PORTO.- Following the presentation of ‘The Sonnabend Collection. Half a Century of American and European Art. Part I’ in 2016, the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art presents a major exhibition devoted to the Sonnabend Collection, ‘The Sonnabend Collection. Half a Century of American and European Art. Part II’.

Created by the influential art dealer Ileana Sonnabend, the Sonnabend Collection is considered one of the most important collections of American and European art of the second half of the twentieth century, representing some of the most influential western art movements of our time. While known for her support of the prime artistic protagonists of pop art, minimalism, arte povera, post-minimalism and conceptual art, Sonnabend’s engagement continued up to her death in 2007.

Part II surveys two prevalent themes in the Sonnabend Collection: the use of photography starting with conceptual art in the 1960s until the present; and the work of artists from the 1980s which relate to pop art, minimalism, and conceptual art. The exhibition includes works by Gilbert & George, Bernd and Hilla Becher, John Baldessari, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Candida Hofer, Haim Steinbach and Ashley Bickerton, among others. A presentation of sculptures by Jeff Koons, produced between 1985 and 2012, constitutes a small retrospective exhibition of works by this iconic American artist.

Curated by Antonio Homem, the exhibition in Serralves is organized in collaboration with the Fondazione Musei Civici Venezia (MUVE), Ca’ Pesaro in Venice, and the Sonnabend Collection Foundation. At a time when the Serralves Museum is devoting increasing attention to its Collection of Portuguese and international art, the Sonnabend Collection has a particular relevance. Works from this Collection formed part of the Museum’s inaugural exhibition, ‘Circa 1968’ in 1999, several of which have remained on long-term deposit at Serralves.