Roger Brown @ HPAC
5020 S. Cornell
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 324-5520
June 20 October 3, 2010
opening June 20 ,2010
New exhibition re-connects Art Center to faåmed Chicago Imagist and Hairy Who alum.
"If that's what you see in it, that's what it is"
---Roger Brown (1941-1997)
This weekend marks the opening of Roger Brown: Calif U.S.A. And it’s not your typical solo or retrospective exhibition. Instead of simply showing the work of a well known artist, the exhibition, curated by Nick Lowe, will take you inside the life of the artist.
Roger Brown was a painter, and member of the Chicago Imagist movement. He's well known for his extravagant use of color, creating paintings so brilliant they almost vibrate before your eyes.
Brown was also known for his extensive collections of seemingly worthless tchochkies. The shelves of his home were covered with cups and saucers, figurines, taxidermed animals, and small ceramic pieces. At first glance, the assortment looks like clutter. However, upon closer inspection, you realize these are carefully arranged collections. Once paired with his vibrant paintings, the deliberateness of Brown's collection becomes even more apparent.
Brown's final years were spent in his quiet home in La Conchita, California. The house is where the famed Chicago Imagist lived from 1993 until he past away in 1997. It’s also where he created many of what curator Nick Lowe refers to as “object paintings” - paintings paired with the objects Brown collected. When Brown passed away, and his house in La Conchita, California was sold, the items from the home became the property of the Roger Brown Study Collection, part of SAIC. These items were carefully packed away in the Collection’s storage facility, where they have been for the past 12 years.
Until now. For the past week, a team from the Roger Brown Study Collection has been painstakingly recreating rooms, hallways and displays from the La Conchita home. They will be presented as Brown intended, objects paired together with paintings to create a complete work.
Join curator Nick Lowe from 2-4pm this Sunday for the opening of Roger Brown: Calif, U.S.A. Nick will give a special tour of the gallery and talk about the life of this influential Chicago Imagist.
During the course of the exhibition you can look forward to a multitude of events, including a Gift Shop and the chance for your own collections to be featured here at the Art Center. You can find out about all of the Roger Brown: Calif U.S.A. events by visiting the exhibition page or clicking here.
Images in the order they appear:
Nicholas Lowe, scale model, Bedroom Left Green Hutch”
Cardboard, Sculpey, paint, 2010
“TV Arrangement” Reassembled
Photo: Roger Brown Study Collection, 2010
