Prints by Jackson Pollock, Edward Hopper, Louis Lozowick, John Sloan, Louise Bourgeois and others show American society from the late nineteenth century to 1960.

The British Museum is reputed to have one of the finest collections of American prints outside the United States and they have drawn on this collection to present: The American Scene: Prints from Hopper to Pollock.

The exhibition is the first in 25 years to explore American printmaking from the early 19th century through to the 1960s. Sponsored by American Airlines and supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art, the show includes work by more than 70 artists including John Sloan, Edward Hopper, Josef Albers, George Bellows, Louis Lozowick, Louise Bourgeois, Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock.

The Highlights

Some of the highlights of the exhibition include Edward Hopper's images of New York and Louis Lozowick's, New York (Brooklyn Bridge). George Bellows was known for his lithographs portraying fights, mental asylums and capital punishment. A Stag at Sharkey’s, shows a prize fight, known as a "stag", and is one of Bellows' most important pieces. The work of several female artists is shown including Blanche Lazell and Louise Bourgeois and plates from Bourgeois' book He Disappeared into Complete Silence (1947) are also on display.

The Catalogue

To accompany the exhibition the British Museum has published a fully illustrated catalogue that includes approximately 140 of these powerful images. Lozowick's iconic New York (Brooklyn Bridge) has been chosen for the front cover. The introduction sets the prints in context and the catalogue provides detailed biographies of all the artists involved.

Events in Support of the Exhibition

The British Museum will put on a series of events to support the exhibition such as Gallery talks, lectures, family activities, poetry readings, jazz performances and film screenings. This is just a small representative list but full details can be obtained from the British Museum.

• Gallery Talk: An introduction to the American Scene
• Gallery Talk: Collecting American Prints
• Gallery Talk: Poets among painters
• Performance: Jazz among artists
• Gallery Talk: American printmaking and the Depression
• Lecture: American photography 1900–1960 (small charge applies)
• Family Event: Get Hip, Stay Cool
• Film: Make it Modern (small charge applies)

On Tour

The exhibition will run from 10 April 2008 to 7 September 2008. When it ends the show will tour three UK venues:

• Nottingham, Djanogly Art Gallery: 28 February – 19 April 2009
• Brighton Museum and Art Gallery: 2 May – 31 August 2009
• Manchester, Whitworth Art Gallery: 19 September – 13 December 2009

The Museum is open as follows:

The Great Court:

9.00 a.m. to 18.00 Sunday to Wednesday

9.00 a.m. to 23.00 Thursday, Friday, and Saturday

The Galleries:

10.00 a.m. to 17.30 daily

Some galleries open late on Thursdays and Fridays.

Entrance to The American Scene is free of charge. Overall entrance to the British Museum is free to all visitors. Some special exhibitions and events have an admission charge and full details can be obtained from the British Museum website or by telephoning +44 (0)20 7323 8181.

Sources:

• British Museum website
• Catalogue: The American Scene: Prints from Hopper to Pollock, Stephen Coppel, British Museum Press, 2008, ISBN-13 9780714126579