Framingham, Massachusetts.- The Danforth Museum is pleased to present “Boston Ten and Beyond”, on view at the museum through May 20th. The exhibition consists of over 30 collaborative pieces selected from work recently acquired by the Museum. This past January twenty-four individual artists donated a total of 113 works, created together as part of a group project. This donation represents the single largest collection of work gifted to the Museum to date—and perhaps the most unique. This show represents collaboration between 24 artists, each working in their own way to create works that blend individual styles.
Some works walk the line between the real and surreal, some display interest in the graphic novel or pop realism, some embrace the painterly brushwork of neo-expressionism. The resulting work is compelling and forceful—a sum of many creative parts. Contributing artists include Miroslav Antic, Gerry Bergstein, Gail Boyajian, Morgan Bulkeley, Mark Cooper, Todd McKie, Ann Neely, Scott Prior and numerous others.
Collaboration began in 2006, following an opening for a show for a group calling themselves the Boston Ten at the Lascano Gallery in Great Barrington, MA. Artist and curator Morgan Bulkeley described hosting an after show party at his house during which “A bunch of us sat on our front porch on Mount Washington drinking wine and beer, reveling in seeing each other after all these years. Most of us had studios together in Boston in the 70’s and 80’s and this reunion reignited our collective creativity. Mark Cooper had brought paper and paints which we started working on and passing around the crowd for additions. We all agreed; that day was close to what heaven must be like.” This magical afternoon was reminiscent of those enjoyed by Surrealist poets in 1920’s Paris when “exquisite corpse” parlor games were all the rage. When Bulkeley experienced a medical condition that interrupted his usual method of working, he again called upon the process to connect with friends—accessing the creative unconscious of a group that had grown beyond its original circle. “In the summer of 2007 my glaucoma made it impossible to work on large paintings, but I could see close up and I started doing some 7″x10″ beginnings, which I handed, or sent, to the Boston Ten group and other friends. The first results were a splendid surprise; and several of those involved began new pieces to send around the group. The project had such a life of its own that I would run to the mailbox to see if anything had arrived.” A selection of these drawings was shown in 2008 at the Ferrin Gallery in Pittsfield, MA, and work on the project continued through January, 2012 when the group decided to gift the entire collection to the Danforth Museum. The Museum is now organizing a future exhibition of all drawings, alongside work by participating artists. An exhibition catalog to archive the collection is planned.
Established as a grass roots organization in 1975 by a committed group of citizens, the Danforth Museum of Art has grown to become a vital cultural resource. Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, 30 miles west of Boston, the Museum provides visitors with entertaining and educational experiences in the visual arts. The Danforth educates the public through its collection of American art, changing exhibits of contemporary artists, classes and workshops in the Museum School, and a variety of community outreach programs. Focusing on American art from 18th century to present day, the Danforth Museum of Art is dedicated to showing the very best examples of contemporary art by both emerging and established artists, as well as an exploration of the School of Boston Expressionism. Their compelling exhibitions and permanent collection of over 3,500 works of art offer countless opportunities for all ages to explore a range of media and artistic forms of expression. Among the highlights of the collection, which specializes in 19th and 20th century American art, are such well-known artists as Gilbert Stuart, James McNeill Whistler, Charles Sprague Pearce, Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller, Albert Bierstadt, Yves Tanguy, Karl Knaths, Thomas Hart Benton and Faith Ringgold. The museum’s mission strongly supports education, the 400 yearly studio art courses offered in the Museum School, family workshops and artist lectures offer Museum members and visitors numerous opportunities to learn and create. Visit the museum’s website at … http://www.danforthmuseum.org