A museum is a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic or cultural interest are stored and exhibited. Museums have different purpose and according to one Kate Williams, the modern museum has multiple purposes: to curate, to research and reach out to the public; they challenge us to question our assumptions about the past or the world around us.
Museums also promote and inspire dialogue between artists. They get to learn different styles of creating artworks and have a different point of view as far as the world of art is concerned. A museum is basically home to artists and art lovers; it is not just a place where beautiful pieces are hanged but a place where artists communicate to art lovers through their work. It is always a win-win situation for both artists and art lovers whenever a new museum is set to open or an existing one is expanded. This definitely means there will be more artwork being displayed and more artists exhibiting their work in that particular museum.
The Glenstone Contemporary Art Museum based in the United States is just about to put a smile on the faces of artists and art lovers. It is set to open its long panned expansion in October. The museum which was founded by billionaire industrialist Mitchell Rales and his wife Emily Rales was first opened to the public in 2006. Its purpose was and still is to create a seamless integration of art, architecture and landscape and make it available free of charge for all who wish to visit. Glenstone museum has kept a relatively low profile since it opened up but it is about to change the game of modern museums since it is going to become one of America’s biggest private museums.
With the pavilions, the new 204,000 sq ft building designed by architecture firm Thomas Phifer and Partners features a ring of gallery rooms arranged around a large central water court. The building is set to increase its visitor capacity from 25,000 to 100,000 an year. The number of daily visitors will however be limited to ensure more intimate experience with the art. The new gallery space will offer 50,000 sq ft of additional exhibition space nearly a six fold increase from the 9,000sq ft. A number of gallery rooms will be dedicated to larger installations and groupings of works by single artists, including Michael Heizer, On Kawara, Brice Marden, Charles Ray and Cy Twombly. At the pavilions, 13 different spaces will present works from the Rales Collection.
Among the works that will inaugurate the opening of the Glenstone museum is a 14ft wide painting made by Mark Rothko and a controversial portrait of Jesse Jackson as a white man made by David Hammon. The entire museum will be closed in September before the grand re-opening the following month.
Artists and art lovers should get ready for re-opening of Glenstone Museum; the beginning of a new journey as far as museum and exhibitions are concerned. Take note, the museum is absolutely free of charge for those who will want to visit and it will be among the biggest private museums in America.
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