Blanton Museum of Art
Encyclopedia
The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art is the art museum and research center of the University of Texas at Austin
. Formerly under the College of Fine Arts
, the museum director now reports to the University's Executive Vice-President and Provost. The museum is one of the largest university art museums in the United States, housing some 18,000 works from Europe
, the United States
and Latin America
.
in honor of its former chairman, Jack S. Blanton
. The new complex was designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Wood Architects.
-based architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron
had originally been commissioned for the project, but resigned the commission in 1999 due to differences in their design and the wishes of the Board of Regents regarding the university's Campus Master Plan. Lawrence Speck, disappointed in the series of events that led to Herzog & de Meuron's resignation, resigned as dean of the School of Architecture
, although he remains a faculty member.
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. Formerly under the College of Fine Arts
University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts
The College of Fine Arts is one of 14 divisions at the The University of Texas at Austin and consists of four departmental units including the Department of Art and Art History, Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music, Department of Theatre and Dance, and Texas Performing Arts.-Departmental...
, the museum director now reports to the University's Executive Vice-President and Provost. The museum is one of the largest university art museums in the United States, housing some 18,000 works from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
History
The Blanton was established in 1963 as the University Art Museum. The museum's collections were originally displayed and stored in the Art Building, until 1972 when the permanent collection moved to gallery spaces in the Harry Ransom Center (then called the Humanities Research Center). In 1980, the museum was renamed the Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery.Dedicated building
On April 30, 2006, the museum opened a new 155,000 square foot (14,000 m²) facility on the University's campus, renamed the Blanton Museum of Art, after receiving a $12 million donation from Houston Endowment Inc.Houston Endowment Inc.
Houston Endowment Inc. was founded in 1937 by Jesse H. Jones and Mary Gibbs Jones as an extension of their personal philanthropy to help establish institutions and organizations that help facilitate the growth of Houston and develop its people...
in honor of its former chairman, Jack S. Blanton
Jack S. Blanton
Jack Sawtelle Blanton is an American oil industry executive, civic leader and philanthropist.He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the son of William N. Blanton and Louise G. Wynn . Blanton was raised in Houston, Texas, where his father was general manager of the chamber of commerce...
. The new complex was designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Wood Architects.
Herzog & de Meuron controversy
Although the Museum was built as designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Wood Architects, they were not the first architectural firm hired for the project. The notable SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
-based architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron
Herzog & de Meuron
Herzog & de Meuron Architekten, BSA/SIA/ETH is a Swiss architecture firm, founded and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland in 1978. The careers of founders and senior partners Jacques Herzog , and Pierre de Meuron , closely paralleled one another, with both attending the Swiss Federal Institute of...
had originally been commissioned for the project, but resigned the commission in 1999 due to differences in their design and the wishes of the Board of Regents regarding the university's Campus Master Plan. Lawrence Speck, disappointed in the series of events that led to Herzog & de Meuron's resignation, resigned as dean of the School of Architecture
University of Texas School of Architecture
The University of Texas School of Architecture to is a college within The University of Texas at Austin and has its major facilities located on the main campus in Austin, Texas...
, although he remains a faculty member.