‘Golden West?’ now on display at CSUSB art museum

The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA) at California State University, San Bernardino has kicked off 2020 with the exhibition “Golden West? Jan Sawka’s California Dream.”
 
The exhibition, which opened on Feb. 1, will run until May 9.
 
The Golden West? exhibition presents Jan Sawka’s paintings and works on paper focusing on the theme of California/America as a land of problematic promise. This exhibition is enriched by the narrative of a remarkable and unlikely friendship between the artist and a member of a Hollywood establishment family, Robert (Bob) Schulberg, who played a key role in helping the Sawka family find refuge in the United States. 
 
Sawka (1946-2012) was a noted contemporary artist of Polish origin and global reach. His work is in the collections of more than 60 museums worldwide. He won awards in multiple disciplines throughout his life, including painting, printmaking, graphic design, multimedia and architecture. A political émigré, Sawka lived and worked in the United States from 1977 until his death in 2012.
 
When he was growing up in communist Poland, Sawka dreamed of the United States. He sought information and inspiration for those dreams from every source available. The vivid colors of the sumptuously printed magazine AMERYKA made a huge impression on his imagination. This contrasted with the dark visions of the American New Wave films, which were among the only films the communists allowed in cinemas, with the intention of portraying the West as a corrupt and dysfunctional world.  
 
The curatorial team for the exhibition includes Hanna Maria Sawka, MFA, the daughter of the artist, and Dr. Frank Boyer, DA, who has researched Polish art and culture for 30 years, and who worked closely with the artist during the last 11 years of his life.
 
A special thank you to the exhibition sponsors: Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles and the Polish Cultural Institute in New York.
 
“Golden West?” is accompanied by the exhibit, “Endomorphism,” by David B. Jang, which also opened on Feb. 1 and will run until May 9.

About RAFFMA
The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art, nationally accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, houses a collection that includes Egyptian antiquities, ceramics and contemporary art, and hosts ca. 10-12 temporary exhibitions a year. Located at Cal State San Bernardino, RAFFMA presents the largest public display of ancient Egyptian art in Southern California. The exhibition, Journey to the Beyond: Ancient Egyptian in the Pursuit of Eternity, will be on display through May 2020.
 
General admission to the museum is free. Suggested donation is $3. Parking at Cal State San Bernardino is $6 per vehicle ($3 on weekends).
 
RAFFMA Hours
Monday – Tuesday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday – Thursday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Closed Friday and Sunday

Visit the RAFFMA website for more information.