Steve Martin Donates $1M to Art Collection
edonline
Posted on Wed, Feb. 09, 2005
Steve Martin Donates $1M to Art Collection
Associated Press
SAN MARINO, Calif. - Entertainer Steve Martin donated $1 million to the
American art collection at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and
Botanical Gardens.
The gift is seen as a boon for a department traditionally overshadowed by
the museum's European collections. Additionally, a new gallery opening this
spring will eventually double the exhibition space for American art.
Three-fourths of the gift, which will be made over five years, will be used
to put on American art exhibitions, and the remaining $250,000 will likely
be used for acquisitions or exhibitions.
"It's extremely rewarding to have someone outside of the core group of
supporters understand what we're doing and see how they can help and really
make a difference," said Jessica Todd Smith, The Huntington's curator of
American art.
Martin is a serious art collector whose acquisitions have included works by
Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper and Georges Seurat. In 2002,
he was filming a movie nearby and stopped at the Huntington.
"I think he was surprised and impressed by the quality of the American
collection and has been supporting us enthusiastically ever since," Smith
said.
Martin sponsored last summer's exhibition of the "maple sugar" paintings of
19th-century American artist Eastman Johnson.
"We need more of this type of exhibition in Southern California and The
Huntington is clearly interested in doing just that - bringing significant
works of American art to light, contextualizing them, and helping visitors
become better acquainted with the artists, the techniques and the
significance of the pieces," Martin said in a statement.
chillled
> http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/10855028.htm
> Steve Martin Donates $1M to Art Collection
>
> SAN MARINO, Calif. - Entertainer Steve Martin donated $1 million to the
> American art collection at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and
> Botanical Gardens.
That was awfully generous. There's some nice bits about Steve Martin,
and a little about his art collection, in Richard Grant's book: Withnail
and I.