"A to Z" Exhibition Highlights the Gift of 1,300 Works to Ursinus College's Berman Museum of Art

“A to Z: Highlighting the Berman Collection” an exhibition
at the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, features a selection
of the more than 1,300 works of art recently gifted to the Museum by the Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation.

Nancy Berman, President of the Berman Foundation and
daughter of Philip and Muriel, has given the collection to Ursinus College in

honor of her parents.

“My parents believed that exposing students to art would
help lay a foundation for a life of creativity, enjoyment and curiosity…no
matter what discipline they studied,” said Nancy Berman. “They found a willing and responsive partner in Ursinus College when they came together nearly 25
years ago to create an art museum on the campus of my dad’s alma mater. With this gift, the Berman now has a permanent collection that can be exhibited,
loaned out to other institutions and used for research by the students and the
faculty. I can think of no better way to honor my parents’ remarkable legacy.”

This exhibition honoring the gift presents a selection of more than two dozen
works from the gift. On view from October 20, 2013, through January 12, 2014, A
to Z is the first exhibition to be presented by the Berman Museum’s new
Director, Charles Stainback. The exhibition
was organized by Stainback, Ursinus Professor of Art History Matt Shoaf, and an interdisciplinary mix of Ursinus students, whose majors range from psychology
to international relations.

A to Z speaks to the breadth and depth of the
collection as both an exhibition vehicle and a teaching resource. The works in A to Z are presented in alphabetical order by the artist’s last name, an
unconventional exhibition strategy designed to foster
new ideas and unexpected connections between objects.

Among the featured artists and artworks are:


Lynn Chadwick
The Pair of Sitting Figures III
The Berman holds the largest private collection of maquettes and  large-scale sculpture by Lynn Chadwick, dating
from 1957-1987 as part of its Outdoor Sculpture Collection on the grounds of
the College.

Françoise Gilot
Portrait of Muriel Berman with Flowers, n.d.
Acrylic on board
The collaboration between Gilot and the Berman Museum of Art is a rich
one, and she holds an honorary degree from Ursinus College. Known by many for
her relationship with Pablo Picasso, Gilot was an accomplished artist in her
own right. This portrait of Museum benefactor Muriel Berman typifies her use of color and line.

Andy Warhol
Birmingham Race Riot, 1964
Screenprint on paper
This notorious and powerful image made following the May 1963 riot in
Alabama captures the nation’s racial
tensions at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Created from a photograph first published in

Life magazine, it is an example of Warhol’s use of appropriation and the only

photo-based work in the exhibition.

Gilbert Stuart
John Fitzgibbon  (Chancellor of
Ireland), ca. 1787-1793
Stuart is widely considered to be one of America’s foremost
portraitists and is best known for his painting of George Washington which
appears on the U.S. one dollar bill. John Fitzgibbon, Chancellor Ireland (1979
-1802) remains a controversial figure in Irish History. A staunch
anti-Catholic, he was an early supporter of Union with England.  This work is a testament to the more than
1000 portraits (six of U.S. presidents) that Stuart painted in his lifetime.

In the months leading up to the October opening, Stainback
has overseen the refurbishment of the Berman Museum, which opened in 1989. The
improvements to the building have opened up the gallery space and introduced a

new color palette to revitalize the interior of the Museum. The modernization

of the facility also includes a redesign of the lobby, which has expanded the

area for visitors to gather and serves as an entry point to the Berman.


The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus
College is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and noon to 4:30
p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Museum is closed Mondays and college holidays.
Admission is free. The Museum is accredited by the American Association of
Museums and is accessible to visitors with disabilities.