This version of the M’s Community Report (July 2019–October, 2020) has been adapted from an interactive online microsite found at: https://mmaa.org/communityreport2020/ 350 Robert Street North, St. Paul, MN 55101 ■ 651.797.2571 ■ [email protected] ■ mmaa.org TODAY This year at the M (Minnesota Museum of American Art), our with THE M @ HOME for family activities and digital artist talks flexibility has been put to the test, and we have emerged more firmly and classes, and dozens of visitors experience 1.5: A Southeast Asian rooted in our mission and values. While maintaining the familiar Diaspora Remix every single day along Robert and 4th streets. balance of bridging the past and present with our exhibitions, space, and programming, we have grown increasingly nimble in how we interact with the public, our patrons, and our partners. Before transitioning to street-facing exhibitions, we welcomed more than 9,000 visitors at the museum, with close to 250 people in attendance for the January opening of A Choice of Weapons, Honor and Dignity: The Visions of Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz. Were you there that night? The room was electric, and the energy was positive, soul-filling, and bright. When looking toward the future of the M, we imagine more nights like that one. At a time when nothing feels familiar, the M has found ways to continue providing our beloved community with meaningful art and We closed our doors mid-March due to COVID-19 and began conversation. With exhibitions earlier this year like History is not Here: developing exclusively virtual and street-facing exhibitions and Art and the Arab Imaginary and Sherin Guirguis: Here I Have Returned, programming. We launched THE M @ HOME, a virtual museum we showed that the M offers viable, vibrant ways to deepen the experience that brought A Choice of Weapons, Homecoming, and art-viewing experience. Shows like Homecoming, It’s Okay to Laugh, 100 Years and Counting to a dynamic digital platform. Thanks to this Labor Camp, and 1.5: A Southeast Asian Diaspora Remix emphasized transition, we now see clearly that the future of the M goes beyond the extent to which flexibility and resolve are intrinsic to how the M the current physical space, and that we can embrace unexpected operates. shifts that affirm our vision. More firmly rooted in our mission and values after a challenging year, With these new avenues of bringing art to people, we have had the we’re looking forward to what’s next at the M. there’s plenty of hope opportunity to be extremely creative, ask important questions about for a bold future! accessibility and visibility, and work successfully with partners to pivot. And successful we have been! Close to 1,000 viewers have Will you join us? watched Black Art in the Era of Protest, people continue to engage PEOPLE By Mia Laufer, Associate Curator When I first heard the M would be putting on A Choice of Weapons, Honor and Dignity: the Visions of Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz, I was ecstatic. I already knew Gordon Parks’s story well, and was thrilled to be engaging more with his legendary work. I didn’t know Robin Hickman-Winfield, Gordon Parks’s grand-niece, though. She was a board member at the M, and would be curating the show. A minute into our first meeting I learned she was far more than that. Robin is a figure of towering strength, and I knew then that the M’s upcoming exhibition wouldn’t be just another Gordon Parks show. Robin is deeply knowledgeable about Parks’s career, and equally passionate about her uncle’s legacy. In one of their last conversations before Parks passed away in 2006, the photographer asked her, “What’s going to happen to Black boys? What did I really do?” And with that, Robin had her marching orders; she promised to keep his legacy alive. Following her lead, the M put on a Gordon Parks exhibition like no other. Instead of traditional interpretation of the artworks on the walls, there was a chorus of voices from the Black community, quotes from Parks and Shabazz, reflections by Gordon Parks High School Scholars, and even an opening statement by St. Paul’s mayor, Melvin Carter. In the museum’s Window Gallery that is visible from Robert Street she placed larger-than-life portraits of Parks and Shabazz, because she wanted everyone to be able to see examples of Black men carrying themselves with dignity, including the homeless population downtown. She brought the Gordon Parks Scholars to the museum to help plan the layout of the show, encouraging them to take their rightful place in public institutions. They became her Assistant Curators for the project. Robin calls herself a promise-keeper. I became a promise-keeper too. There’s a profound generosity in the way Robin works. I’m a Jewish, Nuyorican, recent transplant from the East Coast, but Robin opened her arms to me and offered me a place in her vision of a brighter future. I was humbled to be involved in this project. It was truly an honor. Use your voice to fight for what’s right to make a difference. —Amelia Pharmer, Gordon Parks Scholar Donors The Board of Trustees and staff of the M are grateful to these individuals, corporations, and foundations. This list reflects gifts received between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. This year we have opted to list all of our supporters in alphabetical order, because we believe that every gift is significant, and all acts of generosity help support the work we do at the M. Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete list of contributors. If an error or omission has been made, please call Hanna K. Stoehr in the development office at 651-288-2480. A Matthew Bindert Carmax Foundation Thomas Darling Acoustics Associates Kit and Carolyn Bingham Catchafire Volunteer Matching Karen Mary Davalos Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Michael Birt The Cedar Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Ann Davey Katherine B. Andersen Fund Thomas Blanck and Linda Bjorklund Kristin Cheronis Anne DeCoster American Association of University Women – MN Clint and Diane Blaiser Margaret L. Chesley Stephanie Van D’Elden Branch Todd P. Bockley Lili and Sheldon(d.2019) Chester Dellwood Foundation Anonymous Marjorie Boening Perci Chester and Mitchell Bender Janna DeLue Kurt Apfelbacher and Ani Backa George and Joan Bohlig Marilyn Chiat Eric Smith and Joyce Denn Thomas Arneson David Dayton and Mary Bolla Keith Christensen Karen Desnick B Aaron Bommarito David and Michelle Christianson Patrick and Mona Dewane Gordon and Jo Bailey Boss Foundation Chris Cinque Natane Dillard Peg Guilfoyle and John Baillie Linda L. Boss Cynthia Clark Judith Rauenhorst Doerr Family Foundation Baillon Family Foundation Gary Boughner Valerie Clark Steven G. Dorgan Russel Balenger Aviva Breen Jon Pratt and Deborah Clemmensen Sam Doyle Beverly Balos Gerald and Cathy Brennan Louise and George Clitty Driscoll Foundation Paul A. Bard Arnold and Judith Brier Faith Clover Joan R. Duddingston Marlys Barry Laura Brock Sonja Cobb Elizabeth Dunn Harriet and Bruce Bart Alison Rempel Brown and Owen Brown Patricia and Howard Cohen Christine Durand and Mike Behr John and Rebecca Bartlett Linda Brown Monica Colberg Greg and Colleen Durand Tom Beach Chelsea Brown Richard and Carol Colburn Thomas Selwold and Gretchen Durkot Tim and Elizabeth Beastrom Cheryl Brown Gayle Cole Diane and Faye Duvall Loretta Bebeau Lela and Richard Brownlee Jack Cole E Christine Durand and Mike Behr Philip and Carolyn Brunelle Kevin and Ann Commers Ecolab Foundation Judson and Carol Bemis John L. Burbidge Annette Conklin Carrie and Mickey Eder Cynthia and Charles Bend Ellen Burke Susan and Alan Cook Robert W. Edgar Harold and Barbara Bend Stacy Burns Cathy Naughton and Paul Corydon Jacob Edwards Ann Benrud Jacquelyn Cronin and Richard Burton Jay Cowles and Page Knudsen Cowles Louise Eidsmoe Kate Johnson and Scott Berry The Bush Foundation Russell Cowles and Josine Peters Jean Engle Best Buy Foundation Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation Doug Crane and Ruth Hanold Crane Thomas Erickson Karl and Rosemarie Bethke Peter M. Butler Hazel Belvo and Marcia Cushmore Pixie Martin and Jay Erstling Madeline Betsch C Joe Cypher Hope Esparolini F.R. Bigelow Foundation Lisa Carlson D F Sharon K. Bigot Jane Carlstrom Steven K. Dahlke Nichole Fairbanks Jim Bindas Sandra and Gordon Carlton Kathleen Daniels Thomas and Florence Farnham Barry Fick Luella Greene Jack and Linda Hoeschler Shirley Kaplan Carole Fisher Robert and Carolyn Grenier David and Marjorie Hols Judy Karbo Dan Donovan and Regina Flanagan Janet Groenert Kristen Stuenkel and Kent Honl Steven Kayser Nancy Zingale and William Flanigan Beverly Grossman Nora Lee Hornicek Margaret H. and James E. Kelley Foundation Elizabeth Fleck Kyrsten and Mark Gustafson James Richardson and Dorothy Horns Constance Kerrins Cynthia and Joseph Fleury H Jason T. Howard Jackie and James Kielkopf Deborah Pile and Jack Flynn Hannah Haas Nancy Huart Jay Kim Kathleen Flynn Kathleen Franzen and Philip Hage Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation Judith Newberry and Phillip King Susan and Tom Focke Ronald Hagen Stanley and Karen Hubbard Janet A. Kinney Bernice Folz, PhD Julie Haider Katherine Huntington Mary Louise Klas Sharon Fortunak Mary Jo and Mark Hallberg Aaron Hurst Mary Hartnett and Joe Knable Dutton and Caroline Foster Carolyn Halliday Ruth and John Huss John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Sarah and Mark Foster Jan and Sue Halverson Jeff and Beth Hvass Michael and Martha Koch William Foussard Ruth Hamlow I Kathy Kolstad Kristine Fowler Kathryn Hanna Ann Idzik Ken Kornack David J. Fraher Robyn Hansen and John Clarey Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Jeanne and Bill Kosfeld Harold Freshley Tim and Kathy Harding Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad Marc Kotsonas and Dimitria Phill Kotsonas James and Barbara Fritz Hardenbergh Foundation Rose Ireland Connie Kozlak G Alfred Harrison and Ingrid Lenz Harrison J Bonnie and Peter Kramer Richard Galena Ginny Hartmann Twinks and Jock Irvine Mark Krause Marla Gamble Dan Hathaway Connie Nardini and Donald Jacobson Rebecca Krinke John and Peggy Ganey Cynthia and Michael Heelan Kaaren Jacobson Ruth and Stanley Krueger James and Joan Gardner Ann and David Heider Elmore A.