{"id":170292,"date":"2024-02-20T14:39:05","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T14:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culture.org\/?p=170292"},"modified":"2024-02-20T21:37:48","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T21:37:48","slug":"a-monumental-gift-to-the-seattle-art-museum-the-calder-sculptures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culture.org\/art-and-culture\/a-monumental-gift-to-the-seattle-art-museum-the-calder-sculptures\/","title":{"rendered":"A Monumental Gift to the Seattle Art Museum: The Calder Sculptures"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Jon and Kim Shirley donated 48 Alexander Calder sculptures and a significant endowment to the Seattle Art Museum, significantly enhancing its collection and influence on Seattle&#8217;s cultural scene???.<\/p>\n           <!--  <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n                jQuery(document).ready(function() {\r\n                    jQuery(\".key-accordion-item .key-menu\").on(\"click\", function() {\r\n                        if (jQuery(this).parent().hasClass(\"active\")) {\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                        } else {\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-content\").slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-accordion-item\").removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().addClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideDown();\r\n                        }\r\n                    });\r\n                })\r\n            <\/script> -->\r\n\r\n\r\n            <!-- start html -->\r\n\r\n            <div class=\"news-key-takeaway-wapper\">\r\n                                <span style=\"background-color:#4db2ee;\">Key Takeaways<\/span>\r\n                <ul class=\"news-key-nbox\" style=\"border-color:#4db2ee;background-color:rgba(77, 178, 238, 0.1);\">\r\n                                                        <li>Jon and Kim Shirley donated 48 Alexander Calder works and a $10 million endowment to the Seattle Art Museum.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The museum plans to dedicate Calder exhibitions, starting with a showcase of the newly acquired collection.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>This gift enhances the museum's collection and underscores Calder's enduring influence on modern sculpture.<\/li>\r\n                                                <\/ul>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            \n<h2><b>Transformative Calder Gift Reshapes Seattle Art Museum<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The Seattle Art Museum just got a huge gift that makes its <a href=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/art-and-culture\/art-events\/alicia-kers-and-swizz-beatz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">art collection<\/a> even better and is set to make a big difference in how the museum affects Seattle&#8217;s art scene. Jon and Kim Shirley, who have supported the museum for a long time, and Jon used to be a president at Microsoft, have <b>given the museum an amazing set of 48 artworks by Alexander Calder<\/b>, with substantial financial support.<\/p>\n<h2><b>The Significance of the Calder Collection<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Alexander Calder, an American Modernist sculptor renowned for his inventive mobiles and wire sculptures, has left an indelible mark on the art world. The gift <b>covers a large part of his work life, from 1927 to 1973<\/b>, and includes various pieces from small table sculptures to big hanging ones. Highlights like the fun wire &#8220;Cow&#8221; sculpture from around 1930 and the special &#8220;Fish&#8221; from 1942 show Calder&#8217;s creative way of using different materials and how his art changed over time. This collection, worth around $200 million, is one of the world&#8217;s top collections of Calder&#8217;s art.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Financial Contributions and Their Impact<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>In addition to the artworks, the Shirleys are contributing a <b>$10 million endowment and annual gifts ranging from $250,000 to $500,000<\/b>. This funding is earmarked for Calder-centric programming, exhibitions, and research, ensuring that the museum can fully leverage the collection to engage and educate the public. An initial $1 million gift supports the inaugural exhibition of the collection, showcasing the breadth and depth of Calder&#8217;s genius.<\/p>\n<h2><b>The Exhibition and Future Plans<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The Seattle Art Museum is <b>set to dedicate its double-height gallery space to Calder-related exhibitions<\/b>, starting with the display of Shirley&#8217;s gift. A planned group show in 2024 will explore Calder&#8217;s influence on <a href=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/art-and-culture\/louise-bourgeois-iconic-spider-sculpture-anticipates-record-breaking-sale-at-sothebys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contemporary sculptors<\/a>, placing his work in dialogue with that of modern artists. This initiative not only celebrates Calder&#8217;s legacy but also positions the Seattle Art Museum as a center for the appreciation of modern sculpture.<\/p>\n<h2><b>A Broader Vision for Calder&#8217;s Legacy<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The gift coincides with efforts by the Calder Foundation to establish Calder Gardens in Philadelphia, aimed at <b>showcasing Calder&#8217;s work in his birthplace.<\/b> This development and the Seattle Art Museum&#8217;s exhibitions <b>highlight the enduring relevance and fascination with Calder&#8217;s art<\/b>.<\/p>\n<h2><b>The Shirleys&#8217; Commitment to SAM and the Arts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Jon and Kim Shirley&#8217;s contributions extend beyond this monumental gift. Their long history of support includes <b>founding the museum&#8217;s Olympic Sculpture Park and securing Calder&#8217;s iconic &#8220;The Eagle&#8221; sculpture<\/b>. Their dedication to the arts and strategic philanthropy exemplify a profound commitment to enriching Seattle&#8217;s cultural environment.<\/p>\n<p>The Shirleys&#8217; gift of Alexander Calder sculptures to the Seattle Art Museum is more than a donation; it&#8217;s a <b>transformative act that redefines the museum&#8217;s role in the art world and its capacity to inspire and educate<\/b>. Through their generosity, the Shirleys have ensured that Calder&#8217;s artistic innovations and legacy will continue to influence and delight audiences for generations to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":10028,"featured_media":170295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[410],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-170292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-and-culture"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170292"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10028"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170292"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170292\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}