Historical Movements at the John Natsoulas Gallery
Beat, Funk, and Ceramics
The Beat Movement
The Beat Era can widely be categorized as a post-WWII cultural movement that evoked liberation and rebellion against the prevailing societal norms. In the 1950s, San Francisco was one of the primary centers of the movement, and numerous establishments popped up across the city where writers, artists, poets, actors, musicians, and more would meet and share ideas.
The John Natsoulas Gallery specializes in the works of Bay Area Beats. John Natsoulas conducted extensive interviews with hundreds of the Beatniks, and the John Natsoulas Press has produced major volumes on individual artists and on the significant galleries of the period. The gallery hosted annual conference and exhibitions honoring the legacy of the Beat Movement.
The Funk Movement
The Funk Movement was a significant artistic rejection of the popular abstract expressionism of the 1960s. Humor and figuration were two key components of Funk Art, and the artists opposed perfection and morality within their work. Many of the Funk Artists lived and worked in Northern California - with major centers in San Francisco and Davis. The famous Candy Store Gallery in Folsom is remembered for bringing greater recognition to the movement.
John Natsoulas is a world renowned expert on Funk Art. Close working relationships and mentorships gave Natsoulas key insight to the many artists who defined the movement. The gallery continues to exhibit and highlight Funk Art on a regular basis. The John Natsoulas Press has published extensively about individual artists and has produced a 200-page volume about there period.
Ceramics
The California Clay Movement (1950s) is regarded as a turning point in the evolution of ceramics as a fine art medium. Over time, ceramics have become regarded as a significant art form, and the artists working today maintain a strong community recognized for its collaboration and open-mindedness.
Since the gallery’s inception in 1986, John Natsoulas has consistently prioritized exhibiting and celebrating ceramic artists. The annual 30 Ceramic sculptors exhibition brings together historic and contemporary ceramic sculptures. Along with Robert Arneson, Natsoulas co-founded the annual California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA), which invites both professional artists and students to learn and share their work. The John Natsoulas Press has published dozens of monographs about ceramic artists from across the country.
