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490 East Union Street · Pasadena, CA 91101
For Immediate Release Contact:
PMCA: Emma Jacobson-Sive at 626.568.3665 or
City of Pasadena: Jonathon Glus at(626) 744-6916 or
Spirit Totems Exhibition: Kathleen Rogers at(207) 667-0733 x11or
Herb Alpert: Michael Jensen, Jensen Communications, 626-585-9575 or
“Spirit Totems: Herb Alpert Sculpture 1995 – 2005”
City ofPasadenaand PasadenaMuseum of California Art Exhibition
Opens December 10 and runs through April 2, 2006
Pasadena, CA (November 21,2005) --The PasadenaMuseum of California Art (PMCA) and the
City of Pasadena are pleased to present an exhibition of cast bronze sculpture by legendary musician and artist Herb Alpert. The city-wide exhibition includes 19 sculptures installed at the PMCA, the PasadenaCivicAuditoriumPlaza, and the Paseo Colorado complex.
A music icon who is world renowned for his extraordinary career, Alpert has worked as a painter and sculptor for more than 30 years. His work has been shown in various galleries and museums around the world. Spirit Totems: Herb Alpert Sculpture 1995 – 2005 brings together his recent body of work, Spirit Totems, which was unveiled this past October in New York City’s famed Bryant Park. The exhibition features other sculpture from the past decade. The exhibition will be installed in open-air public spaces throughout the city: the PMCA roof top terrace, the PasadenaCivicAuditoriumPlaza, and the Paseo Colorado, an outdoor shopping and dining space.
Alpert’s evolution as a visual artist began during his visits to museums, galleries and artists in his travels throughout Central and North America and Europe in the 1960s. His exposure to some of the great collections of abstract painting led him to begin creating his own large-scale paintings and sculpture. His work displays a gestural quality that suggests movement, spontaneity, and formal experimentation. Alpert, who is of Russian-Romanian decent, grew up in Los Angeles embracing its multicultural influences. In his art, Alpert fuses diverse cultural streams into fresh new forms. His most recent body of work, Spirit Totems, is inspired by the totem poles of the Tlingit tribe in the Pacific Northwest. Alpert was intrigued by their sense of mystery, stating they possessed “a new language of art that I related to.” The execution of Spirit Totems involved the creation of hand-formed wax maquettes and smaller clay prototypes. The finished castings weigh about 1000 lbs each and measure 11 feet in height.
“Spirit Totems: Herb Alpert Sculpture 1995 – 2005will infuse the core of historic Pasadena with large scale sculpture for the city and its visitors,” Wesley Jessup, PMCA Executive Director, said. “We are honored to present this exhibition.”
“The City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA) are working to bring more art to public spaces,” Jonathon Glus, Executive Director, City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs added. “As the world will descend on Pasadena for the New Year, Herb Alpert’s unique sculptures and the exhibition is a wonderful addition for the public and art community.”
The work will be on view at the PMCA and in the city of Pasadena from December 10, 2005 to February 19, 2006 and is free to the public. From the Pasadena location the Spirit Totems will travel to additional venues as part of a national tour.
Locations
PasadenaMuseum of California Art
490 E. Union Street
Pasadena, CA91101
626.568.3665
Hours: 12:00 – 5:00 p.m., Wednesday – Sunday
Admission: $6, $4 senior/student
Pasadena Civic AuditoriumPlaza
300 E. Green Street
Pasadena, CA91101
Paseo Colorado
280 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA91101
(sculpture located across Green Street from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium)