July 30, 2012, Wichita, Kansas – An exhibition of forty-six lithographs and etchings, each produced with a relationship to poetry by artists who have been a dominant force in the development and maturation of twentieth-century modern art. Robert Motherwell, a pioneer and principal exponent of abstract expressionism, and Jasper Johns, one of the most innovative printmakers of our time, are brought together in this showing of their combined bibliophilic works.

The exhibition focuses on two separate and isolated projects, each involving highly unusual collaborations between artist and poet. The Motherwell prints, all lithographs which were made between 1980 and 1983, are directly related to a single poem, El Negro Motherwell, written by the Spanish poet Rafael Alberti and dedicated to Motherwell. Johns is paired with the Irish-born, Nobel Prize-winning poet and playwright Samuel Beckett, who played with and reinvented language in much the same way that Johns approached imagery.

The collaborations were highly successful, though both projects might be considered more as responsive endeavors than true partnerships. The final result becomes an intellectual exercise that plays an important role in the understanding and interpretation of this exhibition. This exhibition was organized by Contemporary and Modern Print Exhibitions. Funding has been provided by the Friends of the Wichita Art Museum Endowment Fund and the City of Wichita.

Exhibition dates: August 12 – November 25, 2012

Art © Dedalus Foundation, Inc./Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY