Maslow Gallery History | Marywood University

Maslow

Maslow Study Gallery for Contemporary Art

Exhibiting Emerging Young Artists Since 1982

In 1982, Marilyn and Richard Maslow, with the professional guidance and consultation of Anthony and Gloria Sorce, began to research and study a range of possible avenues for collecting art. The decision was eventually made to focus on Contemporary Art, primarily American, with an emphasis during the first few years on collecting high quality prints by the most recognized and important American artists of the 60s and 70s. By the mid 80s the Collection rationale began to include paintings and other works on paper by emerging young artists exhibiting in New York City galleries.

Development of the Collection

As The Maslow Collection grew during the 80s it was housed and installed in the corporate headquarters of InterMetro Industries Corporation, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a company then owned by the Maslows. At that time the Curator for the Collection was Deane Berger, and during her tenure as Curator cataloging of the collection began, as well as the initiation of numerous educational programs and tours, enabling diverse segments of the public to experience the Collection. This was consistent with the original mission established by the Maslows to make the Collection a vital and meaningful resources within the community at large.

In addition to programs at the InterMetro headquarters, two major exhibitions drawn entirely from The Maslow Collection were held at the Sordoni Art Gallery, Wilkes University in 1988 and 1989. These two exhibitions examined American Art since WW II. During this period of time, with the continued guidance of Anthony and Gloria Sorce, the Maslows began to amass a major contemporary art collection, always with an eye to both the depth and breadth of the Collection.

In the early 90s Melanie Lumia took over the curatorial responsibilities of the Collection and extended the programing and archival documentation of the Collection. Then in the mid 90s Robert Schweitzer was brought in as Curator. The Collection has since been fully computer cataloged and moved into climate controlled storage.

During the late 90s the Collection had been exhibited on a regular basis at the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, providing a range of thematic installations which were used by professors at The University of Scranton to teach specifically designed courses related to the exhibitions. Additionally an internship program has been initiated with Marywood University (also located in Scranton) to provide students with hands-on experiences in curatorial training and research.

The development of The Maslow Collection begins in 1982 with the first major purchases taking place in 1983.

In 1983

51 prints, 13 photographs and 3 paintings were purchased, including:

Prints (selected)

Until Photographs Could be Taken from Earth Satellites by David Salle

Phil III by Chuck Close
Serial Systems by Sol Lewitt
Puppet by Susan Rothenberg
Signs and Hotshot by Robert Rauschenberg
Horse Blinders by James Rosenquist
Alphabet by Jasper Johns
Haystack and Huh! by Roy Lichtenstein
Metro, Petro, Neuro, Psycho by Edward Ruscha
Clinton Plaza (Black Series) ; Singerli Variation Squared with Colored Ground IV and Pergusa Three - State I by Frank Stella
Jules, Gretchen, Mark State II by Robert Longo
In the Garden #40 by Jennifer Bartlett

Tree Frog Illustration
Pine Barrens Tree Frog by Andy Warhol
Barbecued Beef by Wayne Thiebaud

Photographs (selected)

Winding Towers by Hilla and Bernd Becher
Wall Street by Kenneth Snelson

The Automat by Berenice Abbott

Construct NYC-8 by Barbara Kasten
Drawer with Silverware by Wright Morris
Gettysburg, 1974 by Lee Friedlander

Paintings

Polarity by Anthony Sorce
The Wind Demons by Rex Lau
Tree by Michael Falcone

Between 1984 and 1986

The Collection began to include more paintings along with the continuing interest in acquiring important prints and photography, including works by artists not from the United States, such as the Peter Bommels painting.

During these three years works by John Beerman, Robert Cumming, Edward Henderson, and James Biederman were first purchased, in the years to follow the Maslows continued to purchase a significant number of important works by these two artists.

Prints (selected)

Four Panels from Untitled and Target with Four Faces by Jasper Johns
The Kindergarten Robes by Jim Dine
Two Paintings: Sleeping Muse by Roy Lichtenstein
Radiance by Dorothea Rockburne
Lament for Lorca by Robert Motherwell
Two Boys on a Raft by Sandro Chia
Telemone #1 by Francesco Clemente

Campbell's Soup I (Onion, Black Bean, Pepper Pot) by Andy Warhol

Photographs (selected)

Eye/Ear, andThree Chairs/Mexico (plus 8 additional images) by Robert Cohen
White Calla Lily, New York by Walter Winings Nelson

Paintings (selected)

Untitled (MP #126) and (MP #127) by Jack Goldstein
Streets of Tupelo by Thornton Willis
Go-Jo by James Biederman

Young Man Frozen by a Waterfall by Steven Campbell
The World is Breathing by John Beerman
Untitled (54-85) by Peter Plagens
New York - Natural History by Peter Bommels
Vein, Vain, Vane by Edward Henderson

Other Works on Paper (selected)

Ba Boom by James Biederman
Hemisphere and Industry Bowl by Robert Cumming

From 1987 to the present

The Maslow Collection has continued to add important prints, photographs, paintings and works on paper, along with a select number of three dimensional works.

Artists such as Anthony Sorce, Melissa Meyer, Joel Shapiro, Edward Henderson, Jerry Zeniuk, Will Mentor, Tracy Grayson, Willy Heeks, Frank Owen, Kevin O'Toole, Andrew Spence, Peter Halley, Larry Brown, Rex Lau and Scott Kelley have been collected in depth, some with as many as 15 to 30 individual works in the Collection.

Other artists such as Terry Winters, David Reed, Sandy Skogland, Jane Henderson, David Hornung, Jennifer Bartlett, Gary Lang, Cary Smith, Karla Knight, Mel Kendrick, Barbara Kasten, Sherry Levine, Robert Jessup, and Gary Stephan have one or more works in the Collection.

Significant Additions since 1986 (selected)

1987

The Laws of Interior Design (photograph) and Something on the Wall (painting) by Sandy Skogland
No. 230 (for Beccafumi) (painting) by David Reed

Basswood with Clay and Holes (sculpture) by Mel Kendrick
The Sky Lark and the Frog (photograph) by Hamish Fulton
Moor (painting) by Susan Laufer
Wanderings III (work on paper) by Jurgen Partenheimer

1988

The Seasons and Coat Hanger 1 (prints) by Jasper Johns
Amadeus (painting) by Anthony Sorce

Small Constellations 3 (painting) by Robert Cumming
Prison (print) by Peter Halley
Back Out (painting) by Gary Lang

1989

La Penna di hu (print) by Frank Stella
A Tale of Mexico (painting) by Larry Brown
From Rhapsody (print) by Jennifer Bartlett
C21 H23 N O5 (painting) by Scott Kelley
Hearts of Space (painting) by Anthony Sorce

1990

Meltdown (print) by Sherrie Levine
Furrows (print) by Terry Winters

Dome (painting) by Willy Heeks

The Lost Order (painting) by Will Mentor
Garden, Amagansett (photographs, 7 images) by Ellen Phelan
The Coppers: Wall (painting) by Frank Owen
The Return (painting) by Ross Neher
Sculpture LW 60-90 (sculpture) by Kevin O'Toole

1991

At the Soldiers and Sailors Home (painting) by Nicholas Africano
Main Street (print) by Edward Ruscha
Volterra (painting) by Melissa Meter
Pink Hat (painting) Aaron Fink
Red Perceives Only a Bulb in the Outline (photograph) by Robert Cumming
Coal Mines (photographs) by Bernd and Hilla Becher
Tripod (photograph) by William Wegman
I Want to Know You (painting) by Cary Smith

Mirror #33 (painting) by Gary Lang

1992

Jerusalem Walls and Windows, Study (work on paper) by David Rankin
The Night Juggler (painting) by Donald McLaughlin
Untitled (#45418) (painting) by Gary Stephan
Untitled (AVS/glowing Presence) (painting) by Anthony Sorce

1993 - 1999

Christmas Eve (painting) by Martin Mull

In Love with Night (painting) by Melissa Meyer
Tuner (mixed media) by Jane Hammond
Big A Go Go (painting) by Rochelle Feinstein
Untitled No. 12 (painting) by Alex Greenfield
Four Panels (work on paper) by Anthony Sorce
Fisher Beach (painting) by John Beerman

Loans from the Collection

The importance and quality of the Collection is further evidenced by the numerous loans of works from the Collection to major exhibitions throughout the United States.

In the beginning of Fall 2008, The Maslow Collection moved to Marywood University where it is utilized as a learning laboratory, providing fieldwork experiences, internships and opportunities in curatorial and exhibition studies for Marywood students through the Arts Administration program. The Collection also enables faculty in art history and studio arts to request individual works for presentation and student discussion in the Maslow Study Gallery. At Marywood, The Maslow Collection continues to be a major resource to the larger community, loaning works to regional and national exhibitions, as well as being available for professional research and study.

1991

North Carolina Museum of Art
Raleigh, NC

Exhibition: "John Beerman: Paintings"
Exhibition Dates: March 2 - May 26, 1991
Catalogue: Finding the Forgotten: Landscape Paintings by John Beerman

Works Lent:

Unpossible Being, 1986
Oil on wood and masonite
15" x 30"

What is the sense of leaving your house? 1985
Oil on plexiglass and wood
12 5/8" x 8 1/2"

1991

The Corcoran Gallery of Art
Washington, D.C.

Exhibition: "42nd Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting"
Exhibition Dates: August 12 - November 30, 1991
Catalogue: 42nd Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting

Work Lent:

Dome, 1990
Willy Heeks
Oil on canvas
85" x 74"

1991 - 1992

Whitney Museum of American Art
New York, NY

Exhibition: "Terry Winters" *
Exhibition Dates: February 13 - May 3, 1992*

Work Lent:

Schema #60, 1985-86
Vinyl, graphite and gouache on paper
12" x 8 1/2"

* This exhibition traveled and opened at: M.O.C.A., Los Angeles, CA

September 7 - December 31, 1991

1991-1992

Newport Harbor Art Museum
Newport Beach, CA

Exhibition: "Typologies: Nine Contemporary Photographers" *Exhibition Dates: Newport Harbor Art Museum, April 7 - June 2, 1991

Catalogue: Typologies: Nine Contemporary Photographers

Work Lent:

Winding Towers
Bernd and Hilla Becher
9 gelatin silver prints
20" x 16" (each)

* This exhibition travelted to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

1992

de Saisset Art Gallery and Museum
University of Santa Clara

Exhibition: "David Rankin: Witness - Paintings, 1989-1991"
Exhibition Dates: January 18 - March 13, 1992
Catalogue: David Rankin: Witness Paintings, 1989-1991

Work Lent:

Golgotha Stone I
Acrylic, oil, and acrylic impasto on linen
28" x 27 15/16"

1993 - 1994

Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego

Exhibition: "Robert Cumming: Cone of Vision" *

Exhibition Dates: Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, 28 May - 4 August 1993

Catalogue: Robert Cumming: Cone of Vision

Work(s) Lent:

Industry Bowl , 1983
Charcoal, acrylic and ink
53" x 68"

Burning Box #2 , 1988
watercolor
18 1/2" x 14"

Small Constellation 3, 1987
Oil on canvas
84" x 72"

* This exhibition traveld to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Contemporary Art Museum Houston, and The Contemporary Museum Honolulu