Hirshhorn Blog

Since the initial gift of 6,000 works of art by founding donor Joseph H. Hirshhorn, the Museum has benefited from the generosity of local, national, and international collectors of modern and contemporary art. In addition to Mr. Hirshhorn's collection, 1,354 objects have been given by 378 donors over the years. (To see a full list of these donors, please visit our website.) Gifts to the collection have come from established prominent collectors as well as those just beginning to acquire art. The next time you walk through our galleries, take a look at the credit information for the work on view.

The Museum is incredibly fortunate to have a family of donors who support the institution by giving works of art that continue to enhance the collection. Several of these works are on view this fall. Longtime friends of the Hirshhorn and local collectors Mitchell P. Rales and Anthony and Heather Podesta have donated many works of art over the years. Rales is chairman of The Glenstone Foundation, which supports education, the arts, animal rights, and environmental projects. Through the foundation, Mr. Rales has donated eighteen works of art, including several Conceptual pieces by John Baldessari, and a suite of thirteen Seascapes by Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto. Several of these photographs are currently on view on the third level.

The Podestas have given fifty-three pieces to the Hirshhorn. Among them is a work by Tony Oursler, two by Darren Almond, seven photographs by Nikki Lee, which were on view earlier this year in Currents: Recent Acquisitions, and a painting by Fiona Rae, Sunburst Finish, 1997, currently on the third level of the Museum. The Podestas have a generous history of giving gifts of art to museums in several states. Mr. Podesta is a top lobbyist who, among his many accomplishments, was appointed by President Clinton to his Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

We continually welcome works by our expanding base of donors. Mario Cader-Frech and Robert Wennett jointly gave three pieces: Dan Steinhilber's popular sculpture made of simple, paper-covered wire hangers, Untitled, 2002; Maggie Michaels's abstract painting Genie, 2003; and Jiha Moon's work on paper Styx, 2005, are all on view in Currents: Recent Acquisitions on the lower level. Both Mr. Cader-Frech and Mr. Wennett are collectors of contemporary art in their own right and businessmen and philanthropists in Miami and DC.

The Contemporary Acquisitions Council, created in 2006, has provided the opportunity for twenty-six donors (for a list, visit our website) to participate in the acquisitions process. They learn about new directions in contemporary art while meeting others who share their enthusiasm for the Hirshhorn.

First-time donors of art to the Hirshhorn Jill and Peter Kraus, Danielle and David Ganek, and Mark Rosman pooled their resources in order to purchase Pentagon, 2004Ð05, a large-scale abstracted painting of the famous building, by Wayne Gonzales, on view in the lower-level lobby. Their collaborative effort is a creative approach to pursuing their passion for contemporary art and their desire to share it with visitors to the Museum for generations to come.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the Hirshhorn as a member or donor of art, please contact our development office at 202-633-0570.

Every Friday at 12:30 pm, the Hirshhorn hosts free informal gallery discussions. Museum staff as well as local artists, scholars, and people from a variety of viewpoints share their insights with visitors and encourage a dialogue about the works on view. Curatorial Research Associate Ryan Hill emphasizes this interactive approach at the Hirshhorn. "The act of looking can be a conversation between the viewer and an artwork," he notes. "When experienced with others in the social space of the Museum, people think and feel in ways they may not expect."

Regular attendees to the program have observed that it is "a great way to spend my lunch break" or to "find out more about my favorite pieces in the collection." Local artist Linn Meyers said "it's a 'quickie' but it always has depth, something to mull over for the rest of my Friday afternoon."

Speakers have included locals like Mary Coble, William Christenberry, and iona rozeal brown, giving them a public platform to discuss their work and that of others. Attendees also have the chance to hear from visiting artists shown in Hirshhorn exhibitions, such as Alyson Shotz, featured in Currents, and Terence Gower, whose Directions project is on view this fall.

Curators and scholars from across the country as well as local art historians and critics have also participated, allowing the program to present a well-rounded context for talking and thinking about art. Optical engineer and presenter Suzanne St. Cyr said "I really enjoyed using my background as a scientist to discuss my interest in art and perception."

Most discussions last for about thirty minutes, allowing DC-area residents as well as tourists to stop by for a bit of culture and the opportunity to meet others interested in the arts. Several times a year, these talks take the form of hour-long conversations, usually between an artist and a curator, critic, or another artist, held in the Ring Auditorium.

Be sure to check our website regularly for updates to the schedule. This season promises to be especially lively, and there are a few surprise guests in the works.

Did you miss one of our talks? Most Friday Gallery Talks are available as free podcasts at  hirshhorn.si.edu and iTunes.