Disturbed by his admiration for the summary painter, William C. Agee Sam Francistypically not given the load it deserved as a result of he labored with vibrant colours reasonably than darkish tones.
“We by no means realized easy methods to learn the language of colour,” Mr. Agee instructed The Press Enterprise of Riverdale, California, in 1999, when he curated a retrospective of Frances at Geffen Modern on the Museum of Modern Artwork in Los Angeles. “We take a look at a coloured canvas and assume, ‘Oh, that is a properly patterned canvas’ or ‘Oh, that is so fairly.'” “However we do not take it significantly.”
Agee instructed the newspaper that Sam Francis, who died of most cancers in 1994, had “been criticized for what he was doing as empty and emotionally skinny”.
“That is completely unfair,” he stated. “You take a look at the final work he made, after he was recognized with most cancers and had simply misplaced some good buddies, and also you see him utilizing colour like a base materials, like lava flowing from his soul.”
This anecdote illustrates one of many the reason why Mr. Agee is among the many most revered curators, students, and educators within the artwork world, significantly because it pertains to American Modernism.
Pamela N. Cobb, who studied underneath Mr. Agee as a graduate scholar at Hunter School and have become a curator herself, writes in Memorial.
Mr. Agee died on December 24 in Middletown, Connecticut, on the age of 86.
His spouse, Eletta (Taylor) Agee, stated it was pneumonia.
Mr. Agee started to draw consideration as a curator within the Sixties, particularly with a 1968 exhibition on the Whitney Museum of American Artwork of sculptural packing containers and different works by the artist. Donald Judd; This was the artist’s “first main solo museum present,” in accordance with the Judd Basis. Walter Parker, writing in The St.
“He additionally put collectively a catalog that makes Judd an necessary idea originator in trendy house design,” added Mr. Parker.
In 1970, Mr. Agee took his experience to the West Coast, turning into Director of Exhibitions and Collections on the Pasadena Museum of Artwork in California and taking up as its Director the next yr. In 1974 he turned director of the Museum of Tremendous Arts, Houston, a job he held till 1982.
In his capabilities on the Museum, and afterwards as an impartial curator, Mr. Agee has mounted or assisted within the erection of many necessary exhibitions and has written or contributed to the accompanying catalogs.
However Mr. Agee was simply as influential as a trainer. He joined Hunter School as Professor of Trendy American Artwork in 1990 and stayed for practically 1 / 4 of a century earlier than retiring in 2014.
“His lengthy curatorial expertise and the insights he gained by working carefully with artistic endeavors fueled his teachings,” the school stated in a memorial commentary, and his strategy helped heart the concept of exhibitions as an important facet of historic artwork. Analysis.”
Ms. Cobb stated Mr. Agee had an intensive model as an educator and lecturer.
She stated, “Finding out an artist or a portray with Peale may look like a terrific journey, and he typically addressed his viewers as ‘we’, implying that they have been with him in quest of additional understanding.”
William Cameron Agee was born on September 26, 1936 in Manhattan. His father, additionally named William, was a lawyer, and his mom, Elsie (Burges) Agee, was an government assistant to Ann Morgan, daughter of J.P. Morgan.
When he was a younger youngster, the household moved from New York Metropolis to the suburbs of Westchester County, New York. Mr. Agee attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, the place he was captain of the basketball workforce and, upon his commencement in 1955, was awarded the Yale Bowl for his athletic and scholastic achievements.
He spent a while within the college’s Addison Gallery, which contained a notable assortment of American artwork, and located his discipline of curiosity.
“That was an important and formative expertise in my life,” he stated. 1989 Oral Historical past Registered at College of California, Los Angeles. A long time later, he would help in lots of exhibitions organized by Addison or by drawing on her assortment.
Mr. Agee studied artwork historical past at Princeton College, incomes a bachelor’s diploma there in 1960. Then, after a yr touring to Europe to get a better take a look at the artwork there, he earned a grasp’s diploma in artwork historical past from Yale College in 1963.
In 1964 and 1965 he directed a examine of the American Artwork Archives on the New Deal and the humanities. In 1966 he joined the Whitney as co-curator, the place along with the Judd Present he curated an exhibition on Summary Expressionism Conrad Marca Riley.
In 1968 he moved to the Museum of Trendy Artwork as an assistant curator, spending two years there earlier than taking a job in Pasadena. Take part in exhibitions or catalogs in Patrick Henry BruceRaymond Parker Barbara MorganAnd Fairfield PorterAnd Stuart Davisand Arthur Dove, and lots of others, typically assist re-evaluate these artists and their significance.
“Agee has delivered to his work as curator, author, and educator a boundless love of look,” Ann Temkin, Senior Curator of Portray and Sculpture on the Museum of Trendy Artwork, stated by way of e-mail, “and a frank, clear, and infectious method of sharing.” what he noticed.”
Along with his spouse, whom he married in 1966, Mr. Agee is survived by a daughter, Sintra Agee; Son of Matthew. and three grandchildren. Lived in Chester, Connecticut.
Mr. Agee’s nice work was Trendy Artwork in America 1908-1968, printed in 2016. Writing in The Wall Avenue Journal, critic Terry Tecotte known as it “the rarity of rarity, a scholarly historical past tenacious however not whimsical earlier than.” A veteran museum curator who infuses each web page with unique pondering.”