Schneider Museum of Art
Press Release June 20, 2006
_____________________________________________________________________WHAT: New Exhibition Opens—Objects of Desire: From the Crowell Collection
WHO: Schneider Museum of Art
WHEN: June 30-September 16, 2006
Opening Reception: June 29, 6-8 p.m., in the Museum
Contact: Mary Gardiner, Director at 541-552-6246 or gardiner@sou.edu
1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520
Objects of Desire: From the Crowell Collection
Ashland, Oregon The Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University presents Objects of Desire: From the Crowell Collection, June 30-September 16, 2006. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, June 29, from 6-8 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public.
Rogue Valley residents, Ron and Susan Crowell, have been actively collecting contemporary Northwest Coast Native art, Inuit sculpture, and contemporary glass for the past twenty years. Their passion for the art and the people who create it has resulted in a well defined collection that includes masks, woodcarvings, ceremonial drums, totem poles, color lithographs and stone sculpture.
In terms of style the Crowell Collection is both eclectic and pluralistic. Its genius is part enthusiasm, part aesthetic responses to a wide variety of stimuli, and partly willingness to expend both energy and monetary resources to pursue a multitude of directions. There is no intent on their part to focus solely on masterpieces, although their collection contains work by some of the best artists working today. They have acquired a repertory of appealing works, which have taken them from contemporary sculpture by artists working in tribal traditions as well as others, like William Morris who has greatly expanded the horizons of images realized in glass.
There are moments where the two directions intersect; that is partially due to Morris’ attraction to shamanistic and ceremonial antecedents in tribal cultures from around the world—as well as to the Crowell’s obvious interest in images of faith and cultural identity. Of note is their interest in the principle of historic distillation which plays a significant role in almost everything they have collected. Their collection demonstrates broad areas of interest, and the courage to disregard formulaic solutions in the choices they have made.
The Schneider Museum of Art is located on the campus of Southern Oregon University on the corner of Siskiyou Boulevard and Indiana Street, in Ashland, Oregon. Museum Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-4 pm, and First Fridays from 10 am-7 pm. There is a $3 suggested donation. For more information call 541-552-6245 or visit www.sou.edu/sma.
