The College of Wooster Art Museum spring exhibition features new donations to collection

The College of Wooster Art Museum is displaying its spring exhibition, Collect: New Acquisitions, through April 30 in Ebert Art Center (1220 Beall Avenue). Curated by Marianne Eileen Wardle, director of the CWAM and adjunct associate professor of museum studies, the exhibition celebrates the contributions of donors to the museum over the past five years.

According to Wardle, “From the earliest years of the College, alumni and affiliates have supported its teaching and learning mission with gifts of art, artifacts, and funds. Donations comprise the greatest part of the Art Museum’s collection; each tells a story about the collectors, their interests, and their relationships to the College.” 

Purchases of artwork for the museum have been rare throughout its history due to a lack of dedicated funds. The recent establishment of the Raymond Machesney Art Endowment has allowed the museum to explore new directions for the museum collection to grow to reflect critical contemporary ideas and social concerns such as justice, labor, and life during a global pandemic. These purchases have increased the representation of Black, Native American, and queer artists in the collection. 

“I hope people will find it interesting to think about a few things while viewing this exhibit: how museum collections come to be, the role of philanthropy and generosity, how the new purchases build on the strengths of the CWAM’s historical collections, as well as the potential growth and new directions for the collection,” Wardle explained. Visitors to the museum are also encouraged to help the CWAM select a new work for the collection created by artist Delita Martin.  

Funding for this exhibition was provided by the Muriel Koslow Art Exhibition Endowment. Works were donated from the Raymond Machesney ’59 Art Endowment, the Lauretta M. Dennis Endowed Art Fund, the Charlene Derge Sussel ’53 Revocable Trust, Thomas R. Ford, Terry Schupbach-Gordon and Toby Gordon, and John Szoke.  

The museum is open Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the CWAM website, email artmuseum@wooster.edu, or contact administrative coordinator Tracy Mathys at 330-263-2388.

Image: Artist Emily Lombardo, whose work is featured in the exhibition, visiting a studio art class on campus. Photo by Marianne Eileen Wardle.

Posted in News on February 28, 2024.