Barnes Foundation

Programs: The foundation engages in an active program of collection care and conservation. The barnes art collection comprises over 8,000 works of fine and decorative arts, including paintings, frames, works on paper, furniture and decorative metalwork. The foundation's philadelphia facility includes a state-of-the-art painting conservation lab. In 2016, the barnes continued its work on preservation of its 365 works of art on paper, 280 of which are permanently installed in the collection gallery. This includes conservation treatment and development of a long-term preservation plan for the collection of works on paper. Conservation treatment and rehousing of 106 works on paper was completed in 2017 by the conservation center for art and historic artifacts. The foundation continued the multi-year project, begun in 2015, of recoating the metal objects displayed on the walls of the collection gallery. The treatment consists of removing old coatings, cleaning the surface of the metal, and applying a protective wax coating to the object. This year, the conservation department completed the treatment of 115 metal objects. The foundation presented 3 special exhibitions in 2017. Beginning on february 25, 2017 through may 22, 2017, the barnes presented the exhibition person of the crowd: the contemporary art of flanerie which featured the work of more than 50 us and international artists who took to the street throughout the post-war period to speak to issues as diverse as gentrification, gender politics, globalization, racism, and homelessness. The exhibition featured works, new performances, and historical pieces by marina abramovic, vito acconci, eleanor antin, constant, david hammons, and zhang huan, among many others. A series of performances by artists including sanford biggers, tania bruguera, ayana evans, zachary fabri, and wilmer wilson iv took place on the streets of philadelphia, and billboard and street poster projects activated the city. The barnes also commissioned new york-based artist man bartlett to create a microsite and digital artwork exploring themes related to the exhibition and the concept of "cyberflanerie. "in conjunction with the exhibition, the barnes hosted an interdisciplinary symposium titled "flanerie and the politics of public space" on april 15, 2017 which connected flanerie as a strategy for contemporary artists to its origins in the 19th century. Speakers discussed the politics of public space-including cyberspace and social media, where the practice of flanerie transcends physical and geographical boundaries. Participants included artists man bartlett and angela washko, writer doreen st. Felix, and art historians andre dombrowski, janet wolff, and tom mcdonough. Person of the crowd: the contemporary art of flanerie was curated by thom collins, executive director and president of the barnes foundation in collaboration with dr. Martha lucy, deputy director for research, education & interpretation, as well as guest curator judith tannenbaum who collaborated on the performance series and billboard installations. This special exhibition had 25,600 visitors. From june 30 through october 2, 2017, the barnes foundation presented mohamed bourouissa: urban riders. Mohamed bourouissa's first major solo exhibition in philadelphia, this exhibition brought together approximately 85 works inspired by the french-algerian artist's first project in the us, which focused on a north philadelphia community's efforts at neighborhood revitalization and youth empowerment. Mohamed bourouissa: urban riders was the first presentation of this project in the us and provided a forum to reflect on issues of civic engagement. This special exhibition had 25,300 visitors. Mohamed bourouissa: urban riders was curated by sylvie patry, consulting curator at the barnes foundation and chief curator/ deputy director for curatorial affairs and collections at the musee dorsay. The third exhibition, which was on view from november 17, 2017 through march 12, 2018 was entitled kiefer rodin. To mark the centennial of auguste rodin's death on november 17, the barnes foundation unveiled the only us presentation of kiefer rodin, a major exhibition organized in collaboration with the musee rodin in paris. The exhibition featured recent works by renowned contemporary artist anselm kiefer that offer a new way of observing and understanding rodin-alongside works by rodin, some on view in the us for the first time. The exhibition brought together over 100 works, including several large-scale illustrated books by kiefer (b. 1945) made in homage to rodin (1840-1917); a series of large paintings titled les cathedrales de france; and vitrines filled with assorted objects including plaster casts, dried plants, stones, and pieces of fabric. Also included were sculptures and drawings by rodin, including rarely displayed plaster molds. Rooted in experimentation, both kiefer and rodin's artistic processes convey a poignant vision of humanity's spiritual dilemma and our relationship to history. In this exhibition, the contrast of rodin's work with kiefer's emphasized rodin's modernity and his proximity to contemporary practice. This special exhibition had 39,200 visitors. Organized by the barnes foundation and the musee rodin, paris, kiefer rodin was a curatorial collaboration between sylvie patry, consulting curator at the barnes foundation and chief curator/deputy director for curatorial affairs and collections at the musee dorsay, and a team of curators at the musee rodin: catherine chevillot, director, and veronique mattiussi, deputy director for the department of research, documentation, library, and archives, with the collaboration of sophie biass-fabiani, curator in charge of drawings, paintings, and contemporary arts and helene marraud, assistant curator in charge of sculpture. The foundation conducts ongoing scholarship and research on objects and works of art in its collection, and on the history of the organization and its founders. In 2016, the barnes began research for cezanne in the barnes foundation, the forthcoming catalogue raisonne of the foundation's cezanne collection, which-with 61 oil paintings, 6 watercolors, and 2 lithographs-is among the most significant in the world. Research for this publication has been undertaken by an international team of scholars under the direction of sylvie patry, former deputy director for collections & exhibitions and gund family chief curator. Among the work completed in 2017 by the barnes conservation and curatorial teams was an examination of related materials in the foundation's archives and an initial technical review of the 61 oil paintings. The foundation maintains an archive containing the personal papers of dr. Barnes and other documentation related to the history of the organization. The archive is made available to the foundation's students and docents as well as to scholars and researchers by appointment. Changing displays of materials from the barnes foundation archives are exhibited in the foundation's facility. Through the spring of 2017, the foundation presented an archival exhibition called cher matisse which included selected letters and photographs exchanged between albert c. Barnes and henri matisse from 1930 - 1933. Materials on view for this presentation include photographs that matisse sent from his studio in nice, france, depicting the dance mural in process, and a heartfelt condolence letter from matisse sent to laura barnes in 1952. During the summer of 2017 the archival exhibition flossie lee and mustard plaster: dr. Barnes and his hunters was presented. With the financial success of argyrol, dr. And mrs. Barnes enjoyed their newfound prosperity by building an estate home that they decorated with fine furnishings and art. Along with expensive automobiles, they also purchased thoroughbred horses and joined three hunt clubs in the nearby counties. Archival letters illustrate details regarding the trophy, the "lauraston cup," that barnes presented to the winner of the rose tree races in 1910, and photographs featuring albert barnes the equestrian. During the fall of 2017 the archival exhibition paul philippe cret and the barnes foundation was presented. In 1922, albert c. Barnes contracted french architect paul philippe cret to design a gallery and residence in merion, pennsylvania. Featured in this exhibit were selected letters between the two men plus cret's vision, plans, and sketches for the buildings that officially became the home of the barnes foundation in 1925. Since cret was also one of the contributors to the design of the benjamin franklin parkway, the site of the new barnes new building, the exhibit also celebrated the parkway's centennial year.

the foundation's permanent collection gallery in philadelphia is open to the public six days per week, with 2017 visitation of approximately 210,000 visitors. Approximately 10% of those visitors were membership supporters of the barnes foundation. A gallery shop is operated in connection with the program of public visitation which sells reproductions, publications and other items related to the art collection and arboretum. The foundation also provides entertaining privileges to its members, and in 2017 the foundation hosted approximately 200 special events with approximately 18,500 guests. The foundation's arboretum is open to the public on selected days of the week seasonally. Over 1,000 guests visited the arboretum from may through september of 2017. Program expenses for visitation includes a pro-rata share of depreciation and other facility costs for all locations.

the foundation sponsors separate certificate programs in horticulture and also in art and aesthetics. In addition, it holds special workshops and educational public programs related to its collection and exhibition programs, as well as topics of general interest. In september 2016, the barnes foundation launched an expansion of its pioneering adult education program. The barnes-de mazia education program builds on dr. Albert c. Barnes's groundbreaking approach to teaching visual literacy and the original teachings of barnes, violette de mazia, and john dewey, which emphasize the formal analysis of art and reflect progressive education philosophies of the 1920s. The expanded curriculum includes new course offerings that complement the barnes method and highlight other interpretive approaches: classes based on historical context and classes that explore materials and techniques. The expanded program also features reduced fees, need-based full scholarships to improve access to the program-97 scholarships were awarded in fall 2017-and, in cooperation with the pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, the opportunity for students to receive undergraduate academic credit for select classes they take at the barnes. In fall 2017, nearly 600 students participated in the barnes-de mazia education program. In collaboration with the school district of philadelphia, the foundation has developed grade-specific outreach programs that combine in-class learning, led by foundation educators, with a structured tour of the foundation's art collections. These programs are designed to develop student's art appreciation and reinforce reading comprehension, math skills and knowledge of science, history and social studies, depending on the grade level. These programs served approximately 7,500 philadelphia school children in 2017, including 400 pre-k students through the look! Reflect! Connect! Program at 7 early childhood education centers in philadelphia. In addition, docent-led tours are available for school groups in grades kindergarten through undergraduate levels which served an additional 2,600 students in 2017. The foundation has also developed educational family programs. These educational programs are held in the galleries as well as multi-purpose rooms throughout the foundation's philadelphia facility. Program expenses for education includes a pro-rate share of depreciation and other facility costs.