PULLMAN, Wash. — The Washington State University Museum of Art will feature rarely displayed work from the museum’s permanent collection in “From the Vault: Work from the Museum of Art Permanent Collection,” running June 11-July 29 at the Fine Arts Center on the Pullman campus.
The works are being brought out of storage for display in the museum as part of an ongoing project to photograph and document the entire permanent collection. Some works have never been displayed in the museum.
Organized by Roger H.D. Rowley, the museum’s curator of exhibitions and collections manager, the exhibition will be displayed in sections that reflect the collection’s different areas of artistic practice, including painting, printmaking and more. Portfolios and some sculptural objects also will be showcased. The groupings are intended as an exploration of the different means of creating, rather than thematic groupings related by a particular genre, period or artist.
In the area related to photography, a “camera obscura” will be constructed looking out one of the museum’s front windows. Visitors can walk into the room-sized “camera” and see a projection of the sculpture project by artist Buster Simpson, to be constructed on the Fine Arts Plaza this summer.
While “From the Vault” is on view, a portion of the gallery will be separated so museum staff can photograph the collection’s nearly 1,800 previously undocumented works. As the work is accomplished, additional pieces will be added to the exhibition, although the majority of the works will be on display for the entire exhibition period.
Continuing at the museum this summer will be the “Window Project,” featuring lighted sculptures visible outside from the Fine Arts Plaza.
Special summer museum gallery hours for “From the Vault” will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday. The museum will be closed July 4. All museum events are free and open to the public. The gallery is wheelchair accessible.
Funding for museum exhibitions and programs is provided by WSU, the Friends of the Museum of Art and private donors. Additional support is provided by Bank of America, IKON Office Solutions, OPSIS Architects, Pullman Community Foundation/Foundation Northwest, Pullman Kiwanis Club, Pullman Transit, Tri-State Distributors, US West Foundation, Washington Mutual Foundation, WSU’s Visual, Performing and Literary Arts Committee, and the Washington State Arts Commission.
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