DIRECTOR’S WELCOME

Photo by Uri Lessing

What a world of difference a year—or even six months—can make. Over the past summer, as I reconnected with friends in Iowa City’s many parks, restaurants, theaters, and bookstores, I was reminded of how very lucky I am to live in this vibrant, art-loving community. I was also delighted to see students stop in their tracks as they walked across the University of Iowa’s campus to look up at a beautiful, nearly complete art museum building—one made possible by the faith, generosity, and commitment of hundreds of loyal friends, alumni, and art lovers in Iowa and around the country. In just a few months, we will begin filling that new museum with the Stanley’s celebrated collection. Around this time next year, we will proudly open the museum’s doors and welcome you in.

The Stanley staff is hard at work preparing for that incredible moment. More than half of the museum’s collection is now packed, moved, and ready to install. Our inaugural exhibition has been thoughtfully planned. We are now in the midst of writing wall texts and gallery labels, planning programs in partnership with faculty, artists, student clubs, and community organizations in Iowa, and conserving our outdoor sculptures. In the past six months, we have also acquired new artworks that will help us tell a more expansive story about the complex history and meanings of the art in our collection. These include works by contemporary artists Taiye Idahor and Abdoulaye Konaté, who create eloquent art rooted in African cultural traditions, and a portfolio of photographs by the seminal and brilliant performance artist Lorraine O’Grady, who attended the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in the 1970s.

Over the course of 2020, the museum developed online programs that allowed us to engage people far away from Iowa City. What began as a stopgap measure to keep our audiences connected during the pandemic has resulted in a broader reach and a more inclusive museum community. Recognizing this, we will continue offering online programming during the busy year ahead and beyond. The Stanley’s new, free membership program will also help our audiences feel included and connected. I want everyone—our old friends and our new ones—to be able to see themselves at the Stanley, and to discover, inquire, collaborate, and create with us.

Warmly,