Museum Shows Off New Contemporary Art

The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art shows off some of the amazing art it has acquired in the past five years in “Saar, Serra, Surls and More: Thirty New Acquisitions in Contemporary Art” Oct. 29-Dec. 19. An opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 4-6 p.m. is free and open to the public.

The exhibition, which includes works made in the last 35 years, features artists Andy Goldsworthy, Urs Fischer, Carl Andre, Jessica Stockholder, Claes Oldenburg, Louise Bourgeois, Kiki Smith, Chakaia Booker, Nancy Graves and Lynn Aldrich as well as Alison Saar, Richard Serra and James Surls.

In the last five years the museum has acquired about 1,200 new works and $4 million in value due to generous gifts, bequests and purchases. “Westmont alumni Faith and Dewayne Perry generously donate to a print purchasing fund each year, which has allowed us to begin to form an interesting core collection of contemporary prints,” says Judy L. Larson, R. Anthony Askew professor of art history and museum director. “Printmaking has been an important part of Westmont’s studio art program, so it makes sense to purchase great examples of contemporary prints for students to study. Other purchases and gifts of photography, paintings, drawings and sculpture have come from a variety of opportunities.

“Our holdings for local artists are strong, and we anticipate organizing an exhibition featuring just our Santa Barbara artists in the future.”

The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed Sundays and college holidays. For more information, please visit www.westmontmuseum.org or contact the museum at (805) 565-6162.