Views from Abroad

The history of American art has been, in many respects, an emulation of, or reaction to, European art. In order to examine the artistic cross-currents between the two continents, the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, has organized a series of three exhibitions based on its permanent collection of 20th-century American Art, and curated by leading European museum directors with a marked expertise in the subject.;The exhibitions and accompanying catalogues address the complex cultural realtionship between America and Europe, particularly those countries, Holland, Britain and Germany, which have influenced, or been influenced by, American art. The exhibitions are conceived as a dialogue between countries, cultures and collections.;The first exhibition in the series was curated by Rudi Fuchs, director of the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, and the illustrated, bilingual book also contains an essay by Fuchs which discusses the differences in American and European attitudes towards creating art. An additional essay has been provided by Hayden Herrera, and also included is a conversation between Rudi Fuchs and David A. Ross, director of the Whitney Museum.;This first exhibition took place at the Whitney Museum from June to Ocober 1995, and at the Stedelijk Museum from November 1995 to January 1996.