In Our Time: Prints by R.B. Kitaj

Name: In Our Time: Prints by R.B. Kitaj | The Huntington
Start: Sat, Jul 29 2023 - Mon, Mar 4 2024
Location: The Huntington

Exhibitions

July 29, 2023–March 4, 2024 | An exhibition of screen prints by artist R.B. Kitaj (1932–2007), the newly acquired works depict hyperrealistic replicas of well-loved book covers exploring the intersection between literary and visual arts.

On view in the Huntington Art Gallery, “In Our Time: Prints by R.B. Kitaj” explores the intersection between literary and visual arts, lays bare social and political issues that were important to the artist, and provides information about the art of screen printing. The exhibition is drawn from Kitaj’s portfolio titled In Our Time: Covers for a Small Library After the Life for the Most Part (1969–70), comprising 50 works that were acquired by The Huntington in 2020. The exhibition will have two installation rotations that will each spotlight 22 screen prints, showing 44 works in total.

Torn book cover with a tan background and red rectangle, with the words "Toward a Better Life"

Black book cover with centered white text, the largest print reads "In Our Time."

A duotone book cover depicting a narrow tower overlooking a body of water, layered in vegetation.

Duotone book cover depicting the ocean, with a large wave in the foreground, and a distant boat silhouetted against the sun.

A book cover with bold text and an image of a hand holding a gun near a Star of David.

A book cover with a green and tan background depicting a figure in a window, overlaid with a smiling face in pink.

A duotone book cover depicting a soldier's face viewed from below.

A green book cover with torn edges, covered in black text.

A book jacket on tan paper, an orange front cover depicts black and white photos of baseball player Lou Gherig.

An orange book cover with a black and white image of a man at a desk.

Dark gray-blue book cover with a black and white image of two people in fancy clothes, posing for a photo.

Illustrated book cover with a family in black and white on a mustard-colored background.

R.B. Kitaj, Towards a Better Life, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 1/2 x 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, In Our Time: Covers for a Small Library After the Life for the Most Part, 1969–1970, screen print, 31 x 22 5/8 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, The Tower, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 1/2 x 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, O’Neill, 1969–1970, screen print, 22 1/2 x 30 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, Benia Krik, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 1/2 x 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, Vampyr, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 1/2 x 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, La Lucha del Pueblo Español por su Libertad, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 1/2 × 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, Permit Me Voyage, 1969–1970, screen print, 22 1/2 × 30 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, Lou Gehrig, 1969–1970, screen print, 22 1/2 × 30 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, Workers in the Dawn, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 1/2 × 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, London by Night - Life and Art in Photograph: No. Four, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 3/4 × 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

R.B. Kitaj, Final, City of Burbank, California, Annual Budget, 1969–1970, screen print, 30 1/2 × 22 1/2 in. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. | © R.B. Kitaj Estate

Printmaking Processes: Screenprinting

Produced by the Minneapolis Institute of Art