Breaking the Rules: Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown

(Hardback)

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Description

In reaction to the widespread pursuit of Abstract Expressionism in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Paul Wonner and William Theophilus Brown were among the artists in the San Francisco Bay Area who began to re-engage with the visible world, applying the gestural style of action painting to depictions of people, landscapes, and still lifes. Together, the couple aligned themselves with this new direction and became leading practitioners of the style known today as Bay Area Figuration. Over time, both artists works became less gestural and more overtly representational. Brown became known for his psychologically evocative landscapes with classic bathers, as well as for his lonely urban scenes. Wonner received greatest acclaim for his baroque still lifes laden with everyday objects, animals, and flowers.

Published to accompany the most comprehensive exhibition of the artists work ever mounted, this exquisite publication offers an in-depth study of these trailblazing artists. Exhibition at the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA (30 April-27 August 2023) travels to the Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA (14 October 2023-7 Jan 2024); and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN (28 January-30 March 2024).

Reviews

The 30 Best Books for Holiday Gifting: "...by the 60s and 70s, both Wonner and Brown had their own concerns and interests, as is clear in this comprehensive monograph. A terrific addition to the story of American painting in the second half of the 20th century." - Esquire

Author Bio

Scott A. Shields is the Ted and Melza Barr Chief Curator and Associate Director at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. Matt Gonzalez is an attorney in the San Francisco Public Defenders Office and an artist exhibiting with Dolby Chadwick Gallery in San Francisco.