Edo to Tacoma:
Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Collection

September 4, 2010 through February 13, 2011

This exhibition showcases one of the centerpieces of Tacoma Art Museum’s permanent collection. The strength and range of the museum’s collection of Japanese woodblock prints will be displayed in an exhibition that spans three eras of Japanese art: the familiar and popular ukiyo-e prints of the Edo Period (1600–1868); the intriguing images of the Meiji Period (1868–1912) which reflect the impact of the West on Japan; and the works of 20th century printmakers who dealt with the legacy of ukiyo-e in the “New Print Movement” (Shin-hanga) or with the impact of western ideas about the role of the individual artist in the modern “Creative Print Movement” (Sosaku-hanga).

The exhibition will be comprised of two rotations—each approximately eight weeks long—in order to minimize the harmful effects of light exposure on the works. Each rotation will incorporate prints from the 17th through the 20th centuries and will feature masters such as Hishikawa Moronobu, Suzuki Harunobu, Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige. Organized by Tacoma Art Museum.

Mighty Tacoma: Photographic Portrait 2010

October 21, 2010 through Spring 2011

This interactive celebration and creative exercise in commemoration of Tacoma Art Museum’s 75th Anniversary Year asks: who are we and who will we be together tomorrow? The Mighty Tacoma exhibition will emerge through a series of artist-in-residence programs that will capture the image and spirit of Tacoma and her diverse citizens. Visitors to the museum will be welcome to sit for a portrait by the artist-in-residence.

These digital portraits will be projected in the gallery and simultaneously added to the museum’s website. The museum will commission photographers, selected largely from Tacomabased artists, to create new works that document the richness and  diversity of Tacoma. This exhibition will also incorporate a photographic survey of the city’s neighborhoods, families at the museum, community groups, and businesses. These images will be shared through digital technologies both online and in the galleries.

Visitors to the museum’s website will have the opportunity to add their own portraits and views of Tacoma through interactive components including Flickr, Facebook, and other social media. Organized by Tacoma Art Museum.

American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell
February 26 through May 30, 2011

American Chronicles surveys the art and artistic process of Norman Rockwell over the course of his long career. The exhibition includes a wide variety of images ranging from reflections on childhood innocence to powerful, consciousness-raising images documenting the realities of desegregation in the South. This decade-by-decade exploration follows Rockwell from his earliest years as a budding illustrator to the highlights of his work for the Saturday Evening Post, and through his final commissions for Look magazine.

The images and wall texts explore recurring personal themes, as well as reveal Rockwell's artistic and cultural influences. They also address the effect of his commercial work on his imagery and process, and the powerful impact of his images on American popular culture. One of the highlights of the exhibition is a complete set of 323 Saturday Evening Post covers, spanning Rockwell's 47-year collaboration with the magazine. A segment of the exhibition also offers insights into the artist's process from first idea to finished painting and published work.

American Chronicles is a rich, in-depth consideration of this much-loved artist and his contributions to American art and culture. Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.