Gloucester is known for its historic art colony and famous painters, but in the 20th century the area began to attract world-class sculptors.
The Cape Ann Museum will celebrate this artistic network in a special exhibition opening Saturday, April 6, “In the Round: Cape Ann Sculpture of the 20th and 21st Century.”
“Cape Ann is a special place for sculptors in our community,” said director Oliver Barker. “The Cape Ann Museum is proud to showcase the accomplishments of these artists and their connection to Cape Ann.”
A sculptor's skill comes from transforming solid surfaces into three-dimensional works of art, or relief sculptures.
Charles Grafflei (1862-1929) was a prominent American sculptor who influenced the trajectory of many future artists who followed him. According to the museum, he first came to Cape Ann in 1902 and a few years later made Folly Cove in Gloucester the site of his summer home and studio. He taught sculpture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and, in 1917, began teaching at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Many of his students went on to achieve great success, including Gloucester-based Walker Hancock, one of the famous Monuments Men who has died aged 97.
Grafley's other students include Katherine Lane Weems, George Demetrios and Paul Manship, all of whom have established ties to Cape Ann and are also featured on the program .
The exhibition highlights other pioneers of American sculpture, including sisters Harriet Hyatt Mayer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, who achieved worldwide fame.
“The Cape Ann Museum's sculpture collection has existed since the early 1980s, when it began under the watchful eye of noted sculptor Walker Hancock,” said Chief Curator Martha Oakes. “Since then, it has grown into an extraordinary asset, incorporating the work of a wide variety of artists working in all mediums. Through this special exhibition and the programs offered in conjunction with it, we have made part of our collection available to the public. I’m excited to share it with people.”
As for the 21st century, some of the artists featured in the exhibition include Morgan Falls Pike of Lockport, who designed the Gloucester Fisherman's Wives Monument. She created her concept for the design in 1991, and ten years later a monument to her was erected along Gloucester Harbour.
Related programs for this exhibition include the following CAMTalks series: “Pablo Eduardo's Work” with Pablo Eduardo on April 27th, “Creating the Fisherman's Wife Monument” with Pike on May 11th, and “Making a Large Sculpture” with Morgan Dummitt. Lecturer at Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts on May 17th.
Gallery tours will be held every Thursday at 2pm starting April 11th. Public Sculpture Walking Tours will be held every other Saturday at 10:30 a.m. from April 13th to June 8th.
This exhibit is on display until June 23rd. For more information, visit capeannmuseum.org.
