Snap! Crackle! Pop!
Pop Art in San Diego
Pop Art had exploded onto the art world scene by this time, following the museum exhibitions "New Painting of Common Objects" at the Pasadena Museum in1962 & "Six Painters & the Object" at the Guggenheim in1963.
The art gallery and administration building displayed Pop sculptures and paintings by local artists and previous SWC exhibitors, Richard Allen Morris, Fred Cooper and new SWC part-time Faculty John Baldessari.
Richard Allen Morris presented the more controversial artworks with his sculptures made up of found everyday objects assembled together.
John Baldessari was moving away from his previous abstract paintings and toward his future conceptual text based works, here creating more illustrative drawings with text on his canvases.
March 16 - April 3, 1964
Children's Art
April 13 - May 8, 1964
Annual Purchase Award Show: Painting & Sculpture
The second Purchase Award Show proved no less controversial than the first. The top winner, John Rogers' "All Day Sucker" (see image) a metal and resin sculpture (based on the, then recent, Thalidomide birth defect tragedy) would later be removed from display at the new SWC library by College President Chester DeVore, to prevent anticipated public offense.
Future solo exhibitor, Norma McGee's abstract painting "A Tear for A Country" won second prize, while Richard Shields bronze "The Golden Mushroom of Heironymus Bosch" won third.
May 14 - May 20
Student Container Show -
Boxes, Package Design, & Containers
May 25 - June 5, 1964
Annual Student Show
June 22 - July 17, 1964
Robert Fries – Paintings
Robert "Bob" Fries, a local abstract San Diego painter and art theater producer, exhibited his musically influenced grey-scaled abstract paintings. The Exhibition Listing contains his short film proposal, which was an extension of his music-art -theater synthesis he had been collaboratively producing with local musicians, actors and artists (including Richard Allen Morris and John Baldessari)
Nov 4 - 22, 1963
Russell Baldwin - Cast Bronze Sculpture
Russell Baldwin, local sculptor and friend of John Baldessari, Richard Allen Morris and Bob Matheny, would go on to teach and program the art gallery at Palomar College for over 20 years. This exhibition featured his waste-mold sandcasting method to form one of a kind brass metal sculptures. Influenced by his friends, Baldwin would shortly begin experimenting with more conceptual artworks, a practice he continued for almost the next half century.