Exhibition Press Release

Humor Of Paul Klee Showcased In SFMOMA Galleries

Exhibition dates: September 13, 2001 - February 10, 2002

Release date: March 1, 2001

On Saturday, April 7, 2001, the San Francisco Museum of Art (SFMOMA) proudly presents a fresh installment of its ongoing presentation of the work of Swiss-born German artist Paul Klee (1879–1940). Housed in the Museum's second-floor Djerassi Gallery/Paul Klee Study Center, Paul Klee: Wit and Wordplay presents approximately 15 works on paper focusing attention on the artist's highly original sense of humor—expressed in everything from clever imagery and playful flights of fancy to subtle nuances in titles.

The work of Klee has been a fixture at SFMOMA since 1984, when the Museum was honored by the promised gift of the bulk of the collection of Dr. Carl Djerassi, who has amassed one of the world's largest private holdings of Klee's art. Since that time, Klee works have been drawn from the Djerassi collection and SFMOMA's own permanent collection to present a series of exhibitions exploring different themes in the artist's oeuvre.

Paul Klee: Wit and Wordplay was organized by Heather Jain, SFMOMA curatorial associate of painting and sculpture, who points out that "Klee's wit often needs no translation." The exhibition is on view through September 6.

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