On Campus - Stories September 8, 2000 Vol. 53, No. 13 SOCCER TEAM TO HOST NORTHWESTERN TODAY DRAKE CELEBRATES 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF STUART DAVIS MURAL WANTED: VOLUNTEERS FOR DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER STAFF MEMBER DISPLAYS WORK IN URBAN ANTHROPOLOGY EVENT ADULT LITERACY CENTER SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

Drake University is celebrating its 45-year ownership of Stuart Davis' largest mural, "Allée," and the recent gift of two preparatory paintings by the artist's son with an exhibition at the Anderson Gallery. The opening reception will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10. The exhibition, Stuart Davis' "Allée": A Modern Mural at Drake, will continue through Oct. 1.

At the time he painted "Allée" in 1955, Davis was considered one of America's greatest living painters.
"Allée" is the fifth of six murals Davis created (only five remain) and is the only mural still owned by the institution for which it was commissioned. A three-panel mural measuring 8 by 33 feet, the painting was loaned by Drake University to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art for a major retrospective of Davis' work in 1991-92.

"Allée" originally was installed in Drake's Hubbell Dining Hall, which was designed by Eero Saarinen. It was Saarinen who proposed Davis for the mural, which was then commissioned by the Gardner and Florence Call Cowles Foundation as a gift to Drake.

"With its cool orchestration of geometric shapes and disciplined palette, 'Allée' is one of Davis' most abstract compositions," according to Karen Wilkin, an independent critic and curator who has written a monograph about Davis as well as an essay for the Drake exhibition.

Davis chose the title "Allée" (a French word meaning a tree-lined way) in part because the painting is long and in part because of the similar sound to another French word meaning go. "I like this association," Davis said. "I like the variety, the animation, the vigorous spirit which is part of college life. This feeling of energy and vigor was in my mind during the painting of the mural."
The exhibition at Drake is made possible by Harriet S. Macomber, a member of the steering committee of Friends of Drake Arts.

In addition to the mural, the exhibition includes a gouache color study for "Allée" (8 1/2 x 35 inches), given to the University earlier this year by Stuart Davis' only son, Earl Davis. It is one of three such studies by the artist. The exhibition also features a second gift from Earl Davis - a scale study in three sections. Measuring 24 x 102 inches, it is a brush drawing in black oil on a gray background. This monochromatic work reveals overpainted and re-painted areas, documenting the artist's efforts to develop the final composition.

The Anderson Gallery provides Drake students and the Des Moines community the opportunity to experience the visual arts, past and present, in all its rich diversity. Gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

Stories | Calendar