Recently, the Festival of Arts Board of Directors accepted a generous donation from photographer Robert Hansen to its Permanent Art Collection. “My gift of Portfolio 1 – Yucatan Passages to the Festival of Arts Permanent Collection is a humble recognition my gratitude,” Hansen said. He continued, “This is a unique organization that for over 80 years has nurtured the talents of thousands of creative artists. My career has been greatly blessed by this association. The permanent collection is the prism into the cultural and historic relevance of this magnificent institution. I am honored to be included in this collection.”
Robert Hansen has been an exhibitor at the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts for the past 36 consecutive years. He began his photographic journey to the Yucatan and Southern Mexico in 1995. Over the following eight years he traveled up to three times per year photographing the Mayan people, ruin sites, missions and haciendas. Over 5,000 large format negatives were made during this period. Of these, 50 were selected for publication in Hansen’s book,Yucatan Passages, published in 2004.
Since 2004, the individual photographs from this book have been collected and widely exhibited, but never shown in their entirety. In 2012, Hansen was encouraged to bring all of his Mexico work together into a comprehensive exhibition entitled “Made in California.” This National Museum Initiative, sponsored by Contemporary and Modern Print Exhibitions of Laguna Niguel, California, is a traveling exhibit/collect program which now features over 65 of his photographs from Yucatan Passages, as well as many images never before published or exhibited.
From this traveling exhibition Hansen selected eight vintage 8”x10” images to be included in a limited edition portfolio. These prints, handmade by the artist on Platinum Palladium watercolor paper, represent Hansen’s favorite images from the book. Through the process of developing the Museum Initiative program, Hansen came to realize the unique significance of this body of work. “Having the distance of 10 years since the work was first published provided me with an objective viewpoint in which to evaluate the work and realize the importance of documenting this period of time in Old Mexico,” said Hansen.
“It is an honor for the Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection to be the recipient of Robert Hansen’s Portfolio 1 – Yucatan Passages,” said Collection Specialist Pat Sparkuhl. He continued, “These eight Platinum Palladium photographic prints, along with his limited edition book, Yucatan Passages, will add greater depth to the photographic section of the Permanent Art Collection and will further define Robert Hansen’s legacy in the Southern California art culture.”
About the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection
The Festival’s collection, made up of over 1,150 pieces, is composed of an eclectic mix of two-dimensional and three-dimensional work that date back to the early 1900s. The Festival of Arts Permanent Collection, expanded annually through purchases and donations, includes painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, glass, photography, mixed media, furniture and jewelry that reflect the uniqueness and diversity that is synonymous with the Festival of Arts and the region surrounding it.
About Robert Hansen’s Portfolio I – Yucatan Passages
Portfolio 1 is a boxed set of 8 platinum palladium photographs in a limited edition of 25. It includes two artist’s proofs. This set of photographs is available through “HOPA,” The House of Photographic Art of San Juan Capistrano. Inquiries are to be directed to Robert Hansen atwww.roberthansen.com or Maryanne Charis at 949-496-5990.