Figge Looks for Public Sponsors of Next Blockbuster Exhibit, “For America”
The public is invited to be a part of the Figge Art Museum’s next major exhibition, For America: 200 Years of Painting from the National Academy of Design, opening Feb. 20, 2021.
Drawn from the collections of the National Academy of Design in New York, over 90 works made between 1810 and 2013 by historical and
John Frederick Kensett,
The Bash-Bish. National Academy of Design, New York, courtesy of American Federation of Arts.
contemporary masters such as Winslow Homer, William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, Andrew Wyeth, Jaune Quick-to-See-Smith, Charles White, Jane Freilicher, Hank Willis Thomas, and many others will be available for adoption as part of the Figge’s “Adopt-a-Painting” initiative.
Adopters will receive an adoption certificate and be listed on a label next to the adopted work at the Figge Art Museum from Feb. 20 to May 16, 2021.
“This is an opportunity to have your name alongside some of the most prominent artists in American history,” said director of development Sara Volz. “Adoptions support the travel of the works to our community and allow adopters to showcase their support in an unprecedented way.”
For America: 200 Years of Painting from the National Academy of Design will be the second exhibition made possible by the Figge’s Major Exhibitions Endowment, which allows the museum to bring a major exhibition to the community every other year. The exhibition features representative works and portraits given to the Academy by some of the most recognizable names in American art and presents a unique history of American art through the lens of the Academy, exploring ways in which artists have represented themselves and their country.
The first blockbuster exhibit from the Figge’s Major Exhibitions Endowment was two years ago, from Oct. 5, 2018 through Jan. 6, 2019.
Robert Frederick Blum,
Two Idlers. National Academy of Design, New York, courtesy of American Federation of Arts.
The Figge saw 36,112 people come through its doors, including visitors from 47 states and the District of Columbia, during the landmark run of “French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850-1950.”
That exhibit from New York City’s Brooklyn Museum included 60 paintings and sculptures by some of the world’s most famous artists, including Monet, Cezanne, Renoir, Matisse, Degas and Rodin.
For America is organized by the American Federation of Arts and the National Academy of Design, New York, with support for the national tour provided by the JFM Foundation, Monique Schoen Warshaw, and Steph & Jody La Nasa. Locally the exhibition is supported by Estes Construction, Harris Family Charitable Gift Fund, US Bank, Alan and Julie Renken,
Michelle Hargrave is executive director of the Figge.
and Mark and Rita Bawden.
Adoption amounts for the works on view range from $250-$750. Potential adopters can contact Tessa Pozzi at 563-345-6638 or tpozzi@figgeartmuseum.org.
For America features over 90 works made between 1810 and 2010 by some of the greatest American artists, drawn from the collections of the National Academy of Design in New York. From its founding in 1825 to the present, the National Academy has required all Academicians elected to donate a representative work to the Academy’s collection.
From 1839 to 1994, the Academy also required Associates to present a portrait of themselves, whether painted by their own hand or that of a fellow artist. This has resulted in a collection of over 8,000 works by historical and contemporary masters such as Winslow Homer, William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, Andrew Wyeth, and many others.
Exhibition co-curator Jeremiah William McCarthy, Curator at the National Academy of Design, says: “This exhibition presents the way artists see the world alongside the way they see themselves inhabiting that world. It’s an unprecedented look at the history of American painting written by its makers.”
The Figge Art Museum is at 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport.
For America offers many opportunities for community collaborations with other Quad-City cultural organizations for musical, literary and historical programs, and will provide a new perspective on the American works in the City of Davenport and Figge collections.
Since early 2019, the exhibit has been touring eight venues across the United States including the Figge (the sixth museum on tour), bringing important paintings to audiences across the country while also enriching the dialogue of scholars, students and artists of all ages with the firsthand experience of American masterpieces.
Michelle Hargrave, who’s been the Figge executive director since last December, helped oversee the installation of “For America” last fall at the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut, where she was deputy director for two years.
Sara Volz is director of development at the Figge.
The tour schedule is:
- Dayton Art Institute, OH
February 20 – June 2, 2019
● New Britain Museum of American Art, CT
October 16, 2019 – January 26, 2020
● The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, FL
February 15 – March 13, 2020
● Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Memphis, TN
July 19 – September 27, 2020
● New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe
October 22, 2020 – January 17, 2021*
● Figge Art Museum, Davenport, IA
February 20 – May 16, 2021
● Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
July 4 – October 3, 2021
● Oklahoma City Museum of Art, OK
November 6, 2021 – January 30, 2022
Andrew Wyeth, Self-Portrait (1945), National Academy of Design, New York, courtesy of American Federation of Arts.
For a complete list of available works for adoption, and for more information, visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.
Haitian exhibit to open on Saturday
Did you know the Figge is home to one of the oldest and largest collections of Haitian art in the U.S.? In 1967, Dr. Walter E. Neiswanger’s generous gift of Haitian paintings and sculptures established the collection, which has grown to include a dynamic range of artworks in many mediums and styles.
Curated from the museum collection, Haitian Masterworks will open on Saturday, Nov. 7 in the Figge’s fourth-floor gallery. More than 70 artworks will be on view, including recent acquisitions, visitor favorites, and works from the permanent collection that have not been displayed for over a decade.
Edouard Duval-Carrie (2006), mixed media on canvas by Toussaint Louverture.
Significant works by influential artists of the mid-late 20th century including Hector Hyppolite, Philomé Obin, and Rigaud Benoit, will be featured, as well as the work of contemporary artists Frantz Zephirin, Edouard Duval-Carrié, and Didier William, among others
In addition to a range of talented artists, a variety of techniques will be represented, including beadwork, oil painting, woodcarving, and mixed media assemblage. Visitors will be able to appreciate each artist’s dynamic vision while also experiencing the broad cultural and social context that connects Haitian artists. Thematic sections focusing on history, everyday life, spirituality, and the natural world will explore the subject matter these artists embrace in their work.
“We are proud to be one of the few places outside of Haiti where visitors have the opportunity to view such a large and diverse collection of Haitian works,” Figge executive director Michelle Hargrave said. “Our vibrant, colorful, lively, and thought-provoking collection reflects the boundless creativity and vitality of Haitian art and sparks meaningful conversations about the Haitian culture, people, and history.”
Since Dr. Neiswanger’s initial donation, the museum’s Haitian collection has continued to grow through strategic purchases and gifts. Haitian Masterworks demonstrates the ongoing expansion of the Figge’s collection, as well as the continuing evolution of Haitian art and artists of the Haitian Diaspora.
The Figge’s recent acquisition N’ap naje ansamn, n’ap vole ansamn, by contemporary Haitian-American artist Didier William, is a powerful work melding William’s personal experience as a Haitian-American with the cultural history of Haiti in a dramatic combination of artistic styles and techniques.
“Our Haitian art collection is an important community resource, and through Haitian Masterworks we will share outstanding as well as rarely seen artworks with the Quad-Cities,” said Figge assistant curator Vanessa Sage. “The stunning variety of artwork will amaze longtime museumgoers and new visitors alike, and engage our community with Haiti’s cultural, historical, and artistic significance.”
Haitian Masterworks will be on view through Jan. 24, 2021.
Companion Programming:
Virtual Curator Talk: Vanessa Sage and Joshua Johnson
6:30 p.m. Thursday, November 12
Join exhibition curators Vanessa Sage and Joshua Johnson for a live introduction of the Haitian Masterworks exhibition, on view at the Figge through January 21, 2021. This online program is free but advanced registration is required by visiting www.figgeartmuseum.org.
Free admission and programs for Thursdays at the Figge sponsored by Chris and Mary Rayburn.
Members-Only Tour
6 p.m. Thursday, December 3
1 p.m. Wednesday, December 9
Free; registration required and limited to 10 people each tour. Join the curators of Haitian Masterworks, Joshua Johnson and Vanessa Sage, on an exclusive tour of the exhibition. Figge members will learn about the history and meaning hidden within the works selected for the exhibition.
