Barnett Newman Foundation

Barnett Newman Foundation. The Barnett Newman Foundation is a non-profit organization established to promote and preserve the legacy of Barnett Newman, a prominent Abstract Expressionist artist, in collaboration with institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum. The foundation works closely with other notable artists and organizations, including Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. It also engages with art historians and critics, such as Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg, to advance the understanding of Abstract Expressionism and its key figures, including Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline.

● History

The Barnett Newman Foundation was established by Annalee Newman, the artist's wife, in 1979, shortly after Barnett Newman's death, with the goal of managing his estate and promoting his work, in association with the Artists Rights Society and the Tate Modern. The foundation has since worked with numerous museums and galleries, including the National Gallery of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Centre Pompidou, to organize exhibitions and retrospectives of Barnett Newman's work, featuring artists like Ad Reinhardt and Robert Motherwell. It has also collaborated with other foundations, such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, to support the development of modern and contemporary art, including the work of Ellsworth Kelly and Agnes Martin. Additionally, the foundation has partnered with institutions like the Harvard University Art Museums and the Yale University Art Gallery to advance art historical research and scholarship, involving scholars like Meyer Schapiro and Robert Rosenblum.

● Mission and Activities

The mission of the Barnett Newman Foundation is to promote the artistic legacy of Barnett Newman and to support the development of modern and contemporary art, in collaboration with organizations like the Association of Art Museum Directors and the College Art Association. The foundation achieves its mission through a range of activities, including the organization of exhibitions and programs, the publication of scholarly books and catalogues, and the provision of support for art historical research and scholarship, involving institutions like the Getty Research Institute and the National Endowment for the Arts. It also works with artists, curators, and critics, such as Donald Judd and Lucy Lippard, to advance the understanding of Minimalism and Conceptual art, and their relationship to Abstract Expressionism. Furthermore, the foundation engages with museums and galleries, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Walker Art Center, to develop innovative exhibitions and programs that showcase the work of Barnett Newman and other notable artists, such as Cy Twombly and Jasper Johns.

● Collection and Archives

The Barnett Newman Foundation maintains a comprehensive collection of Barnett Newman's artwork, including paintings, drawings, and prints, as well as a extensive archive of documents and materials related to his life and career, in collaboration with the Archives of American Art and the Library of Congress. The collection and archives are an essential resource for scholars and researchers, providing valuable insights into the development of Abstract Expressionism and the work of Barnett Newman, as well as other artists like Arshile Gorky and Philip Guston. The foundation also works with other institutions, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Art Institute of Chicago, to develop and maintain comprehensive collections of modern and contemporary art, featuring artists like Joan Mitchell and Sam Francis. Additionally, the foundation collaborates with conservation institutions, including the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts and the Getty Conservation Institute, to ensure the long-term preservation of Barnett Newman's artwork and other cultural heritage materials.

● Exhibitions and Programs

The Barnett Newman Foundation organizes a range of exhibitions and programs to promote the work of Barnett Newman and to support the development of modern and contemporary art, in partnership with institutions like the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the High Museum of Art. These exhibitions and programs include retrospectives of Barnett Newman's work, as well as exhibitions that explore the broader context of Abstract Expressionism and its relationship to other art historical movements, such as Surrealism and Pop art. The foundation also collaborates with other organizations, including the Dia Art Foundation and the Walker Art Center, to develop innovative programs and exhibitions that engage audiences and promote a deeper understanding of modern and contemporary art, featuring artists like Dan Flavin and Sol LeWitt. Furthermore, the foundation works with educational institutions, such as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Yale University School of Art, to develop programs and exhibitions that support art education and scholarship, involving scholars like T.J. Clark and Rosalind Krauss.

● Governance and Leadership

The Barnett Newman Foundation is governed by a board of trustees, which includes prominent art historians, curators, and collectors, such as Robert Storr and Klaus Ottmann. The foundation is led by a director, who is responsible for overseeing the organization's activities and ensuring that its mission is achieved, in collaboration with other institutions like the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation. The foundation also works with a range of advisors and consultants, including artists, curators, and scholars, to ensure that its programs and exhibitions are of the highest quality and relevance, involving experts like Helen Frankenthaler and Morris Louis. Additionally, the foundation engages with other foundations and organizations, such as the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Joan Mitchell Foundation, to support the development of modern and contemporary art and to promote the legacy of Barnett Newman and other notable artists, including Robert Rauschenberg and John Cage. Category:Art foundations