New Museum of Contemporary Art
Encyclopedia
The New Museum, founded in 1977 by Marcia Tucker
, is the only museum
in New York City
exclusively devoted to presenting contemporary art from around the world. Over the past five years, the New Museum has exhibited artists from Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Germany, Poland, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Kingdom among many other countries. The Museum presents the work of under-recognized artists, and has mounted ambitious surveys of important figures such as Ana Mendieta
, William Kentridge
, David Wojnarowicz
, Paul McCarthy
and Andrea Zittel
before they received widespread public recognition. In 2003, the New Museum presented the highly-regarded exhibition Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Also in 2003, the New Museum formed an affiliation with Rhizome
, a leading online platform for global new media art.
In 2005, the museum was among 406 New York City
arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
.
In December 2007, the New Museum opened the doors to its new location on 235 Bowery
, at Prince Street. This new facility, designed by the Tokyo-based firm Sejima + Nishizawa/SANAA
and the New York-based firm Gensler
, has greatly expanded the Museum’s exhibitions and space. In March 2008, the museum's new building was named one of the architectural seven wonders by Conde Nast Traveler
.
Continuing its focus of exhibiting emerging international artists, the museum organized the much discussed and visited exhibition, The Generational: Younger Than Jesus, in 2009.
Marcia Tucker
Marcia Tucker was the founding director of the New Museum of Contemporary Art from 1977 to 1999, a museum located in New York City, dedicated to innovative art and artistic practice...
, is the only museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
exclusively devoted to presenting contemporary art from around the world. Over the past five years, the New Museum has exhibited artists from Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Germany, Poland, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Kingdom among many other countries. The Museum presents the work of under-recognized artists, and has mounted ambitious surveys of important figures such as Ana Mendieta
Ana Mendieta
Ana Mendieta was a Cuban American performance artist, sculptor, painter and video artist who is known for her "earth-body" art work....
, William Kentridge
William Kentridge
William Kentridge is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films. These are constructed by filming a drawing, making erasures and changes, and filming it again. He continues this process meticulously, giving each change to the drawing a quarter of a second to two...
, David Wojnarowicz
David Wojnarowicz
David Wojnarowicz was a painter, photographer, writer, filmmaker, performance artist, and activist who was prominent in the New York City art world of the 1980s.-Biography:...
, Paul McCarthy
Paul McCarthy
Paul McCarthy , is a contemporary artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California.-Life:McCarthy was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and studied art at the University of Utah in 1969. He went on to study at the San Francisco Art Institute receiving a BFA in painting...
and Andrea Zittel
Andrea Zittel
Andrea Zittel is an American practicing sculptor, installation artist, and Relational artist.-Early Life:Born in Escondido, California in 1965, Zittel graduated from San Pasqual High School in 1983...
before they received widespread public recognition. In 2003, the New Museum presented the highly-regarded exhibition Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Also in 2003, the New Museum formed an affiliation with Rhizome
Rhizome (art)
Rhizome is a not-for-profit arts organization, that supports and provides a platform for new media art.-History:Artist and curator Mark Tribe founded Rhizome as a small email list in 1996 while living in Berlin. By August, Rhizome had launched its website, which by 1998 had developed a significant...
, a leading online platform for global new media art.
In 2005, the museum was among 406 New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
.
In December 2007, the New Museum opened the doors to its new location on 235 Bowery
Bowery, Manhattan
Bowery , commonly called "the Bowery," is a street and a small neighborhood in the southern portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan...
, at Prince Street. This new facility, designed by the Tokyo-based firm Sejima + Nishizawa/SANAA
SANAA (firm)
SANAA is an architectural firm. It was founded in 1995 by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. In 2010, Sejima and Nishizawa were awarded the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honor.-Biography:...
and the New York-based firm Gensler
Gensler
Gensler is an American design and architecture firm headquartered in San Francisco, California. The firm was founded in 1965 by Art Gensler, Drue Gensler, and James Follett, and originally focused on corporate interiors...
, has greatly expanded the Museum’s exhibitions and space. In March 2008, the museum's new building was named one of the architectural seven wonders by Conde Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler is a US magazine published by Condé Nast. It has its origins in a mailing sent out by the Diners Club club beginning in 1953, listing locations that would take the card. It began taking advertising in 1955. In order to attract more advertisers, it became a full-fledged magazine,...
.
Continuing its focus of exhibiting emerging international artists, the museum organized the much discussed and visited exhibition, The Generational: Younger Than Jesus, in 2009.
See also
- Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou CollectionSkin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou CollectionIn September, 2009 the New Museum announced a series of exhibitions entitled “The Imaginary Museum,” the first of which was curated by Jeff Koons from the collection of Dakis Joannou, who in addition to heavy collecting the work of Koons, is a trustee of the museum...
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City