Hirshhorn Museum Mounts Landmark 50th Anniversary Exhibition
What happened
Washington, D.C.'s Hirshhorn Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a major exhibition titled “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960.” The show features 270 works by 126 artists, tracing the cultural and political shifts that shaped modern art. The survey is considered a landmark event for the institution.
Why it matters
- The exhibition is co-curated by the Hirshhorn's Marina Isgro and Betsy Johnson and features a design by the Parisian firm Studio Adrien Gardère. - To offer a different perspective on the collection, the exhibition is accompanied by an audio guide from Katy Hessel's "Museums Without Men" series, which highlights the contributions of female artists. - The show intentionally creates dialogues across time by placing modern and contemporary works together; one example is the pairing of John Singer Sargent’s 1884 portrait, “Mrs. Kate A. Moore,” with Amoako Boafo’s 2020 painting, “Cobalt Blue Dress.” - The museum’s collection was established by an initial donation of nearly 6,000 works from financier Joseph H. Hirshhorn, who gave another 6,400 pieces upon his death in 1981; the museum's collection now numbers over 13,130 artworks. - "Revolutions" is the first in a series of exhibitions planned for the 50th anniversary; subsequent shows will survey art from 1960 to the present day. - As part of its 50th-anniversary vision, the museum has appointed its first curator of Latin American and Latin Diasporic Art, José Roca. - The anniversary is also marked by a major revitalization of the museum's iconic circular building and plaza, led by architecture firms Selldorf Architects and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Key numbers
- The show intentionally creates dialogues across time by placing modern and contemporary works together; one example is the pairing of John Singer Sargent’s 1884 portrait, “Mrs.
- Moore,” with Amoako Boafo’s 2020 painting, “Cobalt Blue Dress.” The museum’s collection was established by an initial donation of nearly 6,000 works from financier Joseph H.
- Hirshhorn, who gave another 6,400 pieces upon his death in 1981; the museum's collection now numbers over 13,130 artworks.
- "Revolutions" is the first in a series of exhibitions planned for the 50th anniversary; subsequent shows will survey art from 1960 to the present day.
What happens next
- "Revolutions" is the first in a series of exhibitions planned for the 50th anniversary; subsequent shows will survey art from 1960 to the present day.
Quick answers
What happened in Hirshhorn Museum Mounts Landmark 50th Anniversary Exhibition?
Washington, D.C.'s Hirshhorn Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a major exhibition titled “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960.” The show features 270 works by 126 artists, tracing the cultural and political shifts that shaped modern art. The survey is considered a landmark event for the institution.
Why does Hirshhorn Museum Mounts Landmark 50th Anniversary Exhibition matter?
The exhibition is co-curated by the Hirshhorn's Marina Isgro and Betsy Johnson and features a design by the Parisian firm Studio Adrien Gardère. To offer a different perspective on the collection, the exhibition is accompanied by an audio guide from Katy Hessel's "Museums Without Men" series, which highlights the contributions of female artists. The show intentionally creates dialogues across time by placing modern and contemporary works together; one example is the pairing of John Singer Sargent’s 1884 portrait, “Mrs. Kate A. Moore,” with Amoako Boafo’s 2020 painting, “Cobalt Blue Dress.” The museum’s collection was established by an initial donation of nearly 6,000 works from financier Joseph H. Hirshhorn, who gave another 6,400 pieces upon his death in 1981; the museum's collection now numbers over 13,130 artworks. "Revolutions" is the first in a series of exhibitions planned for the 50th anniversary; subsequent shows will survey art from 1960 to the present day. As part of its 50th-anniversary vision, the museum has appointed its first curator of Latin American and Latin Diasporic Art, José Roca. The anniversary is also marked by a major revitalization of the museum's iconic circular building and plaza, led by architecture firms Selldorf Architects and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
