March 28, 2024

Gallery East prints from the Associated American Artists

Art for the Masses, an exhibit of prints by Associated American Artists, will be on view at Gallery East from Sept. 7-30.The exhibition features 24 prints by Associated American Artists created between 1934 and 1958.
The Associated American Artists was founded in 1934 by Reeves Lewenthal as a gallery and art enterprise. Lewenthal opened a gallery in New York City to market and sell art to the middle classes in the form of prints and later as home furnishings.

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Art for the Masses, an exhibit of prints by Associated American Artists, will be on view at Gallery East from Sept. 7-30.The exhibition features 24 prints by Associated American Artists created between 1934 and 1958.
The Associated American Artists was founded in 1934 by Reeves Lewenthal as a gallery and art enterprise. Lewenthal opened a gallery in New York City to market and sell art to the middle classes in the form of prints and later as home furnishings.
When he opened his gallery, he met with notable American artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry, and Grant Wood to produce editions of lithographs which he would sell to middle-class buyers at $5 a piece and $2 per frame; the artists would receive $200 for their editions. The idea was to combine quality and affordability for profit.
Lewenthal saw the populist appeal of these prints and marketed them as educational resources, as a patriotic choice, and as “art for the people” rather than “art for the wealthy.” Furthermore, when Lewenthal started the AAA in 1934, America was still suffering from the Depression and his idea was to provide a venue for American artists to sell their work when it was nearly impossible to do so in the higher-end galleries. Lewenthal chose artists whose work was representational or regionalist and depicted an idealized, strong, and capable America.
This collection of 24 prints is on loan for exhibition from Utah State University’s Special Collections & Archives. Artists represented in the collection include: Thomas Hart Benton, Joseph Hirsch, Lawrence Beall Smith, Federico Castellon and Dale Nichols.
Noel Carmack, Gallery East director, says he feels fortunate to have art of such caliber at the gallery. “It’s not too often that you have the opportunity to exhibit original work by noted American regionalists as those represented in this collection of prints. I am excited to have this work open our exhibit season at Gallery East.”
An opening reception will be Friday, Sept. 10, from 7-9 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public during the academic year. Gallery East’s Fall 2010 hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
It is closed Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
If you have any questions, contact Carmack at 435-613-5241 or by email at [email protected].