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Manetti Shrem Museum to Explore Thiebaud鈥檚 Evolving Influence Through 19 Contemporary Artists

鈥楨xhibition in Two parts鈥 Features Website Now, Live Exhibition in January

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painting of cake and work boot.
Among the art being displayed is Robert Colescott, Artistry and Reality (Happy Birthday), 1983. Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 18 in. (40.6 x 45.7 cm). Courtesy of the Erle and Pinkie Flad Collection. © 2020 Robert H. Colescott Separate Property Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: Cleber Bonato

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As the region celebrates longtime 嘿嘿视频 art professor Wayne Thiebaud鈥檚 100th birthday in November, his profound influence on a new generation of contemporary artists will be the focus of an exhibition opening Jan. 31 at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, at the University of California, Davis.

Thiebaud is one of the world鈥檚 most recognizable, beloved and active artists, known for his cakes and pies, landscapes and cityscapes, and figurative paintings. Yet for more than 50 years, he was understood as forging an eccentric course. 鈥淗e found his voice in a very volatile time in the art world,鈥 said Manetti Shrem Founding Director Rachel Teagle. 鈥淧ainting as a medium and practice was dead. Wayne championed a new path forward.鈥

Intertwined with Thiebaud鈥檚 artistic legacy is his enduring commitment to teaching. 鈥淗e鈥檚 an artist who sees teaching as central to his purpose as an artist,鈥 Teagle said. The professor emeritus first joined the university鈥檚 fledgling art department in 1959, . 鈥淲ayne Thiebaud Influencer: A New Generation鈥 considers his impact from the vantage point of 19 artists carrying his legacy forward into the next 100 years.

A lively array of contemporary artists who have been inspired by Thiebaud as a fellow painter as well as former students are highlighted. Andrea Bowers, Robert Colescott, Alex Israel, Jason Stopa, Jonas Wood and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye celebrate Thiebaud鈥檚 influence in surprisingly diverse ways, along with 13 mid- and late-career artists who studied with Thiebaud directly: Julie Bozzi 鈥74, M.F.A. 鈥76; Christopher Brown, M.F.A. 鈥76; Gene Cooper; Richard Crozier, M.F.A. 鈥74; April Glory Funcke 鈥87, M.F.A. 鈥89; Fredric Hope; Grace Munakata 鈥80, M.F.A. 鈥85; Bruce Nauman, M.A. 鈥66; Vonn Cummings Sumner 鈥98, M.F.A. 鈥00; Ann Harrold Taylor, M.F.A. 鈥85; Michael Tompkins 鈥81, M.F.A. 鈥83; Clay Vorhes; and Patricia Wall 鈥72. Nauman and Sumner share the distinction of being the first and last graduate students Thiebaud taught, as well as serving as teaching assistants.

Select pairings of Thiebaud鈥檚 works with those of the exhibiting artists explore how he forecast the future of painting through his personal journey to find meaning and reinvention in the medium鈥檚 history 鈥 and inspired his students to do the same. 鈥淎s we move more into the 21st century, he was among the few who saw painting as a serious intellectual pursuit,鈥 said Teagle, who is curating the exhibition along with Associate Curator Susie Kantor. 鈥淗e brought innovation to his teaching in ways that continue to inspire and teach many future generations of students.鈥

Expanding the experience

The invites the public behind the scenes as the museum documents the development and installation leading up 鈥淲ayne Thiebaud Influencer: A New Generation.鈥 Every other week, visitors can expect significant updates as new art is received and unpacked, insights from staff, and archival materials. The site will also introduce the exhibition鈥檚 鈥淣ew Generation鈥 artists through exclusive video interviews and provide a window into the challenges and innovative approaches that are part of building an exhibition during a global pandemic.

Related exhibit of Thiebaud prints  

Although Wayne Thiebaud is better known as a painter, he has also been a prolific printmaker, working in print for most of his career and producing over 200 designs. Drawn from the university鈥檚 Fine Arts Collection, 鈥淲orking Proof: Wayne Thiebaud as Printmaker鈥 features numerous printing 鈥減roofs,鈥 many worked by hand, that were created as part of the printmaking process. Shown adjacent to 鈥淲ayne Thiebaud Influencer: A New Generation,鈥 these works underscore the importance of printmaking in Thiebaud鈥檚 artistic practice, as well as his dedication to donating works to the university that can function as teaching tools. This related exhibit is curated by Curatorial Assistant Quintana Heathman.

鈥淲ayne Thiebaud Influencer: A New Generation,鈥 Jan. 31-June 13, 2021. Visit for information about how to reserve your timed ticket.  

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Art Wide Open

The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at the University of California, Davis, is a contemporary art museum and cultural resource dedicated to making art accessible and approachable to all. It builds on 嘿嘿视频鈥 legacy of exceptional teaching and practice of the arts to offer engaging experiences and exhibitions that reflect and serve the community, now and for generations to come. The museum shares the university鈥檚 core values of innovative research, interdisciplinary experimentation and a commitment to educational programming: It鈥檚 a hub of creative practice for thinkers, makers and innovators. One-third of the museum鈥檚 50,000-square-foot space is devoted to instruction, including a 125-seat lecture hall, classroom space and the drop-in Carol and Gerry Parker Art Studio. Opened in November 2016, the museum has earned LEEDv3-NC Platinum status, and has won numerous awards for its distinctive architecture.

Media Resources

Laura Compton, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, 530-304-9517, llcompton@ucdavis.edu

Karen Nikos-Rose, News and Media Relations, 530-219-5472, kmnikos@ucdavis.edu

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