2010 Annual Report
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Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art 2010 A NNUAL R EPORT 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 1 W ADSWORTH A THENEUM M USEUMOF A RT 201 0 A NNUAL R EPORT 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 2 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 3 W ADSWORTH A THENEUM M USEUMOF A RT 201 0 A NNUAL R EPORT Hartford, Connecticut 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 4 R EPORT from the President Museums are often considered places where the art of the past is cared for, studied, and displayed, but as supporters of the Atheneum, we know that mu- seums are also living entities, filled with vibrancy, that must evolve and grow as the communities around them change. This evolution was most evident in the museum’s exciting exhibition program. Designed to showcase the wealth of masterpieces in the Wadsworth Atheneum’s permanent collection, our exhibitions attracted critical acclaim and increased visitation at a time when almost half of the museum was closed for renovation. While closed galleries meant less space, the initiation of our long-awaited renovation project was an important first step towards reclaim- ing thousands of square feet and improving the overall visitor experience. The reinvigoration of our innovative MATRIX series brought two young artists from around the world to the museum and transformed our gallery spaces—first with dizzying beams of light emitted from Kitty Kraus’ mirrored light boxes, followed by a graffiti covered bathroom and a floor of paper back books for Justin Lowe’s Werewolf Karaoke installation. Quality acquisitions across multiple departments and media—includ- ing toothpicks—enhanced the permanent collection and added depth to our contemporary holdings. Tangible momentum was achieved in the area of com- munity engagement, bolstered by strong funding support, which is a tribute Susan A. Rottner, President to the perceived value of the museum’s new programs. Lastly, the museum’s progress was heralded locally, nationally and internationally through a sig- nificant increase in media attention that bolstered awareness, and enhanced the museum’s already strong reputation. Challenges existed as well, the most complex of which was the con- tinued struggle to raise funds in an environment of economic uncertainty and unease, a challenge shared by most not-for-profit organizations. Our Atheneum family once again showed its loyalty and passion for our mission by supporting the museum, resulting in the achievement of our budgetary goals for the third year in a row. 4 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 5 To forcefully address this challenge and chart a more certain eco- nomic course and enduring vision for the museum over the next decade, the museum initiated a strategic planning process. This process affords us the op- portunity to pause and consider not only who we are, but how we wish to evolve both now and generations from now. Most importantly, the strategic planning process is designed to move us forward, to acknowledge our rich history, while simultaneously focusing on an even brighter future. The opportunity to create the Wadsworth Atheneum that we want is in our hands. As we continue the process during the next fiscal year, I look forward to gathering your input and ideas, and to harnessing your energy and support as we begin down a new, but still vibrant path. Thank you for your generous support during 2010. Your gifts of time and talent, and unwavering financial support have advanced the museum and sustained our collective mission - for which you have my sincere appreciation. Susan A. Rottner Jacob Wemmersz Dutch, active 1664–1686 Hoppesteyn, The Moor’s Head Factory [Het Moriaenshooft] Charger, c. 1680–1685 Tin-glazed earthenware Gift in memory of Mae Cadwell Rovensky, by exchange; Gift of Samuel P. Avery, by exchange; Gift of Dr. Katharine Merritt, by exchange; and Bequest of Elisha E. Hilliard, by exchaange, 2010.5.1 5 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 6 R EPORT from the Director The Wadsworth Atheneum has made incredible progress this past year. With our renovation project well underway, our landscape has been enlivened by gigantic cranes and colorful fence scrims announcing that we are renovating, innovating, and open to the public. Although forty percent of our gallery space was closed for a good part of the year, critical acclaim for our artistic program was exceptional, attendance at our special events reached a new high, and overall attendance experienced a slight increase. In October, the museum launched Rembrandt’s People, the first exhi- bition in our much anticipated Masterpiece Series. The exhibition was com- prised of nine of the artist’s most expressive portraits, marking the first time any authentic Rembrandt painting had been displayed in Hartford in over seventy years! Reunited Masterpieces: From Adam & Eve to George & Martha continued the Masterpiece Series, and opened appropriately on Valentines Day. The show paired many of our best-known paintings from the permanent col- lection with their long-separated mates, some of which had not been seen together in centuries. The museum’s artistic program also saw the return of our famed MA- Susan L. Talbott, TRIX series, which enables us, once again, to exhibit art of the moment. The Director and CEO program presented an exciting roster of emerging artists from around the world, including Kitty Kraus and Justin Lowe, who both created their first solo museum exhibition in our dedicated MATRIX gallery. The Wadsworth also made tremendous strides in the area of commu- nity engagement with the support of a half million dollar grant from the Hart- ford Foundation for Public Giving. This enabled us to launch a number of new programs to begin building valuable partnerships with our neighboring or- ganizations and schools. Museum on the Move reached more than 300 Hart- ford public school students, and brought our education staff and docents into the community to encourage visitation, and the use of the museum as a learn- ing laboratory. The museum’s Connections Gallery, a new dedicated space for 6 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 7 Kitty Kraus German, b. 1976 Untitled (Mirror Lights) , 2006/10 Mirrors, light bulbs, cable, and tape Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Neu, Berlin interactive exhibitions and collaborations, was inaugurated as a joint effort with the American School for the Deaf. Significant momentum was achieved in both our Phoenix Art After Hours and Last Saturday programs. New partnerships created for events such as Noche Caliente led to increased diversity and a thirteen percent rise in at- tendance at Phoenix Art After Hours. The results for our Last Saturday pro- gram are even more impressive. Free family programming and activities, in addition to free admission from 10:00 am–1:00 pm, resulted in a fifty-nine percent increase in attendance as compared to the previous year. I am optimistic about the coming year; we have an exciting future, filled with opportunity, and we have you—our members, supporters, partners, volun- teers, and colleagues—to thank for it. I am extremely grateful to each of you. Susan L. Talbott 7 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 8 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 9 E XHIBITIONS & A CQUISITIONS Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art During the past year the Wadsworth Atheneum’s permanent collection was show- cased and enhanced, through a stellar exhibition program, and the acquisition of major works of art. Exhibition highlights include Rembrandt’s People, the first in the museum’s Masterpiece Series. The exhibition focused on Rembrandt’s powerful figure paintings, which are hailed as his greatest artistic achievement. Borrowed from leading muse- ums in both America and Canada, and two private collections, Rembrandt’s People featured works from throughout the artist’s career depicting a wide variety of subjects, including his iconic self-portrait from 1659. Reunited Masterpieces: From Adam & Eve to George & Martha continued the series, rejoining works from the Atheneum with their often-distant pendants. It included paintings of both real and mythological people—the earliest of which, in terms of both date and subject, was a set of panels portraying Adam and Eve from 1613 by the Dutch artist Hendrick Goltzius. Reunited Masterpieces marked the first time this pair had been seen together in almost five centuries. The museum also organized American Moderns on Paper: Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, a groundbreaking new look at the diverse directions pursued by modern artists in America. The show was greeted by large and enthusiastic crowds at both the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Portland Museum of Art in Portland, Maine. The exhibition will open at the Wadsworth Atheneum during the fall of 2010. The Amistad Center for Art & Culture presented High Water Marks: Art & Renewal After Katrina, which highlighted the achievements of a range of artists who have documented New Orleans’ devastation, and are committed to its recovery. Justin Lowe In addition to a strong exhibition program, the museum expanded its per- manent collection through a number of significant acquisitions, including Untitled American, b. 1976 (Toothpicks) by Tara Donovan, Red and Pink Robe by Sean Scully, and The Astron- Werewolf Karaoke, 2010 (detail) omy Lesson of the Duchesse du Maine by François de Troy. Mixed-media, multi-room installation Courtesy of the artist 9 34011 AR_2010_FINAL_Print_v3_Layout 1 11/5/10 11:34 AM Page 10 Exhibitions a n d Exhibition Sponsors All exhibitions at the Wadsworth Atheneum are funded in part by the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s United Arts Campaign, and the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, which receives a portion of its support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.