April 6 – 30, 2011

Opening Reception Thursday, April 7th from 5:30 – 7:30pm.

Gallery Paule Anglim is pleased to present an exhibition of works by the unique and influential artist Joan Brown.

Since the 1997 retrospective exhibition, Transformation:  The Art of Joan Brown, jointly presented by the Oakland Museum and the Berkeley Art Museum, the gallery has mounted shows looking further into the artist’s estate, discovering works not previously exhibited.  This exhibition will offer Brown enthusiasts a deeper look into her figures inhabiting narrative settings.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Joan Brown (1938-1990) defined herself and her artwork through personally transformative events.  Her career as a painter began in her teens, showing in 1957 at “Gallery 6” in San Francisco and soon thereafter in New York. 

Brown’s singular painting style developed through influences of the Beat Scene, and the Bay Area school of figuration.  Her subject matter stayed true to the story of her own life and experience, where even instances of fantasy and spirituality served to illustrate her own exploration of the self.

The gallery exhibition will feature a variety of portraits and nudes, works on paper dating from the late 1950’s through the 70’s. Large canvases will serve as counterpoints to the paper works, also depicting single figures in moments of contemplation and transformation.

Joan Brown’s works are represented in important museum collections, including the MoMA and Whitney Museum of New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.