Museum of Modern Art

Museum of Modern Art
source
Name	Museum of Modern Art
Established	November 7, 1929
Location	11 West 53rd Street, Manhattan, New York City
Type	Art museum
Collection size	200,000+ works
Visitors	1.2 million (2023)
Director	Glenn D. Lowry
President	Marie-Josée Kravis
Publictransit	Fifth Avenue/53rd Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)

Museum of Modern Art. Founded in 1929 by philanthropists Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, Lillie P. Bliss, and Mary Quinn Sullivan, the institution was established with the radical mission to champion the innovative art of its time. It opened to the public in the Heckscher Building on Fifth Avenue with an exhibition featuring works by modern masters like Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, and Vincent van Gogh. Under the influential leadership of its first director, Alfred H. Barr Jr., it developed a pioneering chronological and interdisciplinary collection strategy that would become a global model for modern art museums.

History

The museum was incorporated in 1929, just days after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, with initial guidance from curator A. Conger Goodyear. Alfred H. Barr Jr.'s visionary plan organized the collection by department, encompassing not just painting and sculpture but also architecture, film, photography, and design. Its first permanent home, designed by Philip L. Goodwin and Edward Durell Stone, opened in 1939 on West 53rd Street. Throughout the mid-20th century, under directors like René d'Harnoncourt, it solidified its reputation through landmark acquisitions and exhibitions, navigating periods of controversy over its artistic direction and critiques of its canonical narrative of modernism from figures like Meyer Schapiro.

Collections

The holdings encompass over 200,000 works spanning from the late 19th century to the present. The painting and sculpture collection includes iconic pieces such as Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night, Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, and Salvador Dalí's The Persistence of Memory. Its extensive Department of Film archive contains more than 30,000 titles, preserving the works of pioneers like D.W. Griffith and Sergei Eisenstein. Other strengths include the Julien Levy Collection of photography, major works by Jackson Pollock and the Abstract Expressionists, and significant holdings in German Expressionism and De Stijl.

Architecture and expansion

The original 1939 building was significantly expanded and redesigned in 1964 by Philip Johnson, who added the East Wing and the serene Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. A major 1984 expansion by architect César Pelli doubled the gallery space. The most transformative renovation was completed in 2004 under the direction of Yoshio Taniguchi, which dramatically increased space and introduced a soaring atrium. In 2019, a major expansion designed by the firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler reopened, integrating the former American Folk Art Museum site and providing more space for contemporary art and performance.

Exhibitions and programs

The museum is renowned for its historically significant exhibitions that have shaped art historical discourse, such as the 1936 show Cubism and Abstract Art and the 1959 landmark The New American Painting. It regularly presents major retrospectives on artists like Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Marina Abramović. Its MoMA PS1 branch in Long Island City, affiliated since 2000, hosts the influential warm-weather series Warm Up. Educational initiatives include the MoMA Courses program and collaborations with institutions like the Katherine K. Herberger College of Fine Arts.

Influence and legacy

The museum's curatorial model, particularly its linear presentation of modern art's development, has been profoundly influential on institutions worldwide, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Tate Modern in London. Its publication program, producing seminal texts like the textbook The History of Modern Art, has educated generations. It has also faced scholarly critique for historically privileging a Western-centric narrative, leading to ongoing efforts to broaden its geographic and cultural scope under curators like John Elderfield and through initiatives with organizations like the International Council of Museums.

Category:Art museums in Manhattan Category:Museums established in 1929 Category:Modern art museums in the United States