By Nicole M. Crawford
Collecting lies at the heart of the University of Wyoming Art Museum’s activities—advancing its mission to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret visual art from around the world to challenge, inspire and educate. Acquisitions are made possible through gifts from generous donors or through purchases with endowment funds designated for collections. The UW Art Museum’s Collections Advisory Committee reviews all potential acquisitions based on a number of factors. The museum is fortunate to be able to add significant art objects that range from important historical work to contemporary art. Yet, how these artworks find their way to the permanent collection is as unique as the object.
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Clockwise: John Nieto (American Indian, Apache, b. 1936), His Last Raid, not dated, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24 inches, Frederick and Pamela Rentschler Endowment Fund Purchase, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 2014.16; Betty Hahn (American, b. 1940), Phantom Stallion, 1976, photo silkscreen, 14 x 11 inches, gift of the artist, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 2014.14; Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Crumbo (American Indian, Potawatomi, 1912–1989), Offering of Thanks, not dated, gouache on paper, 12-1/2 x 9-3/4 inches, gift of Jerald and Annie Dukes, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 2014.18.2; Richard Vernon Greeves (American, b. 1935), Study for The Unknown, 1984, bronze, 19 x 14 x 12 inches, gift of Jerald and Annie Dukes, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 2014.18.5 |
Last summer the museum presented the exhibition, Traditional | Contemporary: American Indian Artwork that examined traditional American Indian mediums, such as pottery and painted elk hide, with contemporary mediums, such as acrylic on canvas and collage. While the museum has some works by noted contemporary American Indian artists, there were some important artists missing. Several works were loaned from Heather James Fine Art in Jackson, Wyo., to fill these gaps. As a result, His Last Raid by John Nieto was loaned for the exhibition and later acquired by the museum. The acquisition enhances the American Indian collection and enriches the contemporary holding, leading to more connections between the two genres. Jerald and Annie Dukes, UW alumni, were aware of the growing American Indian collection, and so they generously donated three silkscreens by Woody Crumbo to further develop the holding in this genre. Additional gifts from their collection included Oranges and Copper Pot by Wyoming-born artist Ramon Kelley and the bronze Study for The Unknown by Richard Vernon Greeves. The monumental version resides in the courtyard at the Buffalo Bill Center for the West in Cody, Wyo.
Artist Betty Hahn donated an additional photo silkscreen through The Museum Project: A Philanthropic Consortium of Photographic Artists to complement the gum bichromate prints by Hahn purchased by the museum last year. The Museum Project was founded by an established group of pre-eminent American photographers who offer works to specific museums as gratitude for the institutional support of, and commitment to, the photographic art form. Last year the UW Art Museum received nine photographs by three different artists through the program. Because of the nature of the newly acquired work by Hahn, both the photography and contemporary collections are enhanced.
On view until Aug. 15, New Acquisitions: UW Art Museum Collection highlights some important recent acquisitions to the permanent collection in the last year. These works, some on view for the first time, represent the museum’s ongoing mission to create a comprehensive and significant collection for teaching, research and exhibition.
