Stephen Kaltenbach: The Beginning and The End (Postponed)

NOTE: The Manetti Shrem Museum of Art will temporarily close to the public beginning 3/16/2020 as part of UC Davis’ efforts to prioritize the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff, visitors, and the community at large.

The Davis artist’s first solo museum exhibition in the U.S. in nearly 40 years surveys Stephen Kaltenbach’s engagement with time as a principal theme across his remarkably diverse career. The UC Davis graduate (B.A. 1966; M.A. 1967) made an important contribution to the development of Conceptual art during the late 1960s, but just as he was achieving career success, he abruptly withdrew to California’s Central Valley. In 2009, he revealed that he continued to produce Conceptual work alongside his well-known paintings (such as “Portrait of My Father” (1972-79; included in this exhibition) and public sculptures after 1970. This seeming about-face was, in fact, part of a calculated, decades-long project. Guest curators: Constance Lewallen and Ted Mann.

Winter Season Celebration is an afternoon featuring an artist talk with exhibiting artist Stephen Kaltenbach and the co-curators, Constance Lewallen and Ted Mann as well as art-making activities, live music and the chance to see a new outdoor installation of five of Manuel Neri’s bronze sculptures on the west side of the museum that complements the “Gesture” exhibition.