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Color Field

June 1 – September 30, 2019

Spencer Finch, Back to Kansas
Spencer Finch, Back to Kansas, 2015, 130 x 186 in. (bottom of artwork is 60 inches from the ground), Collection of Christian Keesee, New York and Oklahoma

Take a whimsical romp through the North Forest this summer and experience Color Field, an outdoor sculpture exhibition featuring large, colorful, interactive sculptures against the lush backdrop of Crystal Bridges’ Ozark forest.

The artworks in Color Field invite viewers to engage all the senses, from Spencer Finch’s Back to Kansas, a billboard-sized grid gleaned from the artist’s own repeated viewing of The Wizard of Oz, to Sam Falls’s interactive sculptures that welcome viewers to explore color through sight and sound. Along the way, learn about color theory, discover some of today’s exciting contemporary artists, and immerse yourself completely in art with this enchanting exhibition to experience the impact color has on our lives.

Spencer Finch, Back to Kansas
Spencer Finch, Back to Kansas, 2015, 130 x 186 in. (bottom of artwork is 60 inches from the ground), Collection of Christian Keesee, New York and Oklahoma
Claire Ashley, Close Encounters: Adam's Madam
Claire Ashley, Close Encounters: Adam's Madam, 2018, MOCA Jacksonville Atrium Project, spray paint, acrylic, sharpie, PVC coated rip stop nylon, fans, fake fur, shag rug, approximately 42 x 30 x 25 FEET. Photo courtesy of MOCA Jacksonville, FL
Amanda Ross-Ho, The Character and Shape of Illuminated Things (Facial Recognition)
Amanda Ross-Ho, The Character and Shape of Illuminated Things (Facial Recognition), 2015, Fiberglass, steel, wood composite panel, acrylic latex, neon, acrylic, electrical components, Installation view of Public Art Fund at City Hall Park, New York, 2015, Photo by Liz Ligon © Amanda Ross-Ho., Courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York, 110 x 124 x 70 in.

Color Field Soundscapes

Between 1965 and 1974, Memphis-born photographer William Eggleston—known as a pioneer of color photography— traveled through the American South to create Los Alamos, a series of iconic images of the American landscape. In this dye-transfer photograph of the Southgate shopping center parking lot in Arkansas, Eggleston captures the gorgeous coral clouds and deep blue sky at dusk.

Inspired by the Eggleston photograph pictured above, Color Field, Ozark forests, and the museum, Arkansas-based composer Amos Cochran has created audio companion pieces to this exhibition. Abstract sounds recorded in and around the museum are paired with synthetic tones and traditional instruments. The works are meant to allow our emotions to wander in an immersive sonic dreamscape. Color Field Inside / Out is intended to start in the museum, while Color Field Outside / In starts in the North Forest. They are the same sounds presented in opposite order.

Color Field Inside/Out

Color Field Outside/In

William Eggleston, Arkansas
William Eggleston, Arkansas, ca. 1965-68, dye-transfer print. © Eggleston Artistic Trust. Courtesy Eggleston Artistic Trust and David Zwirner.

Learn about Color Field in our blog

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Color-fy Your Favorite Movie / TV Show

Exhibitions

Color Field, our outdoor summer exhibition, features large, colorful sculptures against the backdrop of the North Forest that encourage us to consider the impact color has on our lives. One…

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Crystal Bridges Offers Color-Blind Glasses for Guests
color-blind glasses

Crystal Bridges Offers Color-Blind Glasses for Guests

At the Museum

Crystal Bridges recently received 60 pairs of color-blind glasses thanks to funding from a sponsor in an effort to increase museum accessibility for our guests who are color blind. When…

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Sponsored By

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Avis Bailey, Charles and Shannon Holley, Ken and Celia Shireman, Jim Smith and Rebecca Hurst