October 11, 1964: A large and inclusive exhibition representing twenty years of the work of Antonio Frasconi, one of America’s leading printmakers, will be on display at The Brooklyn Museum from October 14 through November 29. One hundred and fifty woodcuts and lithographs and twelve illustrated books done between 1944 and 1964 will be on view.
In 1946, Frasconi, a young artist newly arrived from Uruguay, was given his first one-man show in the United States at The Brooklyn Museum. Since that time he has become one of the most outstanding and popular artists in the country. His woodcuts and lithographs have a quality and character reflecting the artists deep involvement with the ideas and events of his time. Scenes of New York, off-shore oil rigs, farmers and their crops, California vineyards, portraits of scientists and writers of note are all represented in his work. In addition, he has turned his imagination towards the design of children's books, record covers, Christmas cards, calendars and posters.
Frasconi’s meticulous craftmanship in the medium of woodcut has won him wide respect. He is aware of the woodcut tradition, in the German expressionists as well as the medieval masters. He prints his blocks entirely by hand and maintains his own individual expression. For his color prints, he uses many different blocks to obtain the desired effects. Recently, he has experimented in lithography, a medium that permits a fluid handling and subtle modulations. Included and shown for the first time in this exhibition is his latest work, a large triptych entitled "Dallas - 1963.”
In writing of the artist, Una Johnson, Curator of Prints and Drawings, notes that “the engaging variety of Frasconi's graphic comments, the universality and simplicity of his themes have wide appeal. He has been able, through deft craftsmanship and a highly creative imagination, to mirror a mundane world and its compelling facts with sympathy, wit and a warm fantasy. Certainly it is stimulating to find an artist who is capable of being of his time without being either insignificantly abstract or obviously representational."
On Tuesday evening, October 13 from 9 to 11 p.m., there will be an invitational preview for Museum Members and the press. An illustrated catalogue is available for $2.00.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1953 - 1970. 1964, 019-20.
