Exhibition Dates: December 15th, 2018 – March 24, 2019
Bob Matheny: Almost Anonymous is the first major survey of the work of San Diego-based artist Bob Matheny.
Since the late 1950s Matheny has developed his expansive practice through the lens of many different disciplines and mediums, including graphic design, sculpture, small press printing, painting, writing, photography, curating and performance. Grounded in the formal tenets of modernist design, but mitigated by a healthy dose of Dada irreverence and Duchampian hijinks, Matheny’s diverse body of work is a singular blend of craftsmanship and concept, idea and object, wit and intelligence.
Matheny’s legacy in San Diego’s art community also extends to his role as a committed and progressive educator. In the early 1960s he was the first full-time art instructor at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, a position he held for three decades. During his tenure at Southwestern Matheny founded and programmed the college’s art gallery, established its permanent collection of contemporary art and organized a series of public programs and events – including film screenings, performances, and happenings – that were forward-thinking and often controversial.
Presenting key works and moments in his remarkable six-decade career, Bob Matheny: Almost Anonymous showcases the artist’s prolific output and honors his pioneering contributions to, and continued impact on, San Diego’s art community.
Opening Reception: December 15th, 2018 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM
at the San Diego History Center
Bob Matheny, Untitled (from The Personification of Marcel Duchamp), 1972
digital print, courtesy of the artist. Photo: Bob Schneider
Bob Matheny, Good Question, 1967
wood and enamel paint, 22 x 16-1/2 x 12 inches, courtesy of the artist. Photo: Chris Travers
Bob Matheny and Armando Muñoz, Olive Oyl (from Infamous Babes, Dolls, Dames and/or Statues of Liberty and Freedom), 1999
plaster and mixed media, 24 x 6 x 6 inches, courtesy of the artist. Photo: Chris Travers
Bob Matheny, For every photographer who clamors to make it as an artist, there is an artist running a grave risk of turning into a photographer. (Foote), c. 1972
lead, plastic camera and oil paint, 14 x 10-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches, courtesy of a private collection. Photo: Chip Morton
Bob Matheny, Art Disposal Service Uniform, 1969
Sears Shop Coat, iron-on letters and wood hanger, 1969, 48 x 25 x 4 inches, courtesy of a private collection. Photo: Chip Morton
