Colby College Museum of Art
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1959, the Colby College Museum of Art now comprises four wings, more than 6,000 works, and more than 28000 square feet (2,601.3 m²) of exhibition space. The Museum's permanent collection specializes in American and contemporary art. Admission is free; the Museum serves as a resource for Colby College
and as a cultural institution for visitors.
and Winslow Homer
. The Jetté Galleries contains 25 works of art by John Marin
, the largest collection of Marin's work in an academic museum in the country. The American Heritage Collection contains 76 pieces by American folk artists. Other permanent collection works include the Bernat Collection of Asian Ceramics, major works by Kara Walker
and Hiroshi Sugimoto
, and selected European prints. Richard Serra
's 4-5-6 is prominently displayed outside the main entrance to the museum.
donated 414 of his own works; in 1996, an 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) wing was opened to house the collection. Colby benefactor Paul J. Schupf contributed the naming gift for the wing, called the The Paul J. Schupf Wing for the Works of Alex Katz, which showcases a rotating collection of the artist's work. The Museum now holds nearly 700 works by Alex Katz and is one of only a handful of museum wings dedicated to the work of a living artist.
In 2007, Peter and Paula Lunder promised their collection of more than 500 works of art to the Museum, one of the largest art collections ever to be donated to a liberal arts college.
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
and as a cultural institution for visitors.
The Permanent Collection
The museum's American collection is built around paintings by William Merritt ChaseWilliam Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase was an American painter known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons The New School for Design.- Early life and training :He was born in Williamsburg , Indiana, to the family...
and Winslow Homer
Winslow Homer
Winslow Homer was an American landscape painter and printmaker, best known for his marine subjects. He is considered one of the foremost painters in 19th century America and a preeminent figure in American art....
. The Jetté Galleries contains 25 works of art by John Marin
John Marin
John Marin was an early American modernist artist. He is known for his abstract landscapes and watercolors.-Biography:...
, the largest collection of Marin's work in an academic museum in the country. The American Heritage Collection contains 76 pieces by American folk artists. Other permanent collection works include the Bernat Collection of Asian Ceramics, major works by Kara Walker
Kara Walker
Kara Walker is a contemporary African American artist who explores race, gender, sexuality, violence and identity in her work. She is best known for her room-size tableaux of black cut-paper silhouettes, such as The Means to an End--A Shadow Drama in Five Acts.-Biography:Walker was born in...
and Hiroshi Sugimoto
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Hiroshi Sugimoto , born on February 23, 1948, is a Japanese photographer currently dividing his time between Tokyo, Japan and New York City, USA. His catalog is made up of a number of series, each having a distinct theme and similar attributes.-Life and works:Hiroshi Sugimoto was born and raised in...
, and selected European prints. Richard Serra
Richard Serra
Richard Serra is an American minimalist sculptor and video artist known for working with large-scale assemblies of sheet metal. Serra was involved in the Process Art Movement.-Early life and education:...
's 4-5-6 is prominently displayed outside the main entrance to the museum.
The Paul J. Schupf Wing for the Works of Alex Katz
In 1992, Alex KatzAlex Katz
Alex Katz is an American figurative artist associated with the Pop art movement. In particular, he is known for his paintings, sculptures, and prints and is represented by numerous galleries internationally.-Life and work:...
donated 414 of his own works; in 1996, an 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) wing was opened to house the collection. Colby benefactor Paul J. Schupf contributed the naming gift for the wing, called the The Paul J. Schupf Wing for the Works of Alex Katz, which showcases a rotating collection of the artist's work. The Museum now holds nearly 700 works by Alex Katz and is one of only a handful of museum wings dedicated to the work of a living artist.
The Lunder Wing
The Lunder Wing, opened in 1999 for the exhibition of Colby's collection of American art, comprises 13 galleries and 9000 square feet (836.1 m²) of additional exhibition space.In 2007, Peter and Paula Lunder promised their collection of more than 500 works of art to the Museum, one of the largest art collections ever to be donated to a liberal arts college.