Current Exhibitions
Our Story: Over 50 Years of Collecting
On view: 30-May-2019 17-Aug-2019
Our Story: Over 50 Years of Collecting
Reception Thursday, May 30, 5:30-7:30 pm with remarks from the Director and Curator at 6:30. Refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.
2019 is about celebrating the history of the Masur Museum of Art: the building, the collection, and the community. Built as a family home in 1929, the Masur Museum building celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. The house was donated to the City of Monroe in 1963 to become an art museum and acquired its first work of art in 1964. The collection that developed since tells the story of evolving artistic styles and movements throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, and especially celebrates notable artists from our own region. Artists in the exhibition include Ida Kohlmeyer, George Rodrigue, Salvador Dali, Robert Motherwell, Lynda Benglis, and many more of regional, national, and international importance.
In April of 2017, however, tragedy struck. A fire in an off-site collections storage building caused smoke and soot damage to over 90% of the permanent collection. Thanks to a team of volunteers, donors, and interns, we were able to save every single work of art affected by the fire. This exhibition would not have been possible without their hard work and dedication.
Our Story is not just about the history of the Masur Museum of Art. This is also a story of the future: preserving and displaying the collection for public access and education for years to come. Join us in this celebration of art, local history, and community triumph.
Image: Ida Kohlmeyer, Composite 87-2, mixed media on canvas, 1987. Permanent collection of the Masur Museum of Art.
