Founded in 1764, the Leipzig Art Academy is highly regarded for its emphasis on figurative painting and social realism, a tradition that continued under communist Germany while the rest of the art world explored abstract styles.
The seven artists in the show are Tilo Baumgartel, Tim Eitel, Martin Kobe, Neo Rauch, Christoph Ruckhaberle, David Schnell and Matthias Weischer. Rauch, the oldest of the group, studied at the academy in the 1980s and now teaches there. The other six all graduated from the academy in 2000. Collectively, the group is known as the New Leipzig School.
The Cleveland Museum of Art, which recently hosted a New Leipzig School show, calls the group "the first art world phenomenon of the 21st century." The exhibition is on a six-city U.S. tour and is drawn from the Rubell Family Collection in Miami.
Many works in the show are large in scale. They include Kobe's hard-edged architectural compositions, Eitel's figurative works emphasizing human isolation and Rauch's surreal narrative paintings.
The exhibition is accompanied by a 143-page color catalog. For more information, call 801-328-4201 or visit www.slartcenter.org.
Quilt show: Art quilts by Marta Amundson are on display through Aug. 11 at the Brigham City Museum-Gallery, 24 N. 300 West, Brigham City. Amundson lives in Riverton, Wyo., and creates quilts that explore classic themes and contemporary ones such as her opposition to the war in Iraq. Fifteen of her works will be on display. Admission is free. For more information, call 435-723-6769.
70 works by notable Utah artist Midgley on display
An exhibition of 70 paintings by Waldo Midgley (1888-1986), a major Utah artist whose subjects included landscapes, cityscapes and human figures, is on display through Aug. 15 at Anthony's Fine Art & Antiques, 401 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City. Midgley worked in oils and watercolors and studied with such noted New York artists as Robert Henri and George Bellows. The 2001 book Utah Art, Utah Artists describes Midgley's oils as "handled with confidence, craftsmanship, drama and a prosaic effect." All the works are for sale. For more information, call Anthony's at 801-328-2231 or visit www.anthonysfineart.com.
Springville showcase: LeConte Stewart, Lee Greene Richards and Waldo Midgley are among the notable Utah artists whose works are on display in "Impressions of Utah: Selections from the Stewart Collection," on display through the end of the year at the Springville Museum of Art, 126 E. 400 South, Springville. Curated by Diane P. Stewart, the show highlights Utah's varied beauty through selections from the museum's collection. For more information, call 801-489-2727 or visit www.shs.nebo.edu.
Cedar City show: The 64th annual Cedar City Art Committee Exhibit opens with a reception Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery in the Braithwaite building on the east end of the Southern Utah University campus in Cedar City. The exhibit is a juried show that showcases a spectrum of visual-art styles, including southern Utah landscapes, portraits, still lifes and other works from regional and national artists. The show will continue through Aug. 25, and admission is free. For more information, call 435-586-5432 or visit www.suu.edu/pva/artgallery.
Plein air competition: Artists will line the streets to paint picturesque Heber Valley in the second annual Wasatch Plein Air Paradise competition Wednesday through Saturday. Artists will participate in three painting competitions through July 4, with the winners receiving more than $10,000 in purchase awards. Professional, semi-professional and amateur artists are invited to compete, display and sell their paintings throughout the event. All entries will be framed and put up for sale in the Midway Town Hall July 2-4, followed by an awards reception. All related events, including the art exhibit and silent auction, are free to the public. For more information or to register, visit www.midwayartassociation.org.
Teen art workshops: Art Access gallery is hosting four free art workshops for teens in July. Subjects include writing and illustration, mixed-media abstract painting, documentary photography and "altered books." Interested students should contact Art Access at 801-328-0703 or visit www.accessart.org for more information.
