The Museum adds in 2020 more than 70 works to collection, including photographic work by Arizona-based artist Liz Cohen, among others
PHOENIX (January 27, 2021) – In 2020, Phoenix Art Museum added 71 works to its collection of more than 20,000 objects of Asian, American, Latin American, European, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design. Notable acquisitions include The Futility of Achievement (2020) by critically acclaimed New York-based artist Derek Fordjour and Untitled (1972), a gouache painting, by Alexander Calder. In addition, the Museum has acquired Chaco Canyon (c. 1927-1930s) by Warren Eliphalet Rollins and Lowrider Builder and Child (2012) by Liz Cohen, an Arizona-based artist and an associate professor at the School of Art at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. These four new acquisitions elevate the Museum’s collections of American, modern, and contemporary art and are joined by 67 additional works of fashion design and Asian, Latin American, Western American, and contemporary art.
“We are thrilled to add these exceptional works to the collection of Phoenix Art Museum,” said Gilbert Vicario, the Museum’s Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs and the Selig Family Chief Curator. “Not only does the acquisition of The Futility of Achievement by Derek Fordjour and Liz Cohen’s photographic work Lowrider Builder and Child contribute to the Museum’s ongoing efforts to diversify its collection and better represent our community by acquiring works by artists of color and Arizona-based artists, but these works also advance the Museum’s contemporary art collection on a national and international level while providing the opportunity for our community to access some of the most important works by contemporary artists today. These works, along with a rare example of a late-career painting by Alexander Calder and many others, are important and meaningful additions to the collection.”
Acquisition Highlights
About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum has provided millions of guests with access to world-class art and experiences in an effort to ignite imaginations, create meaningful connections, and serve as a brave space for all people who wish to experience the transformative power of art. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, the Museum is a vibrant destination for the visual arts and the largest art museum in the southwestern United States. Each year, more than 300,000 guests engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 20,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design. The Museum also presents a comprehensive film program, live performances, and educational programs designed for visitors of all ages, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.
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