2023 Pageant of the Masters “Art Colony: In the Company of Artists”
Pays Tribute to Laguna Beach Artist Roger Kuntz
Pageant of the Masters re-creation of Roger Kuntz’s “Morning Thoughts.”
Photo Credit: Ron Azevedo
Laguna Beach, California – The Pageant of the Masters celebrates 90 years since the first “living pictures” – tableaux vivants – were presented as a novelty during the 1933 Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach. Celebrating this milestone, this summer’s production “Art Colony: In the Company of Artists,” acknowledges the deep connections and memorable stories of artists assisting one another throughout the world and throughout history, including the art colony established in Laguna Beach in the early years of the 20th century. Paintings by well-known Laguna Beach artist, Roger Kuntz, are transformed into the “living pictures” on the Pageant stage, highlighting the modern master whose work has withstood the test of time.“I have an abiding love for Roger’s work,” shared Pageant Director Diane Challis Davy. “I did not know him well, but seeing his paintings on display in my father’s Laguna art gallery as a youngster really made a big impression on me.”
The Pageant’s longtime Scriptwriter Dan Duling added, “It was the 2009 retrospective of his work at the Laguna Art Museum that absolutely floored me. “Freeways! Blimps! Surreal moonscapes- You sensed a creative mind at play gifted with the artistic tools to do pretty much anything he wanted. And the more I learned about his career, the more my admiration grew.”
Following his graduate study at Claremont College, Kuntz and his family first vacationed at Crystal Cove just north of Laguna in 1958, in an effort to escape the summer heat of the Inland Empire. Not long after, they chose Laguna Beach as their new home.
In 1960, Kuntz had an epiphany. While gazing at a concrete culvert, he suddenly became aware of the “real” merging with the abstract all around him. His acclaimed Freeway series of paintings explored the dynamic shapes of overpasses, ramps, tunnels and road signs with bold depictions in stark light and deep shadows. The first solo show in Los Angeles of his “Freeway Series” generated intense buzz, and an article in the October 1962 issue of Life Magazine, singled out Kuntz as an emerging California artist to watch.
In Laguna, Kuntz found subjects for his paintings everywhere he turned, even on the tennis courts where he played at the Festival of Arts. His artistic odyssey wasn’t limited to painting. In his later years, Kuntz became an active member of the Laguna Art Museum, an instructor at the Laguna College of Art and Design, and an exhibiting artist at the Festival of Arts.
Duling noted that Kuntz was,
”Smart, witty, and quick to laugh. He was a painter, sculptor, jazz trumpet and piano player, sky diver, and art teacher who once rode his motorcycle into the lobby of Hotel Laguna.”
Kuntz’s creative life was turned upside down when he learned of a cancer diagnosis in his forties, coupled with family turmoil and divorce. Keenly aware of his mortality, he began a new project, preserving iconic images of his adopted hometown on canvas.
Director Challis Davy shared,
“No other artist since Joseph Kleitsch has captured the essence of Laguna Beach so masterfully. One of my favorite paintings of Roger’s was a view down the ramp to Bluebird Beach. It is essentially a portrait of a utility structure. Only the great Roger Kuntz could find beauty and interest in that scene!”
At the end of August, Kuntz’s daughter Mary Kuntz-Cote, who resides in the Bay Area, will attend the Pageant to witness its salute to her late father’s artistic legacy. Challis Davy concluded, “We look forward to welcoming her to see the production.”
The Pageant of the Masters is celebrating its 90th anniversary this summer with the production, “Art Colony: In the Company of Artists,” with performances nightly from July 7 – September 1, 2023. Advance tickets are now on sale starting at $35 per person. To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts, follow the Festival at @FestivalPageant and visit www.foapom.com
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ABOUT THE PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS
Presented by the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach
Honored with the 2020 Thea Classic Award from the Themed Entertainment Association, the Pageant of the Masters is arguably one of the most unique productions in the entire world. Audiences are amazed and enchanted by ninety minutes of tableaux vivants (“living pictures”), incredibly faithful re-creations of classical and contemporary works of art, with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. A live narrator guides the patrons through the story of each living picture accompanied by a full orchestra.
DATES & TIMES
July 7 – September 1, 2023
Performances Nightly at 8:30pm
TICKET INFORMATION
Advance Tickets $35 and up
A Pageant Ticket also acts a season pass to the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show
LOCATION
Irvine Bowl at the Festival of Arts
650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
FOR INFORMATION & TICKETS
(800) 487-3378
Stevie Wilson
LA-Story.com
If you have a question, you can email me at stevie.wilson@LA-Story.com
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