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LETTER TO MEMBERS
As we all navigate the uncharted terrain of the Coronavirus pandemic, this issue of Member News is a hopeful reminder that museums will always matter, culture is everlasting, folk art connects the world and history is our best teacher.
Our cover story, beginning on page 3, outlines some of the exciting plans for the inaugural year of the New Mexico Museum of Art’s Vladem Contemporary. Both locations—the Railyard building now in progress and the museum on Santa Fe’s historic Plaza—will be used to tell the story of the Museum of Art’s unique collections.
Another project underway at the Museum of Art is the expansion of the library in the 1917 building on the Plaza. This will make room for the Beaumont Newhall Library, a photographic research archive on long-term loan to the museum from the City of Santa Fe. Formerly housed at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, preparations are now being made for the library’s installation.
You will also learn about two extraordinary exhibitions currently in development: Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and Dressing with Purpose: Belonging and Resistance in Scandinavia at the Museum of International Folk Art. Both explore unique perspectives on art and cultural identity.
Meanwhile, at the New Mexico History Museum’s Hertzstein Galleries, the exhibition Looking Back: Reflecting on Collections addresses important questions about collecting, protecting and preserving historical objects. And at the New Mexico Historic Sites, development of a new permanent exhibition at the Bosque Redondo Memorial continues.
As I write, all of our cultural institutions are closed. But all of their staff are working hard to ensure that you have access to robust online programming, including virtual exhibitions, at-home educational activities, and collections and archival research information. Visit the Foundation’s website at museumfoundation.org/virtual-visit/ to learn more. Also look for upcoming members-only opportunities online.
I hope you find both restoration and inspiration in this issue of Member News. During this difficult time, please know that the Foundation is relying almost exclusively on membership dues to fund our operations, including the support services we provide to the state museum system.
Your membership is our lifeline—and a direct line to presenting these wonderful stories of the art, culture and history of New Mexico and the world. We are tremendously grateful for your support!
Sincerely,
Jamie Clements President/CEO
Photo © Daniel Quat Photography
