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MONTEREY, CA (March 12, 2024)—This spring, Monterey Museum of Art (MMA) welcomes its summer headliner David Ligare: Spheres of Influence, an exhibition organized in collaboration with the artist and Winfield Gallery developed from a related exhibition at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. The exhibition highlights more than four decades of the Carmel Valley based artist's passion for exploring classicism within contemporary art. On view from May 16 through September 1, 2024.

David Ligare: Spheres of Influence invites audiences on a journey where tradition meets innovation. At its heart, the exhibition harmonizes with the Museum's seasonal theme of water. Drawing inspiration from Greco-Roman art, literature, and philosophy, Ligare's exhibition beautifully complements the Museum's supporting exhibits – exploring water as symbol for introspection and the essence of life.

At the center of the exhibition stands Magna Fide (The Great Belief), a masterpiece born from Ligare's experiences in Florence, Italy. This piece serves as a tribute to intellectual luminaries, such as Aristotle and Socrates, and the majestic oceans and seas that have influenced human understanding. Magna Fide (The Great Belief), proudly acquired by the Monterey Museum of Art in 2020, is a testament to Ligare's painstaking attention to composition and luminosity, revealing a deep reverence for the natural world. This marks the first formal showing of the painting at MMA since its acquisition.

"In this work, like most of my large paintings, numerous studies have helped me to develop the final composition. While staying on the Tuscan Coast in 2014 I made a small drawing of an invented rock formation containing a shrine set in a quiet sea and sheltered by an Italian pine. My shrine consisted of a plinth with a fire and a stone sphere. The idea was to honor the Florentine architect, artist and writer, Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472)," says artist David Ligare.

The artist meticulously plans each painting, drawing from extensive research and preliminary sketches, which contributes to the profound sense of intention and meaning in his work. Through a dynamic showcase of large-scale paintings, drawings, and several series of small-scale studies, David Ligare: Spheres of Influence effortlessly blends the classical with the modern, presenting a cohesive visual narrative united in the golden glow of a commanding and enveloping light.

Over the decades, Ligare has developed a distinctive style marked by clarity, precision, and serene composition. His work often features still lifes and landscapes that evoke a sense of eternal beauty and balance, seemingly suspended outside time. Through perfect recreations of a sphere, Ligare challenges us to reflect on the essence of form as a powerful vehicle for expressing meaning and intention.

David Ligare (b. 1945), Sphere Study, 1996, conte on paper, 7 x 7 in. Courtesy of the artist
David Ligare (b. 1945), White Sphere, 2015, oil on canvas, 12 x 18 in. Courtesy of the artist

About the Artist
David Ligare, often referred to as the California Classicist, stands as a monumental figure in contemporary art. Celebrated for his connection with classical antiquity and its resonance in today's world, Ligare's catalog is characterized by an adherence to classical ideals of beauty, harmony, and order. Deeply rooted in the landscapes and light of California's Central Coast, where he lives and works, Ligare's paintings are a fusion of classical Greco-Roman themes and the modern American landscape. By incorporating elements of ancient philosophy, literature, and mythology into his work, Ligare invites viewers to contemplate themes of nature, humanism, and rationalism.

Born in 1945 in Oak Park, Illinois, Ligare moved to California with his family in 1950 and later attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Ligare has enjoyed a prolific career with exhibitions across the globe. His contributions have been recognized with numerous awards and exhibitions. His paintings are held in prestigious public and private collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi in Florence, Italy.

David Ligare's upcoming solo exhibition, David Ligare: A Specific View, will be featured at Hirschl & Adler Galleries in New York from September 5 through October 4, 2024.

Join Us
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Monterey Museum of Art will host an Afternoon with the Artist, an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into Ligare's philosophy and artistic journey.

June 8 Afternoon with the Artist: David Ligare 2 :00– 3:30 pm MMA La Mirada

Support
This exhibition was organized in collaboration with David Ligare and Winfield Gallery.

Support for this exhibition provided by Susan DuCoeur, Laura and John Gamble, Weezie and David Reese, and Robin and Chris Sawyer.