On view through Apr. 8, 2022.
California Lutheran University has several robust art collections, including one dedicated to the portrayal of the American West and related themes. American Western Art is an area often underappreciated in art circles as kitsch or lowbrow, despite the obvious talent of its artists and its immeasurable influence on popular culture and America’s perception of itself. The genre has a special place in Ventura County, where our landscapes were used as the backdrop in thousands of film and television Westerns filmed right here in Simi Valley at the Corriganville Movie Ranch.
This exhibit showcases several pieces from Cal Lutheran’s collection, including recent acquisitions. The works in concert beg questions of its audience, such as how masculinity is communicated, conceptualizing the portrayal of Native American peoples versus individual portraits, and considering who creates the narrative in a genre that is dominated by Euro-American men, as this exhibit demonstrates. The works, or horses, have not changed color, but we interrogate them differently to understand our relationship with them, sometimes finding that their meanings for us have shifted over time.
Artists include Roy Anderson, Dick Bacon, Clifford Beck, István Benyovszky, Kent Butler, W.H. Ford, Martin Grelle, Sherry Gribben, David Halbach, R.A. Heichberger, Wayne Justus, Roy Kerswill, Jan Kunz, Thomas W. Lorimer, Albert Micale, Rusty Phelps, Donald Putman, Alfredo Rodriguez, Robert Shufelt, Oleg Stavrowsky, Lyle Tayson Sr., and Clark True.
This exhibit was made possible by the generous donations of the Bob Eubanks Family, Lou and Evelyn Grubb, Sarah W. Heath, and William Rolland.
Image: Thomas W. Lorimer, Distant Thunder, Oil on panel, Gift of the Eubanks Family Collection.
COVID-19 Attendance Information: This exhibit is open by appointment only, please contact gallery@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3697 to schedule a viewing. All guests must wear masks indoors and must fill out a Daily Health Check Form before entering campus.
