International Artists, a Significant Gift from the Elizabeth R. and Michael M. Rea Collection, a Major Modernist Work by a Black Artist, and More Strengthen the Museums Holdings in 2023
NEW YORK, NY – WEBWIRE – Tuesday, February 27, 2024
In 2023, the Guggenheim acquired 102 works by more than 60 artists, over half of whom are new to the collection. The works, spanning from 1928 to the present day, further the Guggenheims commitment to expanding the purview of its interpretation and presentation of modern and contemporary art by focusing on acquiring works that embody diversity and innovation.
The acquisitions comprise a diverse group of modern and contemporary works across various mediums, including Andr Massons painting Le Dormeur (1942); Barbara Chase-Ribouds sculpture Pushkin (198485); and Sanford Biggerss wall-based textile sculpture Poly (2023). Highlights also include works by artists who have recently exhibited at the Guggenheim: Nick Caves Gestalt (2012) and Arm Peace (2019); Alex Katzs Muna (1990) and Sunrise (2019); Sung Neung Kyungs Here (1975), Mirror (1975), and Measure (1975); and Lee Kun-Yongs Snails Gallop (1975/2023), a commission presented during the Guggenheims Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s1970s performance series.
Naomi Beckwith, Deputy Director and Jennifer and David Stockman Chief Curator, states: This group of extraordinary works not only represents the Guggenheims commitment to collecting and preserving modern and contemporary art, it also celebrates the broadening scope of artists, leaders, and visionaries that continue to shape the museums legacy.
New works by artists such as Sol Calero, Sheroanaw Hakihiiw, Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim, and Moshekwa Langa enrich the museums deep holdings of international artists. Renowned artists such as Terry Adkins, Martha Diamond, Tracey Emin, and Thaddeus Mosley enter the collection for the first time.
A gift of thirty-fiveartworks from the Elizabeth R. and Michael M. Rea Collection includes significant canvases by Ad Reinhardt and Anne Truitt and also enhances the museums holdings of works on paper, including drawings by Alberto Giacometti, Roy Lichtenstein, and Yves Tanguy. Notably, Jacob Lawrences Tragedy and Comedy Theater, Series No. 2, a tempera and gesso painting on panel from 1952, is now the Guggenheims earliest work by a Black artist. Seven video works by the late Dennis Oppenheim enter the museums robust collection of time-based media. Furthermore, twelve artworks were acquired in honor of Richard Armstrong, former director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation.
These acquisitions were funded in large part by the museums acquisition committees, including the Collections Council, International Directors Council, Asian Art Circle, Latin American Circle, Middle Eastern Circle, Photography Council, and Young Collectors Council, to ensure selections embrace a range of geographies, disciplines, timelines, and cultures.
About the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was established in 1937 and is dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art through exhibitions, education programs, research initiatives, and publications. The international constellation of museums includes the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; and the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. An architectural icon and temple of spirit where radical art and architecture meet, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is now among a group of eight Frank Lloyd Wright structures in the United States recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. To learn more about the museum and the Guggenheims activities around the world, visit guggenheim.org.