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DOCUMENTING the MODERN I MARCH To-JUNE 26, 1999 -I � RN HE MODE NTING T 70 DOCUME - _I 10 MARCH to-JUNE 26, 1999 n commemoration of The Museum study of modern arts and the application of Modern Art's 7oth anniversary, of such arts to manufactureand practical I the Museum Archives, which is cel­ life, and fu rnishing popular instruction." ebrating its own 10th anniversary, has organized an exhibition of material The concept behind the Museum, the fromits collection. On view in the Edward first of its kind in New York City, was a John Noble Education Center, 70/10: product of the insight and determination Documenting the Modern highlights the of three discerning women: Abby Aldrich founding of the Museum in i929 Rockefeller, Lillie P. Bliss, and Mary and features items that underscore The Quinn Sullivan. A. Conger Goodyear (art Museum of Modern Art'srole as an inspi­ collector and former president of the ration to artists forthe past seventy years. Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo) was ap­ pointed President, and the Board of On November 7, 1929, ten days after the Trustees included the three founding crash of the stock market, The Museum women as well as Mrs. W. Murray Crane of Modern Art opened its doors to the (financier, Dalton School, New York), public. Despite the turbulent times, Frank Crowninshield (editor, Vanity Fair), the Museum was an instant success. and Paul J. Sachs (professorof art history, Officially foundedas an educational insti­ Harvard University). To hold the post of tution, The Museum of Modern Art was Director, the Trustees selected Alfred H. granted a charter by the Board of Regents Barr, Jr., a twenty-seven-year-old art his­ of the University of the State of New York tory scholar. Their choice was based on for "establishing and maintaining in the Barr's experience teaching groundbreak­ City of New York, a museum of modern ing college courses in modern art and his art, encouraging and developing the deep convictions about the subject. For seventy years, The Museum of bather and inscribed it to "Mr. Barr .. .in inscribed paper party hats at a soiree in Modern Art has played a pivotal role in memory of an ensemble of which the his studio in 1939· the course of twentieth-century art. Its harmony is born from a common incomparable collection, innovative ex· understanding." The Museum has also served as a place hibitions, and global educational pro­ of employment for many artists, includ­ gramming have served as an inspiration Similarly, Barr's long-standing interest in ing, among others, Sol LeWitt, Dan Flavin, to those interested in modernism. The the work of Pablo Picasso was responsi· Robert Ryman, and Ansel Adams. In a Museum's commitment to modern and ble for several exhibitions of the artist's 1994 interview, leWitt reminisced about contemporary art has elicited creative work held at the Museum in its early his experience working at a Museum responses from artists, demonstrated by years. The pinnacle of Barr's scholarship reception desk in the 1960s. During the both professional and informal interac· on the artist was the retrospective Picasso Cuban Missile Crisis, he witnessed the tions. 7jth Anniversary. In appreciation, Picasso evacuation of masterpieces from the sent Barr a tie silk-screened with his Museum and boldly stated, "Excuse me, The Museum of Modern Art was the first familiareye motif and signature. Mr. Barr, where these paintings are museum in the United States to devote an going, that's where I want to go, too." exhibition to the work of Henri Matisse. Handmade cards were often sent to Barr directed the exhibition and wrote a Museum staffby artists; examples include In recent years, contemporary artists have At the request of the Tr ustees, one of design, furniture, and the decorative catalogue to accompany it. Matisse's those by Oskar Kokoschka and James lee been invited to curate exhibitions of Barr's first acts as Director was to write arts, as well as a library of films. recognition of Barr's unparalleled interest Byars. In a similar spirit, sculptor works of art culled from the Museum's a description of the purpose and goals of and expertise is evident in a copy of the Constantin Brancusi presented Barr and permanent collection for the Artist's the new museum. In his words, the The inaugural exhibition, titled Cezanne, catalogue in which the artist sketched a his wife, Margaret Scolari Barr, with Choice series. Video interviews document Museum would organize exhibitions to Gauguin, Seurat, van Gogh, opened in in their own words how these artists "include as complete a representation as the Museum's rented quarters on the respond to and are influenced by the possible of the great modern painters­ twelfth floorof the Heckscher Building at range and depth of MoMA's collection. American and European-fromCezanne Fifth Avenue and 57 Street. The over· to the present day, but will be devoted whelming interest in the exhibition is The Museum of Modern Art has been primarily to living artists... " Barr stressed documented by the attendance ledger, fulfllli1ng its mission of collecting and that "the ultimate purpose of the which records over 47,000 visitors dur· exhibiting the finest art and promulgat· museum will be to acquire ...a collection ing its four-week run. It was the largest ing education about modern and con· of the best modern works of art." In the crowd to view a modern art exhibition in temporary art forseventy years.Through published brochure, Barr makes only a New York since the influential Armory these services, the Museum has contin· brief reference to his revolutionary multi· Show sixteen years earlier. The guest uously been a source of influence and I departmental plan forthe Museum. The book documents visits by important art· inspiration. For the past decade, the plan, which took years to implement, world personalities of the time, including Museum Archives has been fulfillingits included not only departments of paint· Katherine S. Dreier, A.E. Gallatin, Edith mission to document, preserve, and dis· ing and sculpture, but also departments Halpert, and lsamu Noguchi, among seminate the evidence of the remarkable of drawings, prints, photography, typog· others. In addition to drawing crowds, history ofThe Museum of Modern Art. raphy, industrial art, architecture, stage the exhibition received critical acclaim. 70/10: DOCUMENTING THE MODERN EXHIBITION CATALOCUE FOR THE MUSEUM'S RET• The following is a list of items in the exhibition, all ROSPECTIVE, HENRI MATIS$£ (MoMA ExH. 13, from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art NOVEMBER 3- DECEMBER 6, 1931), WITH PENCIL Archives. DRAWi NC AND NOTE FAOM MATISSE TO BARR, 1931 Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Papers, 11.V.2.a POSTCARD OF THE HECKSCHER BUILDING, NEW YORK, 1923 PAPER PARTY HATS INSCRIBED BY CONSTANTIN Archives Pamphlet File, Building BRANCUSI AND GIVEN TO BARR AND HIS WIFE, MARCARET SCOLARI BARR, 1939 PHOTOGRAPHS OF FOUNDING TRUSTEES, ABBY AlfredH. Barr, Jr. Papers, 16 ALDRICH ROCKEFELLER, LILLIE P. Buss, AND MARY QUINN SULLIVAN, N.D. "IN MEMORY OF THE CHILDREN OF EUROPE" �1999 The Museum of Modern Art, New York CHRISTMAS CARO FROM OsKAR KoKOSCHKA AND HIS WIFE, 0LDA, TO BARR, 1945 LETTER FROM ABBY ALDRICH ROCKEFELLER TO A. AlfredH. Barr, Jr. Papers, 1a.133 CONGER GOODYEAR, JULY 15, 1929 A. Conger Goodyear Papers, 1 "X·MAS IN VIENNA!" CHRISTMAS CARD FROM 0SKAR KoKOSCHKA TO BARR, 1946 MUSEUM CHARTER, SEPTEMBER 19, 1929 Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Papers, 1a.133 Museum Charters, 1 NEW YEAR'S CARD WITH ENCLOSED MINIATURE "THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART," BROCHURE BY 1950 CALEN OAR FROM GIACOMO BALLA TO THE ALFRED H. BARR, JR., 1929 BARRS, 1949 Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Papers, 9A.1A Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Papers, 1a. 133 NEWS CLIPPINGS ANNOUNCING THE FORMATION CHRISTMAS CARD FROM JIMMY ERNST AND HIS OF THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, 1929 WIFE, DALLAS, TO BARR, N.0. Public InformationScrapbooks, 1 AlfredH. Barr, Jr. Papers, la.1330 INVITATION TO CtZANNE, GAUGUIN, SEURAT, VAN SILl<-SCREENEDTIE ANO HANO-DECORATED ENVELOPE GOGH (MoMA EXH. 1, NOVEMBER 7-DECEMBER 7, SENT BY PABLO PICASSO TO BARR, 1957 1929), 1929 Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Papers, 12.Xlll Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Scrapbooks, l 70/10: D�umenrirrg 1he Modem was organized by Michelle Elligott, Interim Manager/Associate LETTER AND ENVELOPE WITH ENCLOSED MINIA• PAMPHUT FROM CtZANNE, GAUGUIN, SEURAT, Archivist; Claire Dienes, Assistant Arch1v1st/Me!lon Fellow; and Michelle Harvey, Project TURE "CALLING" CARDS FROM JAMES LEE BYARS TO VAN COCH, 1929 Assistant/Administrative Assistant, Museum Archives. DOROTHY C. MILLER, 1971 Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Scrapbooks, 1 Dorothy C. Miller Papers, Addendum C: James This exhibition is dedicated to Rona Roob, former Chief Archivist, who founded the Museum Archives in 1989. INSTALLATION PHOTOGRAPHS OF CtZANNf, GAU• Lee Byars GUIN, SEURAT, VAN COCH, AND ENVELOPE, 1929 70/10: Doaimenlmg Ille Modem has been generously funded by the Edward John Noble Education Center. VIDEOS FEATURING SCOTT BURTON, ELLSWORTH J.B. Neumann Papers, Vll.C KELLY, CHUCK CLOSE, JOHN BALOESSARI, AND The Museum Archwes is open to the public Monday, Tu esday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 am, to AUTOGRAPHED PAGES IN GUEST BOOK, 1929 ELIZABETH MURRAY, CURATORS OF EXHIBITIONS IN 5·00 pm. Advance appointments are required and can be scheduled by telephone (212,708.9617), fax THE MUSEUM'S ARTIST'S CHOICE SERIES, 1989-96 (212.333.11221. or e-mail (archives@moma org). Guest Book, 1929-1942 Video Recordings of Museum-Related Events, ATTENDANCE RECORDS FOR ClZANNE, GAuCUIN, # 89-4, 90-6, 91-1, 96-21, 98-7 SEURAT, VAN COCH CREDITS EXCERPT OF ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW WITH Sot Attendance Ledger, November 1929-April 1936 Pages 2-3: Paper party hats inscribed by Constantin Brancusi and given to Alfred H.
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