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Image of San Quentin, State Prison, San Quentin, CA

San Quentin, State Prison, San Quentin, CA
Painting

2000
66 x 90 in. (167.64 x 228.6 cm)

Sandow Birk (Detroit, Michigan, 1962 - ) Primary

Object Type: Painting
Medium and Support: Oil and acrylic on canvas
Credit Line: Gift of the Lipman Family Foundation
Accession Number: 2003.01

Exhibition


Sleight of Hand: Painting and Illusion
, October 2, 2014 - February 22, 2015, New Wing, Second Floor, Central Skylight and South Metro A Galleries, San José Museum of Art.

Real and HyperReal, January 30, 2010 - August 1, 2010, New Wing, First Floor, Gibson Family and Plaza Galleries, San José Museum of Art.

New Year, New Gifts, December 16, 2006 – May 20. 2007, New Wing, Second Floor, North and South Metro A Galleries, San José Museum of Art.

Visual Politics: The Art of Engagement, November 20, 2005 - March 5, 2006, New Wing, First Floor, Gibson Family Gallery and Plaza Gallery, San José Museum of Art. Circulated to: Katzen Art Center at American University, Washington, DC, April 9-July 29, 2006.

Random Encounters, Skybridge, San José Museum of Art.

SJMA Label Text


Sleight of Hand: Painting and Illusion (2014-2015)

San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA (2000) is part of Sandow Birk’s “Prisonation” series, which features paintings of California’s thirty-three correctional institutions. The pun “Prison Nation” refers to the staggering number of individuals—over 300,000—currently incarcerated in the state of California.

Using an approach for which he has become well known, Birk based the composition of San Quentin State Prison on Albert Bierstadt’s painting Passing Storm over the Sierras, 1860. “The images of early landscape artists fueled the myth of California as a promised American paradise,” says Birk. “It is time that the state’s romantic image accommodate the realities of society.” In Birk’s version, San Quentin is visible just beyond the stand of trees, bathed in glowing light that emanates from above.


Real and HyperReal (2010)

Using a technique for which he has become well known, Birk based the composition of San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA (2000) on a 19th century Albert Bierstadt painting entitled Passing Storm Over the Sierras. “The images of early landscape artists fueled the myth of California as a promised American paradise,” according to Birk. “It is time that the state’s romantic image accommodates the realities of society.” In Birk’s version of this scene, San Quentin is visible just beyond the stand of trees, bathed in glowing light that emanates from above.


New Year, New Gifts (2006-2007)

San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA (2000) is part of Sandow Birk’s "Prisonation" series that features paintings of California’s thirty-three correctional institutions. “Prison Nation” refers to the staggering number of individuals—over 300,000—currently incarcerated in the state of California—a number that rivals the population of many small countries.


Visual Politics: The Art of Engagement (2005-2006)

San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA (2000) is part of Sandow Birk's "Prisonation" series that features paintings of California's thirty-three correctional institutions. "Prison Nation" refers to the staggering number of individuals-over 300,000-currently incarcerated in the state of California-a number that rivals the population of many small countries.

Using a technique for which he has become well known, Birk based the composition of San Quentin State Prison on a 19th century Albert Bierstadt painting entitled Passing Storm Over the Sierras. "The images of early landscape artists fueled the myth of California as a promised American paradise," according to Birk. "It is time that the state's romantic image accommodates the realities of society." In Birk's version of this scene, San Quentin is visible just beyond the stand of trees, bathed in glowing light that emanates from above.

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Exhibition List
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Dimensions
  • Image Dimensions: 66 x 90 in. (167.64 x 228.6 cm)

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