Spontaneous Show Offers ‘Women Sculptors’

Inspired by the opening exhibition at downtown Los Angeles’ new Hauser Wirth & Schimmel art complex, The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art unveils a surprise exhibition, “Women Sculptors,” before the museum’s official fall opening. “Women Sculptors,” which includes selections from the museum’s permanent collection, features a wide variety of sculpture and prints by 16 prominent 20th century and contemporary female sculptors. The exhibition will remain up through Saturday, Oct. 1, during weekdays 10-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. (closed 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch), and closed on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, please call the museum at (805) 565-6162.

“A Westmont arts group recently visited the new downtown L.A. gallery to see “Revolution in the Making: Abstract Sculpture by Women, 1947–2016,” and it inspired us to look into our own collection and interpret the same theme,” says Judy Larson, R. Anthony Askew professor of art history and museum director. “Supplemented with a couple of outside loans, this permanent collection exhibition is a strong showing of 20th and 21st century women who sculpted, modeled, chiseled and constructed three dimensional art objects. The exhibition also features works from our growing print collection — all prints by women artists who also were known as sculptors.

“Generous friends to the museum have enabled us to add gifts and acquisitions to our permanent collection.”

Featured artists include: Dorthea Tanning (American, 1910 – 2012), Dorothy Dehner (American, 1901 –1994), Lee Bontecou (American, b. 1931), Louise Bourgeois (French, 1911 – 2010), Alison Saar (American, b. 1956), Louise Nevelson (American, 1899 – 1988), Nancy Graves (American, 1939 – 1995), Kiki Smith (American, born in Germany, b. 1954), Jenchi Wu (Korean American), Jill Vanderhoof (American), Asta Gröting (German, b. 1961), Jessica Stockholder (Canadian/American, b. 1959), Lynn Aldrich (American, b. 1944), Karen Karnes (American, b. 1925), Susan Tibbles (American) and Chakaia Booker (American, b. 1953).