Billion-Dollar Boost for SAM

By: Robert Nesmith

June 2007

SEATTLE—Patrons and major collectors have promised to give nearly 1,000 works of art to the

John Singleton Copley, "Portrait of Silvester Gardiner," c. 1172.

Seattle Art Museum in celebration of its 75th anniversary in 2008. From more than 40 separate collections, key categories include modern and contemporary, American and European, along with others boosting the museum’s already strong Asian and Native American collections.

“With these gifts, we’ll now have a strength in American art from the 18th century to the 20th century,” says museum director Mimi Gates. “We have great depth in African, Asian and Northwest Coast art.” Landmark works promised include a 1926 version of Constantin Brancusi’s “Bird in Space,” Edward Hopper’s iconic “Chop Suey,” Ellsworth Kelly’s “Blue, Green Red II” and John Singleton Copley’s circa-1772 portrait of Silvester Gardiner—the museum’s first 18th-century painting.

Gates says some of the museum’s present gaps can be filled, as promised modern Japanese and Chinese works will complement SAM’s already impressive Asian art holdings. “About 18 months ago, we decided to actively work with collectors to ensure the great collections in Seattle would stay in Seattle.”

The total value of the gifts given to the museum is reported to be in the neighborhood of $1 billion—rather cost-prohibitive if SAM were to attempt to acquire these works at one time. “It’s essential that museums work with collectors,” Gates says. “More than 90 percent of acquisitions are through working with or as gifts from collectors.” For more information, call 206.343.1101 or visit www.seattleartmuseum.org.

SAM DONORS

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►Modern and Contemporary Art
Tim Bradbury
Susan and Jeffrey Brotman
Jane Lang Davis
Jim Dine
Barney A. Ebsworth
William Gates Sr.
Lyn and Jerry Grinstein
Marshall and Helen Hatch
Richard and Elizabeth Hedreen
Gary Hill
Janet Ketchum
Christina and Jim Lockwood
Byron Meyer
Roy McMakin
Herb and Lucy Pruzan
Sam and Gladys Rubenstein
Herman and Faye Sarkowsky
John and Mary Shirley
Rebecca and Alexander Stewart
Bill and Ruth True
Merrill Wright
Virginia and Bagley Wright
Ann Wyckoff

►American Art
Ann and Tom Barwick
Paul Leach and Susan Winokur
Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence
Ruth J. Nutt

►European Art
Richard and Elizabeth Heedreen

►Native American Art
Gayle and Charles Pancerzewski
Simon Otterberg
Alexander and Rebecca Stewart

►African and Oceanic Art
Simon Ottenberg
Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan
Mark Groudine and Cynthia Putnam
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Griffin
Oliver E. and Pamela F. Cobb

►Asian Art
Robert and Honey Dootson
Henry and Mary Ann James
Allan and Mary Kollar
Griffith and Patricia Way