Pollen and Paint: Laib, Homer, and the Natural World

In celebration of our 85th anniversary, 2012, the Henry presents two distinctive works from the museum’s collection: Winslow Homer’s An Adirondack Lake (1870) and Pollen from Hazelnut (1995-96) by Wolfgang Laib. These signature artworks embody important aspects of the life of the institution. Homer’s luminous painting of a solitary figure in nature is the gem of the art collection Horace C. Henry donated to the University of Washington. His generosity established the Henry Art Gallery in 1927, the first art museum in the state of Washington. Today the Henry embraces the newest ideas, exemplified by our contemporary art programming. Laib’s work—made from loose pollen grains that he painstakingly collected—forms a square of vibrant color that impresses the senses. Both works, made 125 years apart, have been audience favorites. The juxtaposition of these works demonstrates the wide range of ways artists capture the magic and the materials of the world around us.

This focused exhibition also offers our visitors the opportunity to reflect on the Museum’s past and present in a way the Henry does best—offering powerful firsthand experiences of original works of art.