San José Museum of Art

See what you think.

Collection Highlights

  • A painting of a young girl kneeling and praying to a portrait of a baby with abstract colors around. She appears to be Native American, with a line around her head for a band and a line off of her head, as though a feather. Near her are bowls decorated with feathers.

    Inez Storer, Histories, 1997, 48" x 36", oil and collage on board, Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A black and green rug with swirling patterns throughout it. In the middle appears to be the shape of a gummy bear.

    Don Martin, One, 1979, lacquer on masonite, 48 x 42 inches, Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A human shaped sculpture with black and white stripes painted horizontally that go over the body and form a railroad track, becoming smaller the higher up it goes. Balanced at the end is a long black wire that connects to red heads.

    John Buck, Vanishing Point, 1980, painted wood, 9-1/2 x 9 feet, Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A painting of a blank billboard lit up against a sunset backdrop. Below it, in a strip of darkened buildings, is a small Psychic business, lit up.

    James Doolin, Psychic, 1998, oil on canvas, 54 x 36 inches, Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A projection of metal farm-like structures in the dirt, against the mountains. Superimposed them are newspaper headings that read, "War Oahu Bombed By Japanese Planes" and "Curfew." It appears to be an incarceration camp.

    Tamiko Thiel and Zara Houshmand, Beyond Manzanar, 2000. Virtual reality installation. Dimensions variable. Museum purchase with funds contributed by the Lipman Family Foundation.

  • A photograph of a man's blurred face projected on a screen. It is fuzzy and his face is indistinct, perhaps in pain. The screen hangs from circular hooks against a black wall.

    Bill Viola, Memoria, 2000, DVD playback equipment with DVD projected on silk, 30-minute loop, dimensions variable, Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A small green screen with open lips and prominent teeth. To the right and above is another screen, vertical, with a yellow image of a hand with fingers crossed. These machines are connected together with various cables and to a third screen, to the left, which is plugged into the floor.

    Alan Rath, Info Glut II, 1997, 50 x 50 x 18 in., Aluminum, acrylic, electronics, three cathode ray tubes, Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A painting of a couple walking together, holding hands, against a pink cityscape with a black sky. The woman walks ahead, looking excited. The man follows, holding a large department store shopping bag.

    Joan Brown, The Journey #1, 1976, enamel on canvas, 84 x 72 in. Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A black and white image of circular white lifesaver candies. They are sitting on their edges, casting shadows. The angle is taken from above, at a bit of a distance, making them look like tiny white car tires.

    Ruth Bernhard, Lifesavers, 1930, 7-1/4 x 9-1/4 in., gelatin silver print, Collection San José Museum of Art.

  • A yellowish photograph of cherub sculptures hanging from the ceiling. They appear to be flying in a continuous circle.

    Gregory Barsamian, Putti, 1991 dimension variable, acrylic, urethane foam, steel cable, motor, strobe light, Collection San José Museum of Art.

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    This ongoing exhibition of works from the Museum’s permanent collection rotated every six months and occupied the Gibson Family Gallery and the Plaza Gallery on the lower floor of the Museum’s New Wing through the year 2004. Collection Highlights marked the first time in the Museum’s 30-year history that the permanent collection went on long-term display, giving viewers an idea of what SJMA values in the visual arts of the day—and why.