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June 14 - 27, 2021

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As part of Maine’s Bicentennial, the Tides Institute & Museum of Art mounted an exhibition of works from its collections ranging in date from 1820 to the present. In addition, the Tides Institute will publish a Bicentennial book featuring 100 works from its collections and the stories behind the works and how they came into the Tides Institute’s collection. Each week, one of the selected works will be featured in CulturePass. 

This week’s piece is an original sardine label design for the Admiral Brand of American Sardines in mustard sauce packed by the R.J. Peacock Canning Company of Lubec, Maine. The design was produced by the American Can Company in the early 20th century. It is one of several hundred such original sardine label designs in the collections of the Tides Institute that the institute acquired from Barney Rier of Lubec, Maine in 2008. The label designs represent a wide range of sardine companies operating in the area (including in New Brunswick, Canada) and an equally wide range of imaginative high quality graphic designs. Barney Rier had amassed an extraordinary collection of original equipment, artifacts and historical documents relating to the sardine industry of this region. For many years, he displayed much of his collection in a sardine museum building next to his house along Route 189 in Lubec. The American Can Company, based in New Jersey, operated can manufacturing plants across the United States beginning in the late 19th century and in the early 20th century they established two such can manufacturing plants in this region, one in Eastport, Maine and one in Lubec. Barney Rier acquired his collection of original sardine labels from the American Can Company when their operations in Eastport and Lubec went out of business.

Photo caption: Original sardine label design for the Admiral Brand of American Sardines in mustard sauce packed by the R.J. Peacock Canning Company of Lubec, Maine. The design was produced by the American Can Company in the early 20th century.

 

Artist-in-Residence

The ninth year of the StudioWorks Artists-in-Residence Program continues with the arrival of two new artists, Luba Zygarewicz from Mandeville, Louisiana and Rebecca Keller from Oak Park, Illinois. Both artists invite members of the public to visit them at StudioWorks, 48 Water Street, Eastport, during their term. All pandemic safety guidelines are in effect, and masks and physical distancing will be required. 
 

Tides Institute Online

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