Bronx Museum of the Arts

The Bronx Museum of the Arts
Established 1971
Location 1040 Grand Concourse, the Bronx, New York, US
Coordinates 40°49′51.6″N 73°55′11.5″W / 40.831000°N 73.919861°WCoordinates: 40°49′51.6″N 73°55′11.5″W / 40.831000°N 73.919861°W
Director Holly Block
Public transit access

Subway:

Bus:

  • Bx1, Bx2, Bx33, and Bx35
Website www.bronxmuseum.org

The Bronx Museum of the Arts is a cultural institution located in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The museum focuses on contemporary and 20th century works created by American artists, and it has hosted exhibitions of art and design from Latin America, Africa and Asia. Its permanent collection consists of more than 800 paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper.[1]

History

The museum was founded in 1971 and originally housed in the Bronx County Courthouse. In 1982, it moved into a converted synagogue at 165th Street and the Grand Concourse.[1] In 2006, the museum’s size was doubled to 33,000 square feet (3,100 m2) following a $19-million expansion project designed by Miami-based architecture firm Arquitectonica, that added a larger entrance, a new gallery and enhanced educational facilities.[2] In 2008, a 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) arts center was added to accommodate educational programs for local schoolchildren and their families.[3]

"Accordion" design 2006 addition

Exhibitions

In 1987, the museum gained attention for two high-profile exhibitions: a career retrospective of African American artist Romare Bearden[4] and a presentation of the then-evolving school of computer generated art.[5] More recent exhibitions have included the 2006 presentation "Tropicalia: A Revolution in Brazilian Culture"[2] and the 2008 overview of street-level photography by Jamel Shabazz, a Harlem-based artist.[6]

In 2013, the Bronx Museum of the Arts won a competition to represent the United States at the 2013 Venice Biennale; the museum commissioned “Triple Point”, an installation by artist Sarah Sze.[7]

Management

Audience engagement

Since waiving the entry fee in March 2012, thanks to a grant from the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, the museum increased attendance.[8] In 2011, museum officials also put together a council of residents to serve as "cultural ambassadors" to the community and to advise them on public engagement.[9]

Governance

In 2006, Holly Block became the museum's director. She was previously the executive director of Art in General, a nonprofit organization in New York City,[2] and replaced Olivia Georgia.[10]

Funding

The Bronx Museum of the Arts has a $2.8-million operating budget. Once supported almost entirely by government funding, it has increasingly turned to corporations, foundations and private donors.[11] The museum is typically able to spend $10,000 to $50,000 a year for acquisitions, and it receives donations and bequests of work.[12] In 2013, it completed a campaign to raise $1 million for a new acquisitions fund that will focus on buying the works of contemporary artists with strong connections to the Bronx.[13]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Bronx Museum of the Arts". Alliance for the Arts. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Carol Vogel (July 21, 2006). "Extensive Changes at a Bronx Museum". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  3. ↑ Tanyanika Samuels (May 27, 2008). "Bronx Museum of the Arts set to open Arts Education Center". Daily News. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  4. ↑ Vivien Raynor (January 4, 1987). "A Glance at Romare Bearden at the Bronx Museum of the Arts". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  5. ↑ Vivien Raynor (October 25, 1987). "Computer Reigns at Bronx Museum of Arts". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  6. ↑ Holland Carter (September 11, 2008). "Shabazz Finding Art in the Asphalt". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  7. ↑ Jamie Wetherbe (February 24, 2012), Artist Sarah Sze will represent U.S. in 2013 Venice Biennale Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ Nell Alk (March 5, 2013), Venetian Honors For the Bronx Wall Street Journal.
  9. ↑ Winnie Hu (December 29, 2013), Bronx Arts Museum Reaches Out to Borough Alumni New York Times.
  10. ↑ Carol Vogel (July 21, 2006), Extensive Changes at a Bronx Museum New York Times.
  11. ↑ Winnie Hu (December 29, 2013), Bronx Arts Museum Reaches Out to Borough Alumni New York Times.
  12. ↑ Randy Kennedy (June 26, 2013), Bronx Museum Raises $1 Million to Acquire Art New York Times.
  13. ↑ Randy Kennedy (June 13, 2012), Bronx Museum Gets Major Gift to Acquisitions Fund New York Times.

External links