Artlog

Earl Cunningham’s America examines the paintings of Earl Cunningham (1893-1977), one of the premier folk artists of the 20th century. This retrospective presents the artist as a folk modernist who used flat space and brilliant color to create sophisticated compositions with complex meanings about the nature of American life. The exhibition features 50 of the more than 400 works on board that Cunningham painted during his life. The exhibition traces the story of Cunningham’s life and places his work in the context of the folk art revival that brought Edward Hicks, Grandma Moses, Horace Pippin and other folk masters to national attention. Virginia Mecklenburg, senior curator for painting and sculpture at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is the curator of the exhibition. “Cunningham developed a distinct and personal lexicon that evoked his nostalgic version of an idyllic 19th-century world,” said Mecklenburg. “Recurring motifs-

Earl Cunningham’s Americais organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The exhibition is made possible by generous support from Darden Restaurants Foundation; the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation; the Arts and Cultural Affairs Office of Orange County, Fla.; CNL Financial Group; Bright House Networks; Lockheed Martin; and Friends of The Mennello Museum of American Art. The exhibition’s tour is supported in part by the C.F. Foundation, Atlanta.