PULLMAN, Wash. – Six original Andy Warhol prints recently were given to the Washington State University Museum of Art from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. They are the largest Warhol prints in the museum’s permanent collection (up to 40 x 40 inches) and depict both mundane and recognizable pop culture references.
“These works add a wonderful new dimension to our holdings of modern art,” said Chris Bruce, museum director. “Equally important, the gift provides us with an extra incentive for a successful campaign to build a new museum on campus so we can share such treasures with our audience more frequently.”
More than 20 years after his death, Warhol remains not only a fascinating cultural icon but one of the most influential figures in contemporary art and culture. The new pieces are representative of some of Warhol’s favorite subject matter, from an oversized liquor store receipt to a neon tinted portrait of Sitting Bull.
“We now have 174 works in our collection by this essential artist,” Bruce said. “It is indeed encouraging to have the Andy Warhol Foundation acknowledge the value of our program in making what is their second donation of Warhol’s art in the last three years.”
Established in 1987, the foundation’s mission is advancement of the visual arts through cooperative exhibitions, loans and permanent placement of work in museums nationwide. For more information, see http://www.warholfoundation.org.
“We believe that with nationwide underfunding of the arts, there has never been a more crucial time to provide meaningful art encounters,” said Jill Aesoph, director of development for the museum. “This gift helps us fulfill that mission in a big way.”
The museum is located on Wilson Road across from Martin Stadium in the Fine Arts Center. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, open until 7 p.m. Thursday and closed Sunday. For more information please contact the museum at 509-335-1910 or see http://museum.wsu.edu.
Contacts:
Debby Stinson, Museum of Art/WSU, 509-335-6282, debby_stinson@wsu.edu
Anna-Maria Shannon, Museum of Art/WSU, 509-335-6140, annamshannon@wsu.edu