From the director

As I write this, we have just closed an uplifting four days of Flora in Winter. We are grateful to the Worcester Garden Club and all the arrangers, who—in addition to giving their time and talent—showed adaptability and a willingness to embrace new ways to bring Flora to those at home. For those who could visit in-person, the gorgeous flower arrangements and springtime scents in the galleries were especially welcome—after nearly a full year of pandemic-related restrictions. Hope for brighter days ahead is emerging as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues. While we at WAM have done our best to keep you connected (first digitally only and then also by safely reopening with timed tickets), our work for a post-pandemic future continues. Progress on the new Lancaster Plaza continued through the winter, and we are on track to open our reimagined main entrance (pictured on the opposite page) in late May. When this project—including new stairs and an elevator— is completed, the Museum will be fully accessible, an achievement made possible in part by a transformative 2019 gift from the C. Jean and Myles McDonough Foundation. Have you seen the stunning kimonos in our first-ever online exhibition, Kimono Couture: the Beauty of Chiso? Although digital can never replace direct experiences, the virtual presentation allows us to see details closely, as well as to read more in-depth information. The Worcester Wedding Kimono—which you can see at the Museum in The Kimonos in Print: 300 Years of Japanese Design—was created by a family-owned fashion house in its 466th year of operation. Among the first—if not the very first—kimono commissions by a Western art museum, this stunning masterpiece helps continue ancestral Japanese fabric design techniques—some nearly extinct—and maintain a venerable tradition. This spring, we look forward to celebrating opening day for the Worcester Red Sox when they play their first game at brand-new Polar Park. Congratulations to the WooSox and the City of Worcester for reaching this exciting milestone—no small feat given the past year. In celebration, WAM has developed a special exhibition, The Iconic Jersey: Baseball x Fashion, sure to appeal to both baseball lovers and fashionistas. The response by those who have seen a sneak peek and those willing to provide support to the exhibition has been extraordinary. We are especially grateful to Lisa McDonough, Donna Cohen, Larry Lucchino, and Dr. Charles Steinberg at the WooSox for their enthusiasm for the exhibition and assistance in garnering support for this project. (See Curator Erin Corrales-Diaz’s personal reflection about the project on page 10.) In other good news, Jeffrey Forgeng, The Higgins Curator of Arms & Armor and Medieval Art, has developed an exhibition of highlights from the Higgins Collection that will travel throughout the United States. Two locations are already booked. This tour makes the collection available to a broad audience while raising revenue for the arms and armory gallery at WAM. That gallery, which we all look forward to, is currently in the advanced planning phase. (Read Jeffrey’s update on page 15.) Last but not least, I thank all of you, from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the entire staff, for allowing us to continue our mission to connect people, communities and cultures via the experience of art. That you supported us so generously at a time when your own lives were in upheaval means that we matter to you—and that means a lot to us. You kept us going and made it possible for us to celebrate brighter days—with many more to look forward to. Thank you again!

Matthias Waschek Jean and Myles McDonough Director The Worcester Art Museum's mission is to connect people, communities, and cultures through the experience of art.

WORCESTER ART MUSEUM

Board of Trustees 2021

Dorothy Chen-Courtin, President Mark W. Fuller, Vice President Douglas S. Brown, Vice President Sarah G. Berry, Treasurer Susan M. Bassick, Clerk

Karin I. Branscombe James C. Donnelly, Jr. Antonella Doucette Lisa Kirby Gibbs Jennifer C. Glowik-Adams Karen M. Keane Sohail Masood Lisa H. McDonough Margaret McEvoy-Ball Thomas P. McGregor Philip R. Morgan Malcolm A. Rogers John Savickas Clifford J. Schorer Jonathan R. Sigel Anne-Marie Soullière Cynthia L. Strauss George W. Tetler III Christina Villena Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham

Ex Officio Matthias Waschek, Jean and Myles McDonough Director

Image right: Artist rendering of the new Lancaster stairs and elevator. Courtesy of wHY Architecture.