Spotlight Talk: Esherick at the 1939 Golden Gate Expo and the Ski Lodge that Never Was

The vision of hand-crafted modernism Wharton Esherick presented at the 1940 World’s Fair in his Pennsylvania Hill House was one of the artist’s most successful exhibitions. Esherick’s invitation to the fair came on the heels of another, oft-overlooked exhibition on a world stage: the 1939 Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco. The artist was invited to represent American sculpture in wood at the behest of Dorothy Liebes, an innovative textile designer and weaver. 

Join us on Tuesday, June 30th at noon for a virtual talk exploring Wharton Esherick’s involvement in the 1939 Golden Gate Exposition, a model room of a ski lodge that never materialized, and the cross-country travel of Esherick’s sculpture and furniture. In this 20-minute program, we’ll look at photographs, archives, and other rarely-seen pieces from the Wharton Esherick Museum collection. 

This is a free online event; advance reservations are required. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the conversation. Please register to receive instructions on how to join us! If able, please consider a $5 donation to support our ongoing programs.