Exhibitions Archive 2004
The Campbell Kids: A Souper Century
August 4, 2004 – February 6, 2005
The cherub-faced twins have served as advertising mascots for the Campbell Soup Company for a century. Originally the work of Philadelphia illustrator Grace Gebbie Drayton, the Campbell Kids have appeared in thousands of ads, commercials and promotional products. They have adapted to changing media and changing times—including losing some of their original pudginess. This exhibition from Campbell’s archives celebrates 100 years of the advertising icon while providing insights into the evolution of American culture.
Organized by COPIA with Campbell Soup Co., their archivist, Beth Bartle, and David Oates, senior licensing manager.
The Art of Rice: Spirit and Sustenance in Asia
September 3, 2004 – November 29, 2004
Rice, first domesticated in China 8,000 years ago, sustains nearly half of the world’s people. This groundbreaking exhibition, drawing on the research of 24 international scholars and materials from a 13 countries, takes a comprehensive look at the deep significance and meaning of rice in Asian culture. From ancient ceramics and rare textiles to contemporary paintings and festival decorations, the items on view show how the grain is central to individual identity, social organization, religious and artistic expression, as well as daily diet.
Organized and produced by the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Los Angeles, with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, dedicated to promoting excellence in the humanities; The Rockefeller Foundation; The Henry Luce Foundation; The Getty Grant Program; the UC Pacific Rim Research Program; the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture; and the Nikkei Bruin Committee of UCLA. COPIA's showing is made possible by the generous support of Sho Chiku Bai Saké, FoodSaver Home Vacuum Packaging System and Momokawa Saké.
American Barns: Photographs by David Plowden
May 21, 2004 - September 13, 2004
One of the master documentary photographers of our time, David Plowden has embarked on a mission to capture the honesty and essence of the American barn. A rapidly vanishing icon of our agricultural heritage, these cathedral-like structures symbolize community while evoking love for the land and the people who built them. The 22 photographs in this exhibition include recent and vintage images spanning 40 years of Plowden’s career.
Organized by COPIA with the photographer. American Barns is made possible in part by the generous support of Kubota Tractor. The American Barn by David Plowden (W.W. Norton & Company, $50.00) is available in Cornucopia.
UnNaturally
April 30, 2004 - August 16, 2004
In UnNaturally, 16 contemporary artists comment on the artificiality of our modern world—nature reshaped and rearranged, tamed and packaged for our parks, lawns and gardens. The art works present ‘new-and-improved’ forms of nature that are beautiful without the time-consuming maintenance and unpredictability of the natural world. They leave us to ponder not only if such ‘improvements’ outweigh the benefits of living plants and direct experiences of nature, but whether such direct experiences are even possible today.
Curated by Mary-Kay Lombino, and organized by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York, a non-profit traveling exhibition service specializing in contemporary art. The exhibition, tour, and catalogue are made possible, in part, by grants from the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation and Altria.
A Feast of Words: Rare Cookbooks
From the Collection of Anne Willan and Mark Cherniavsky
March 5, 2004 - August 1, 2004
Quickly on the heels of the printing press came the first printed cookbook (1474), and ever since, celebrated chefs have been publishing illustrated guides that capture not just the food but also the culture of their times. Providing insight into continuity and change in cookery through five centuries, this exhibition includes such rare specimens as Bartolomeo Scappi’s 16th century Italian cookbook detailing Renaissance Italian cooking and kitchens. French and English examples from the same period illuminate early national differences in food and culture.
Anne Willan is founder and president of La Varenne Cooking School in Burgundy, France; a well-known cookbook author and cooking teacher; and a Copia trustee. Her husband, Mark Cherniavsky, compiled their collection of rare cookbooks in his business travels.
Inside Out: Botanical Photograms by Ann Parker
February 13, 2004 – May 17, 2004
Ann Parker uses neither a camera nor film to capture the essence of plants in her work; instead, she projects light directly through petals and leaves onto large sheets of photo-sensitive paper. The resulting photograms have exceptional clarity and a compelling immediacy. “I want viewers to imagine that they are bees, intimately exploring deep inside the fruits, flowers and vegetables,” notes Parker. Though intended as fine art, the artist states, “… they also give an extraordinary amount of scientifically correct information.”
Organized by Copia with the photographer.
1937 Gypsy Caravan Teardrop Trailer
January 29, 2004 – May 2, 2004
First introduced in the 1930s, the mini-caravan Teardrop Trailer won the hearts of American travelers. After WWII, teardrop fever spread. Complete with domestic trappings, the petite camper slept two, and had a rear kitchenette with ice box and stove. The Markus’s 1937 Gypsy Caravan Teardrop is remarkable in its authenticity, boasting original fixtures and vintage charm.
Courtesy of Norman and Ann Markus, Crockett, CA.
SANDY SKOGLUND: Enchanting the Real
January 30, 2004 – April 12, 2004
Starting with early examples from the 1970s, this exhibition explores the evolution of Sandy Skoglund’s pursuit of food as a subject and her experimentation with a cross-disciplinary approach. The focal point of the exhibition will be the premiere showing of Picnic on Wine , a major new installation depicting a picnic precariously set on a sea of wine-filled goblets. Ideas of bounty and sustenance, and the attraction and repulsiveness of excess, lie at the work’s core. In addition to this three-dimensional work and the photograph derived from it, the exhibition also offers a 30-year survey of Skoglund’s photographs—vivid, large scale images of mannequins and live models posed in her meticulously crafted installations.
Curated for COPIA by Sarah Tanguy, an independent curator based in Washington, DC. This exhibition is made possible in part by the generous support of the Silvani Family and California Glass Company.
No Boundaries: Contemporary Basketry
January 30, 2004 – April 12, 2004
Organized by the Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, this traveling exhibition is a program of ExhibitsUSA, a National Division of Mid-America Arts Alliance generously supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the H&R Block Foundation, Cooper Foundation, Richard Florsheim Art Fund, Samuel H. Dress Foundation, Sprint, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
EATING AND DRINKING IN SPLENDOR:
GEORGIAN SILVER FROM THE ALAN AND
SIMONE HARTMAN COLLECTION
June 1, 2003 – February 23, 2004
Britain and France were frequently at war from the early 1700s until the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815. Ironically, London aristocrats and commoners of this period embraced enemy culture, if not its politics, copying French fashions in clothing and food. Silversmiths crafted new tableware such as sauce boats and soup tureens to match French-inspired cuisine. The fashion for wines like port created the need for wine coasters and other new paraphernalia. Even the way food was served changed, creating a demand for yet other vessels, such as entree dishes. The precious and splendid silver serving pieces in this exhibition illustrate dramatically not only how, but also how much, people dined and drank during the period. As one nobleman remarked on his deathbed, “This exit is the result of too many entrees”.
Curated for COPIA by Christopher Hartop, from the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, New York, NY.
SALAD DRESSING: Food in Fashion
September 19, 2003 – January 12, 2004
Clothing is often decorated with natural imagery, such as flowers, trees and animal prints. In the case of food, some clothing has gone even further, mimicking the forms of edible plants and food packaging. Salad Dressing will present an inventive array of costumes and accessories created as art and fashion, theatrical costumes, or for advertising, that often look good enough to eat. The costumes and accessories will be augmented with sketches and photographs.
Organized for COPIA by Melissa Leventon, San Francisco, CA, guest curator and principal of Curatrix Group Museum Consultants. Special thanks to Robert Kushner. This exhibition was made possible in part by the generous support of American Airlines, Embassy Suites Hotel Napa Valley, Epic Roots Mache, and the Oak Knoll Inn. The Media Sponsor for this exhibition is Saveur.
The cherub-faced twins have served as advertising mascots for the Campbell Soup Company for a century. Originally the work of Philadelphia illustrator Grace Gebbie Drayton, the Campbell Kids have appeared in thousands of ads, commercials and promotional products. They have adapted to changing media and changing times—including losing some of their original pudginess. This exhibition from Campbell’s archives celebrates 100 years of the advertising icon while providing insights into the evolution of American culture.
Organized by COPIA with Campbell Soup Co., their archivist, Beth Bartle, and David Oates, senior licensing manager.
The Art of Rice: Spirit and Sustenance in Asia
Rice, first domesticated in China 8,000 years ago, sustains nearly half of the world’s people. This groundbreaking exhibition, drawing on the research of 24 international scholars and materials from a 13 countries, takes a comprehensive look at the deep significance and meaning of rice in Asian culture. From ancient ceramics and rare textiles to contemporary paintings and festival decorations, the items on view show how the grain is central to individual identity, social organization, religious and artistic expression, as well as daily diet.
Organized and produced by the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Los Angeles, with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, dedicated to promoting excellence in the humanities; The Rockefeller Foundation; The Henry Luce Foundation; The Getty Grant Program; the UC Pacific Rim Research Program; the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture; and the Nikkei Bruin Committee of UCLA. COPIA's showing is made possible by the generous support of Sho Chiku Bai Saké, FoodSaver Home Vacuum Packaging System and Momokawa Saké.
American Barns: Photographs by David Plowden
One of the master documentary photographers of our time, David Plowden has embarked on a mission to capture the honesty and essence of the American barn. A rapidly vanishing icon of our agricultural heritage, these cathedral-like structures symbolize community while evoking love for the land and the people who built them. The 22 photographs in this exhibition include recent and vintage images spanning 40 years of Plowden’s career.
Organized by COPIA with the photographer. American Barns is made possible in part by the generous support of Kubota Tractor. The American Barn by David Plowden (W.W. Norton & Company, $50.00) is available in Cornucopia.
UnNaturally
In UnNaturally, 16 contemporary artists comment on the artificiality of our modern world—nature reshaped and rearranged, tamed and packaged for our parks, lawns and gardens. The art works present ‘new-and-improved’ forms of nature that are beautiful without the time-consuming maintenance and unpredictability of the natural world. They leave us to ponder not only if such ‘improvements’ outweigh the benefits of living plants and direct experiences of nature, but whether such direct experiences are even possible today.
Curated by Mary-Kay Lombino, and organized by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York, a non-profit traveling exhibition service specializing in contemporary art. The exhibition, tour, and catalogue are made possible, in part, by grants from the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation and Altria.
A Feast of Words: Rare Cookbooks
From the Collection of Anne Willan and Mark Cherniavsky
Quickly on the heels of the printing press came the first printed cookbook (1474), and ever since, celebrated chefs have been publishing illustrated guides that capture not just the food but also the culture of their times. Providing insight into continuity and change in cookery through five centuries, this exhibition includes such rare specimens as Bartolomeo Scappi’s 16th century Italian cookbook detailing Renaissance Italian cooking and kitchens. French and English examples from the same period illuminate early national differences in food and culture.
Anne Willan is founder and president of La Varenne Cooking School in Burgundy, France; a well-known cookbook author and cooking teacher; and a Copia trustee. Her husband, Mark Cherniavsky, compiled their collection of rare cookbooks in his business travels.
Inside Out: Botanical Photograms by Ann Parker
Ann Parker uses neither a camera nor film to capture the essence of plants in her work; instead, she projects light directly through petals and leaves onto large sheets of photo-sensitive paper. The resulting photograms have exceptional clarity and a compelling immediacy. “I want viewers to imagine that they are bees, intimately exploring deep inside the fruits, flowers and vegetables,” notes Parker. Though intended as fine art, the artist states, “… they also give an extraordinary amount of scientifically correct information.”
Organized by Copia with the photographer.
1937 Gypsy Caravan Teardrop Trailer
First introduced in the 1930s, the mini-caravan Teardrop Trailer won the hearts of American travelers. After WWII, teardrop fever spread. Complete with domestic trappings, the petite camper slept two, and had a rear kitchenette with ice box and stove. The Markus’s 1937 Gypsy Caravan Teardrop is remarkable in its authenticity, boasting original fixtures and vintage charm.
Courtesy of Norman and Ann Markus, Crockett, CA.
SANDY SKOGLUND: Enchanting the Real
Starting with early examples from the 1970s, this exhibition explores the evolution of Sandy Skoglund’s pursuit of food as a subject and her experimentation with a cross-disciplinary approach. The focal point of the exhibition will be the premiere showing of Picnic on Wine , a major new installation depicting a picnic precariously set on a sea of wine-filled goblets. Ideas of bounty and sustenance, and the attraction and repulsiveness of excess, lie at the work’s core. In addition to this three-dimensional work and the photograph derived from it, the exhibition also offers a 30-year survey of Skoglund’s photographs—vivid, large scale images of mannequins and live models posed in her meticulously crafted installations.
Curated for COPIA by Sarah Tanguy, an independent curator based in Washington, DC. This exhibition is made possible in part by the generous support of the Silvani Family and California Glass Company.
No Boundaries: Contemporary Basketry
In the past 25 years, artists have taken the simple basket form and pushed it in new and exciting directions. They have invented new methods of construction, used unconventional materials, and have created utilitarian and non-functional vessels as well as abstract sculptures, in the process turning the everyday into the exotic. For this exhibition, six established basketry artists were each asked to invite an emerging or lesser-known artist to also contribute works to the show, resulting in a fascinating survey of the current state of this emerging art form.
Organized by the Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, this traveling exhibition is a program of ExhibitsUSA, a National Division of Mid-America Arts Alliance generously supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the H&R Block Foundation, Cooper Foundation, Richard Florsheim Art Fund, Samuel H. Dress Foundation, Sprint, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
EATING AND DRINKING IN SPLENDOR:
GEORGIAN SILVER FROM THE ALAN AND
SIMONE HARTMAN COLLECTION
Britain and France were frequently at war from the early 1700s until the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815. Ironically, London aristocrats and commoners of this period embraced enemy culture, if not its politics, copying French fashions in clothing and food. Silversmiths crafted new tableware such as sauce boats and soup tureens to match French-inspired cuisine. The fashion for wines like port created the need for wine coasters and other new paraphernalia. Even the way food was served changed, creating a demand for yet other vessels, such as entree dishes. The precious and splendid silver serving pieces in this exhibition illustrate dramatically not only how, but also how much, people dined and drank during the period. As one nobleman remarked on his deathbed, “This exit is the result of too many entrees”.
Curated for COPIA by Christopher Hartop, from the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, New York, NY.
MICHIKO KON: STILL LIFES
December 12, 2003 – February 9, 2004
Michiko Kon takes the classic tradition of the still-life photograph and gives it new life through the reanimation of object parts. These objects are assembled from fish and foods with a sensibility reminiscent of the 16th century Italian painter Archimboldo, as well as 20th century Surrealists Man Ray and Meret Oppenheim. Kon’s photographs make a permanent record of subjects that only exist temporarily: a garter belt fashioned from fish; a pair of melons covered with octopus tentacles; a boot made of shrimp. Her images have a powerful and sensuous allure as she captures thoughts, fantasies or dreams with razor-sharp detail.
Kon has been long recognized in her native Japan as a preeminent photographer and her work is increasingly becoming appreciated in the West. Her photographs are in the permanent collections of museums world-wide . Organized and circulated by Aperture Traveling Exhibition, New York, NY.
Michiko Kon takes the classic tradition of the still-life photograph and gives it new life through the reanimation of object parts. These objects are assembled from fish and foods with a sensibility reminiscent of the 16th century Italian painter Archimboldo, as well as 20th century Surrealists Man Ray and Meret Oppenheim. Kon’s photographs make a permanent record of subjects that only exist temporarily: a garter belt fashioned from fish; a pair of melons covered with octopus tentacles; a boot made of shrimp. Her images have a powerful and sensuous allure as she captures thoughts, fantasies or dreams with razor-sharp detail.
Kon has been long recognized in her native Japan as a preeminent photographer and her work is increasingly becoming appreciated in the West. Her photographs are in the permanent collections of museums world-wide . Organized and circulated by Aperture Traveling Exhibition, New York, NY.
SALAD DRESSING: Food in Fashion
Clothing is often decorated with natural imagery, such as flowers, trees and animal prints. In the case of food, some clothing has gone even further, mimicking the forms of edible plants and food packaging. Salad Dressing will present an inventive array of costumes and accessories created as art and fashion, theatrical costumes, or for advertising, that often look good enough to eat. The costumes and accessories will be augmented with sketches and photographs.
Organized for COPIA by Melissa Leventon, San Francisco, CA, guest curator and principal of Curatrix Group Museum Consultants. Special thanks to Robert Kushner. This exhibition was made possible in part by the generous support of American Airlines, Embassy Suites Hotel Napa Valley, Epic Roots Mache, and the Oak Knoll Inn. The Media Sponsor for this exhibition is Saveur.
