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MONTEREY, CA (March 19, 2024) – Experience the depths of art, history, and nature at the Monterey Museum of Art this spring and summer, featuring a meaningful season of exhibitions that reflect on the essence and importance of water in our lives and the world around us.

The Monterey Museum of Art proudly presents an exhibition season exploring the significance of water as a source of life, a subject of profound reflection, and an ever-present element in California's natural and cultural landscapes. From the ecological narratives and conservation efforts highlighted in Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales to introspective journeys through color and emotion in Into the Blue and the historical exploration of Monterey's fishing industry in A Silver Tide, this series of exhibitions weaves together water's crucial role in nurturing life, inspiring art, and shaping perspectives.

Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales (May 2 - August 18, 2024)

Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales features the captivating photography of Frans Lanting. The exhibition offers visitors a journey through the natural splendor of Monterey Bay – showcasing the ecological resilience of the area and celebrating the power of conservation. Lanting's photographs are a call to action, inspiring stewardship of our natural world. A sister exhibition by the same name, featuring different photographs drawn from the same body of Lanting's work, will be on display at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) from March 15, 2024, to August 2024, further extending the reach and impact of this vital message of ecological recovery and preservation.

About the Artist
Frans Lanting's influential images of nature have appeared in books, magazines, and exhibitions around the world. Lanting's books include Into Africa, LIFE, Jungles, Eye to Eye, and Okavango. He is an ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund and has received numerous awards for his work, including the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year's first Lifetime Achievement Award. Moreover, His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard inducted Lanting as a Knight in the Royal Order of the Golden Ark, the Netherlands' highest conservation honor.

Support for this exhibition is provided by Valera Lyles.

Frans Lanting (b. 1951), Tide Pool, 2021, archival inkjet print, 38.5 x 53 in. Courtesy of the artist. © Frans Lanting

Into the Blue (April 25 - August 11, 2024)

Into the Blue utilizes the Museum's extensive permanent collection to delve into the color blue and its significance in art through a thoughtful selection of paintings and works on paper from the 20th century to the present day – ranging from representations of the sea, the sky, and the vast range of human emotions it evokes. This exhibition once again invites viewers to ponder our deep connection with water and the planet, featuring works from Suda House's serene Sea and Solace series to Valentin Popov's captivating studies of humans and water.

Valentin Popov, Sun, 2009, oil on canvas, 45 x 37 in. Gift of Amy Teresa Chung, 2021.045

A Silver Tide: Cannery Row and the Monterey Fishing Industry (May 16 - July 21, 2024)

Through A Silver Tide: Cannery Row and the Monterey Fishing Industry, visitors can explore the historical and ecological transformation of Monterey Bay, from its past as a vibrant fishing hub to a picturesque tourist destination. Showcasing the intertwined narratives of Monterey's fishing industry and artistic communities, this exhibition prompts reflections on the changes that have shaped the region's identity over time. Highlights include works by Armin C. Hansen, James Fitzgerald, Jeannette Maxfield Lewis, Paul Whitman, and Sam Colburn.

Jeannette Maxfield Lewis, Sardine Canneries, 1932, drypoint on steel-faced copper on paper, 8.63 x 10 in. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Lewis and Family, 1991.201.137

Anchored by David Ligare: Spheres of Influence, which will run concurrently at the Museum from May 16 – September 1, 2024, the season showcases the Museum's continued commitment to regional resonance in art. By exploring the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world, visitors are invited to experience the past, present, and future of California art.