ASSOCIATED ARTISTS OF PITTSBURGH: THEN AND NOW THE POPULAR SALON OF THE PEOPLE Carnegie Museum of Art and the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh presented two interrelated exhibitions, AAP: Then and Now. The combined exhibition opened on November 3, 2007 and ran through January 21, 2008 at Carnegie Museum of Art. This unusual combination of historic and current art from a longstanding arts organization provided an overview of Pittsburgh regional art for almost a century. The combination of the AAP: Then and Now exhibitions featured the work of Pittsburgh-area artists who have influenced the last century, and highlighted a cross-section of artists spanning that period of time. AAP 97th Annual Showcases Current Artists The 97th AAP Annual was jurored by Polly Apfelbaum, an internationally-known artist who serves on the faculty of the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts in New York City. Having exhibited in museums throughout the world, Apfelbaum expressed pleasure at the work she reviewed for the Associated Artists. "Pittsburgh is clearly keeping pace with art communities throughout the world," she noted. "The wide range of mediums and innovative creative approaches I've seen during my time here have been refreshing." Almost 500 pieces of art were submitted for the 97th Annual, in a wide range of mediums including oil, watercolor, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media, photography, video and fiber, among others. The exhibition included 124 pieces of art created by 76 different artists including five artists who enjoy with honor of "crossing-over" between the Then and Now and have been selected for both shows. Those artists include: Robert Bowden, Aaronel deRoy Gruber, Adrienne Heinrich, Karen Kaighen and Richard Stoner. According to Apfelbaum, "It was difficult to make choices. There were many wonderful works, but as a juror, I had to look at what would create an interesting show." The AAP annual, which has been hosted every year since 1910, is the longest running annual exhibition in the United States. The first annual was affectionately titled, "The Popular Salon of the People" because of the support and encouragement the member artists received from the Pittsburgh community. This year, the AAP Annual was exhibited alongside an exhibit of AAP works entitled, "The Popular Salon of the People," to reflect the roots of the Annual. The exhibit included the work of AAP artists from throughout the 97 years since the organization was founded. Exhibiting artists have included Andy Warhol, John Kane, Philip Pearlstein, Jonathan Borofsky , Malcolm Parcell, Henry Koerner, Diane Samuels and Jane Haskell, among many others, and many were included in the special retrospective exhibit that ran simultaneously with the 97th AAP Annual. The curator for the Then exhibition, entitled, The Popular Salon of the People, was Vicky A. Clark, PhD, a cultural historian who explores art in a broader cultural context. The show she assembled highlighted the influence and work of the most influential AAP artists since its founding in 1910. The historical overview demonstrated the wide-reaching potential of Pittsburgh's regional art as many of the artists included have national and international reputations. Internationally-known artists such as: Malcolm Parcell, John Kane, Henry Koerner and Jane Haskell were the cornerstones for the historic exhibition, followed by Aaronel de Roy Gruber, Jonathan Borofsky, Philip Pearlstein and Andy Warhol. Artists who are still working, but are anticipated to be longstanding and history-making include: Thad Mosley, Diane Samuels, Chuck Olson, Harry Schwalb and Edward Eberle. A special catalog has been produced that encompasses the work of the AAP for the past 97 years and provides an overview of that period of art in Pittsburgh. You can buy it by clicking here   BUY THE BOOK! You've seen the Exhibit NOW Read the Book! Even if you haven't seen the exhibit, you will want to read this book. If you would like to learn more about the history of our amazing arts organization, and the history of the visual arts in the Pittsburgh region, The "Popular Salon of the People" by Dr. Vicky A. Clark is now available for sale for $25 (+$5 shipping and handling). Please email aapgh1@verizon.net or call the office at 412.361.1370 for details.
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