Exhibitions
Metropolis
From the UAMA Permanent Collection
May 27, 2010 - October 31, 2010
Irene Rice Pereira
Man and Machine, 1936
Oil on coarse plain weave linen canvas, 36 1/4 x 48 1/4 inches
Gift of Edward Joseph Gallagher, Jr.
Fritz Lang's 1927 film, Metropolis, is justifiably famous for its iconic imagery and advancements in film technique. Although the plot itself is considered the weakest part of the movie, the themes presented in the film addressed important concepts being debated in the years between the two world wars: labor issues, class division, industrialization, mechanization, architecture, and the nature of modernity.
This exhibition explores works from both the UAMA Permanent Collection and the fine arts collection of the Center for Creative Photography (CCP) to see how artists addressed these themes, either in design or in meaning. The exhibition is divided into sections focusing on specific aspects of the film. The viewer will discover that the indecisive approach in the film's plot to many of the issues of the day reflects the ambivalence and confusion of society as a whole to the unfolding future.
We want to thank the CCP for the generous use of photographs from their collection. Additionally, both UA professor Dr. David Soren and MFA graduate Christopher McGinnis provided valuable insight into the cultural issues surrounding the film. For further reading, we recommend the collection of essays on the film compiled by Michael Minden and Holger Bachmann: Fritz Lang's Metropolis: Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear [Camden House: 2000].
Lauren Rabb, UAMA Curator of Art
Caroline Nelson, Co-Curator
Metropolis, edited by Channing Pollock
for American audiences, will be continuously screened in the Museum
gallery.
Show Times:
- Tuesday through Friday: 9am, 10:30, 12 noon, 1:30, 3:00pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 12:30pm, 2:00pm
Download the metropolis brochure to learn more about the movie.
Read reviews of the exhibition:
- From Ads to
High Art in Tucson Weekly
Visit our Exhibition History page for information on past exhibitions at UAMA.