BRUNSWICK – An exhibition that showcases more than 30 years of work by the artist William Wegman will open at Bowdoin College Museum of Art on Friday and remain on view through Oct. 21. “William Wegman: Hello Nature” will feature more than 100 works, including photographs, videos, paintings and drawings — all produced in or inspired by the state of Maine.

The exhibition places the artist squarely within the American landscape tradition, said Bowdoin curator Diana Tuite. As part of the opening, Wegman will talk about his work at 5 p.m. Saturday, followed by a public reception.

Among the highlights are Wegman’s postcard paintings, which use vintage postcards as their starting points, physically incorporating multiple images into tableaux. In addition to Wegman’s well-known Weimaraners, “William Wegman: Hello Nature” also features excerpts from the artist’s illustrated nature books, which are compilations of collages, drawings, photographs and prose that evoke both 19th-century transcendentalist literature and the whimsical outdoor recreation guides Wegman first encountered as a child. Also included are a significant number of the artist’s drawings, as well as examples of his rarely exhibited “stain” paintings. Drawn primarily from the artist’s collection, this exhibition offers a unique perspective on some of Wegman’s aesthetic influences.

Raised in rural Massachusetts, Wegman has long been influenced by the landscape of New England, spending his summers in the Rangeley Lakes region of Maine for the last three decades.

 


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.