THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION MAGAZINE | WINTER 2013 11 10 THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION MAGAZINE | WINTER 2013 Visitors to the Phillips may have noticed that a number of their favorite American paintings, such as Winslow Homer’s To the Rescue, Georgia O’Keeffe’s Ranchos Church II, Edward Hopper’s Sunday, and Richard Diebenkorn’s Girl with Plant, have not been on view in the gal- leries lately. These treasures have been captivating audiences around the world as part of the exhibition To See as Artists See: American Art from The Phillips Collection along with other paintings by less familiar artists like Doris Lee, Karl Knaths, and Augustus Vincent Tack—making a truly varied assembly of works by artistic visionaries. Since summer 2010, To See as Artists See has been on the road—from Tokyo to Nash- ville to its final venue in Tampa this spring—and will be making a grand homecoming in 2014. From the start, the Phillips has had in its DNA a desire to collaborate with institu- tions, foundations, and sponsors, to share its artwork. Founder Duncan Phillips frequently organized exhibitions from the collection to travel to other museums, starting in 1922 with an exhibition in Portland, Maine, and later organizing an American and European art exhibition that circulated the U.S. in the late 1930s. Subsequent directors continued to share the collection, and when the museum underwent renovations in the 1980s and early 2000s, the Phillips toured its cher- ished masterpieces at home and abroad in Asia, Australia, and Europe. In 2006, the Phillips’s European Mas- terworks exhibition returned home after a tour that visited seven U.S. and four overseas venues that was seen by over two million people. The stop in Italy was so successful that we began a conversation about another masterworks exhibition in which the Phillips would share—for the first time—its considerable holdings in American art with an Italian audience. The exhibition would feature nearly 100 works to tell the story of American art from the late 19th through the 20th century, highlighting artists representing Duncan Phillips’s vision; and thus To See as Artists See was born. The organization of the exhibition proceeded at the Phillips with close coop- eration and support spanning multiple departments, led by myself, exhibition curator Susan Behrends Frank, and Head Conservator Elizabeth Steele. Conservation staff determined which of the proposed works were in good condition and safe to travel, cleaned and reframed certain works, and prepared condition reports for routine checks of the works at each stage of the tour. Additional teamwork within the museum was needed to review facilities reports, complete exhibition agreements, and prepare budgets, schedules, and exhi- bition materials. Coordination outside the museum with insurance and fine arts service companies was necessary to cover requirements for the safe transport and security of the works. For a project of this scope to be financially viable and successfully reach broad audiences, developing a multi- venue tour was essential. Having worked closely with foreign and A TOUR DE FORCE AMERICAN ART FROM THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION By Joseph Holbach Chief Registrar and Director of Special Initiatives 1981–1984 MASTERWORKS TOUR 1. San Francisco, California, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco July 4–November 1, 1981 2. Dallas, Texas, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts November 22, 1981–February 16, 1982 3. Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minneapolis Institute of Arts March 14–May 30, 1982 4. Atlanta, Georgia, High Museum of Art June 24–September 5, 1982 5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Art Center October 17, 1982–January 9, 1983 6. Tokyo, Japan, Nihonbashi Takashimaya Art Galleries August 25–October 4, 1983 7. Nara, Japan, Nara Prefectural Museum of Art October 9–November 13, 1983 8. New York, New York, IBM Gallery of Science and Art December 9, 1983–January 21, 1984 1987–1989 MASTERWORKS TOUR 1. Canberra, Australia, Australian National Gallery October 3–December 6, 1987 2. Perth, Australia, Art Gallery of Western Australia December 22, 1987–February 21, 1988 3. Adelaide, Australia, Art Gallery of South Australia March 4–May 1, 1988 4. London, England, Hayward Gallery May 19–August 14, 1988 5. Frankfurt, Germany, Schirn Kunsthalle August 27–November 6, 1988 6. Madrid, Spain, Centro de Arte Reina Sofía November 30, 1988–February 16, 1989 7. Louisville, Kentucky, J. B. Speed Memorial Museum February 19–April 8, 1989 8. The Phillips Collection April 22–August 27, 1989 2002–2006 MASTERWORKS TOUR 1. Houston, Texas, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Sept. 22, 2002–January 5, 2003 2. Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix Art Museum January 26–April 4, 2003 3. Albany, New York, Albright-Knox Art Gallery May 27–September 1, 2003 4. Denver, Colorado, Denver Art Museum October 4, 2003–January 4, 2004 5. Nashville, Tennesee, Frist Center for the Visual Arts January 31–May 16, 2004 6. Martigny, Switzerland, Foundation Pierre Gianadda May 27–September 27, 2004 7. Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles County Museum of Art October 17, 2004–January 9, 2005 8. Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland Museum of Art February 20–May 29, 2005 9. Tokyo, Japan, Mori Arts Center Gallery June 17–September 4, 2005 10. Rovereto, Italy, MART September 17–November 13, 2005 11. Paris, France, Musee du Luxembourg November 28, 2005–March 26, 2006 12. The Phillips Collection April 15–July 30, 2006 2008 MASTERWORKS EXHIBITION Perugia, Italy, Palazzo Baldeschi al Corso September 15, 2008–January 18, 2009 2010–2014 AMERICAN ART TOUR 1. Rovereto, Italy, MART June 5–September 12, 2010 2. Madrid, Spain, Fundación MAPFRE October 5, 2010–January 16, 2011 3. Tokyo, Japan, National Art Center Tokyo September 28–December 12, 2011 4. Nashville, Tennesee, Frist Center for the Visual Arts February 2–May 6, 2012 5. Fort Worth, Texas, Amon Carter Museum of American Art October 6, 2012–January 6, 2013 6. Tampa, Florida, Tampa Museum of Art February 2–April 28, 2013 7. The Phillips Collection February 22–August 31, 2014 THE PHILLIPS ON THE ROAD [continued]
Transcript
the PhilliPs collection magazine | winter 2013 11 10 the PhilliPs collection magazine | winter 2013
Visitors to the Phillips may have noticed that a number of their favorite american paintings, such as Winslow homer’s To the Rescue, georgia o’keeffe’s Ranchos Church II, edward hopper’s Sunday, and Richard diebenkorn’s Girl with Plant, have not been on view in the gal-leries lately. These treasures have been captivating audiences around the world as part of the exhibition To See as Artists See: American Art from The Phillips Collection along with other paintings by less familiar artists like doris lee, karl knaths, and augustus Vincent Tack—making a truly varied assembly of works by artistic visionaries. since summer 2010, To See as Artists See has been on the road—from Tokyo to nash-ville to its final venue in Tampa this spring—and will be making a grand homecoming in 2014.
From the start, the Phillips has had in its DNA a desire to collaborate with institu-tions, foundations, and sponsors, to share its artwork. Founder Duncan Phillips frequently organized exhibitions from the collection to travel to other museums, starting in 1922 with an exhibition in Portland, Maine, and later organizing an American and European art exhibition that circulated the U.S. in the late 1930s. Subsequent directors continued to share the collection, and when the museum underwent renovations in the 1980s and early 2000s, the Phillips toured its cher-ished masterpieces at home and abroad in Asia, Australia, and Europe.
In 2006, the Phillips’s European Mas-terworks exhibition returned home after a tour that visited seven U.S. and four
overseas venues that was seen by over two million people. The stop in Italy was so successful that we began a conversation about another masterworks exhibition in which the Phillips would share—for the first time—its considerable holdings in American art with an Italian audience. The exhibition would feature nearly 100 works to tell the story of American art from the late 19th through the 20th century, highlighting artists representing Duncan Phillips’s vision; and thus To See as Artists See was born.
The organization of the exhibition proceeded at the Phillips with close coop-eration and support spanning multiple departments, led by myself, exhibition curator Susan Behrends Frank, and Head Conservator Elizabeth Steele. Conservation
staff determined which of the proposed works were in good condition and safe to travel, cleaned and reframed certain works, and prepared condition reports for routine checks of the works at each stage of the tour. Additional teamwork within the museum was needed to review facilities reports, complete exhibition agreements, and prepare budgets, schedules, and exhi-bition materials. Coordination outside the museum with insurance and fine arts service companies was necessary to cover requirements for the safe transport and security of the works.
For a project of this scope to be financially viable and successfully reach broad audiences, developing a multi-venue tour was essential. Having worked closely with foreign and
A Tour De Forceamerican art from the PhilliPs collection
by Joseph holbach Chief Registrar and Director of special initiatives
1981–1984 mAsTerWorKs Tour
1. San Francisco, California, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco July 4–November 1, 1981
2. Dallas, Texas, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts November 22, 1981–February 16, 1982
3. Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minneapolis Institute of Arts March 14–May 30, 1982
4. Atlanta, Georgia, High Museum of Art June 24–September 5, 1982
5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Art Center October 17, 1982–January 9, 1983
6. Tokyo, Japan, Nihonbashi Takashimaya Art Galleries August 25–October 4, 1983
7. Nara, Japan, Nara Prefectural Museum of Art October 9–November 13, 1983
8. New York, New York, IBM Gallery of Science and Art December 9, 1983–January 21, 1984
1987–1989 mAsTerWorKs Tour
1. Canberra, Australia, Australian National Gallery October 3–December 6, 1987
2. Perth, Australia, Art Gallery of Western Australia December 22, 1987–February 21, 1988
3. Adelaide, Australia, Art Gallery of South Australia March 4–May 1, 1988
4. London, England, Hayward Gallery May 19–August 14, 1988
5. Frankfurt, Germany, Schirn Kunsthalle August 27–November 6, 1988
6. Madrid, Spain, Centro de Arte Reina Sofía November 30, 1988–February 16, 1989
7. Louisville, Kentucky, J. B. Speed Memorial Museum February 19–April 8, 1989
8. The Phillips Collection April 22–August 27, 1989
2002–2006 mAsTerWorKs Tour
1. Houston, Texas, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Sept. 22, 2002–January 5, 2003
2. Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix Art Museum January 26–April 4, 2003
3. Albany, New York, Albright-Knox Art Gallery May 27–September 1, 2003
4. Denver, Colorado, Denver Art Museum October 4, 2003–January 4, 2004
5. Nashville, Tennesee, Frist Center for the Visual Arts January 31–May 16, 2004
6. Martigny, Switzerland, Foundation Pierre Gianadda May 27–September 27, 2004
7. Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles County Museum of Art October 17, 2004–January 9, 2005
8. Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland Museum of Art February 20–May 29, 2005
9. Tokyo, Japan, Mori Arts Center Gallery June 17–September 4, 2005
10. Rovereto, Italy, MART September 17–November 13, 2005
11. Paris, France, Musee du Luxembourg November 28, 2005–March 26, 2006
12. The Phillips Collection April 15–July 30, 2006
2008 mAsTerWorKs eXHIBITIon
Perugia, Italy, Palazzo Baldeschi al Corso September 15, 2008–January 18, 2009
2010–2014 AmerIcAn ArT Tour
1. Rovereto, Italy, MART June 5–September 12, 2010
2. Madrid, Spain, Fundación MAPFRE October 5, 2010–January 16, 2011
3. Tokyo, Japan, National Art Center Tokyo September 28–December 12, 2011
4. Nashville, Tennesee, Frist Center for the Visual Arts February 2–May 6, 2012
5. Fort Worth, Texas, Amon Carter Museum of American Art October 6, 2012–January 6, 2013
6. Tampa, Florida, Tampa Museum of Art February 2–April 28, 2013
7. The Phillips Collection February 22–August 31, 2014
the PhilliPs on the roaD
[continued]
12 the PhilliPs collection magazine | winter 2013
fRom The chaiR of The boaRd of TRusTees
Last year the Phillips concluded an unforgettable celebration of its 90th anniversary. In the fall, Degas’s Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint fittingly graced the galleries and brought with it record-breaking attendance. The renowned music program was highlighted with a performance by distinguished American composer Philip Glass, and the debut of our resident music ensemble, The Phillips Camerata. The anniversary culminated with a Birthday Bash on November 5—proclaimed “Phillips Collection Day” by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray—which brought in visitors of all ages for creative art-making activities, musical performances, demonstrations by students from the Kirov Academy of Ballet, and hourly gallery talks on iconic works from the permanent collection. This emblematic finale reinforced the museum’s deep commitment to engaging the public through informative and dynamic programs.
Invigorated by such a remarkable finale to its 90th year, the Phillips embraced 2012 with strengthened purpose to broaden its reach on a local, national, and international scale. Superb programming was generated by both new and existing partnerships with local organizations, including the Washington Ballet, Step Afrika!, Arena Stage, Folger Shakespeare Library, Alliance Française, Japan-American Society, and DC Shorts Film Festival, among others. Pursuing its core mission to serve the greater D.C. community, the museum launched a partnership with the new Inspired Teaching Demonstration Public Charter School and collaborated with Iona’s Wellness & Arts Center to provide healing art therapy for older adults. And in June, staff and patrons celebrated the grand opening of Tryst at the Phillips, welcoming a new spot to enjoy a cup of coffee, a gourmet cocktail, and live music.
The Phillips ventured well beyond the Washington area, cultivating important relationships with other museums, art collectors, artists, and scholars. During trips to Baltimore, Nashville, Philadelphia, Art Basel Miami Beach, and Cuba, donors experienced the unique and contemporary art scenes flourishing in other cities. Outside of the travel program, our incredibly successful touring exhibition of American art, To See as Artists See, has put the Phillips on the map in both Tokyo and Nashville.
The accomplishments of the last year would not be possible without the hard work of our staff and the unwavering support of our donors. Building upon the essential foundations laid in our past, we march toward our centennial with a bolstered spirit of innovation and a dedication to stewardship.
With all best regards,
George Vradenburg
n Exhibitions included Degas’s Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint; Eye to Eye: Joseph Marioni at the Phillips; Snapshot: Painters and Photography, Bonnard to Vuillard; French Drawings from the Aaronsohn Collec-tion; Jasper Johns: Variations on a Theme; and Antony Gormley: Drawing Space.
n 90th anniversary installa-tions included Will Ryman’s Roses: 58th Street, Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party and European Masterworks, and The Klee Room.
n Intersections projects fea-tured Alyson Shotz: Ecliptic and Sandra Cinto: One Day, After the Rain.
n 90th anniversary celebra-tions culminated with a Birth-day Bash on November 5, proclaimed “Phillips Collection Day” by the D.C. mayor, which drew record-breaking crowds.
n The Phillips organized member excursions to Phila-delphia, Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Baltimore, Art Basel Miami Beach, Cuba, and Nashville.
n The touring exhibition To See as Artists See: American Art from The Phillips Col-lection was seen by 142,000 people in Tokyo and Nashville.
n Major events included a Philip Glass concert, a staged reading of Red, a Blue Star Museums reception honoring the military community, “Paint-ing Now” and “The Collection
Museum” symposia, and a performance by Step Afrika!
n The Phillips offered tours to 14,203 children and adults and organized 59 public programs, which drew 13,875 visitors. Phil-lips after 5 drew 11,114 visitors.
n The Phillips launched a muse-um-school partnership with the Inspired Teaching Demonstra-tion Public Charter School.
n The Phillips was a lead organizer of the exhibition Museums: pARTners in Learning, sponsored by the Association of Art Museum
Directors and on view at the U.S. Department of Education, May–June 2012.
n The Degas exhibition drew 785 visitors per day.
n Tryst at the Phillips café opened in June.
n The Phillips Collection’s first resident music ensemble, the Phillips Camerata, gave its inaugural performance on October 11.
n The museum debuted assistive listening devices for gallery tours.
highlighTs of fiscal YeaR 2012
the PhilliPs collection magazine | winter 2013 13
annual rePort fy2012
domestic museums for decades, I initially approached my colleagues in Europe. In Madrid, for example, one museum director graciously recommended that we partner with the Fundación Mapfre since its mission had recently expanded to include international exhibitions. A unique opportunity later arose in Japan when I accompanied a loan from the Phil-lips to the 2010 Renoir exhibition in Tokyo and Osaka. This made it possible to pres-ent the American art project to my col-leagues at The Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper and a leading sponsor of exhibitions, including several Phillips exhibitions. The resulting exhibition at the National Art Center in Tokyo drew more than 1,300 visitors per day.
We then turned our sights to collabo-rations closer to home. In 2009, while
hosting an exhibition organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, the Phil-lips proposed sending To See as Artists See to Nashville, making the Frist the first U.S. venue of the tour. Following this, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art and Tampa Museum of Art expressed a desire to showcase the exhibition as well.
The success of the tour has been truly gratifying, with attendance at the first four venues alone totaling over 300,000 visi-tors. The exhibition tour has also afforded opportunities to refresh the permanent collection galleries at the Phillips with works not often on view, since more than 600 works by the artists featured in To See as Artists See remained at the museum. Stay tuned for more information about the expanded version of the exhibition at the Phillips next year!
A Tour De Forceamerican art from the PhilliPs collection
THe PHIllIPs’s AmerIcAn ArT TrAvels THe WorlD
1 The opening of the exhibition at MAPFRE in Spain drew large crowds.
2 Edward Hopper’s Sunday (1926) featured in an advertisement for the exhibition in Tokyo.
3 The exhibition banner at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville featured Stuart Davis’s Egg Beater No. 4 (1928).
4 Phillips Associate Curator for Research Susan Behrends Frank and Amon Carter Museum of American Art Director Andrew Walker at the exhibition opening in Forth Worth
5 Associate Curator for Research Susan Behrends Frank with Director of Special Initiatives and Chief Registrar Joseph Holbach at MART before the exhibition opening in Rovereto, Italy
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