Muskegon Museum of Arts exhibits celebrate 100th anniversary of Friends of Art support

Ansel Adams (American, 1902-1984), “Half Dome, Merced River, Winter from The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” (Silverprint photograph, 1938. Gift of the Friends of Art, 1989)

By K.D. Norris

This year, the Muskegon Museum of Art is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Friends of Art, an independent non-profit organization established in 1921 that promotes the study of art and supports the museum.

Two exhibitions organized by the MMA recognize the contributions of the Friends of Art, highlighting works of art that the group has contributed to the MMA over the past century — including one exhibit featuring iconic photographs of Ansel Adams which opened Feb. 18.

The exhibit “Friends of Art: 100 Years” features almost 30 artworks donated by the “Friends” to the museum’s permanent collection over the decades.

Tunis Ponsen (American, 1891-1968), “Yacht Club Pier” (Oil on canvas, 1931. Gift of Friends of Art, 1931)

“Visitors will discover a rich diversity of objects along with some of the museum’s most significant works of art, including pieces by James Richmond Barthé and Paul Howard Manship and one of our signature paintings, Tunis Ponsen’s ‘Yacht Club Pier’,” Art Martin, MMA senior curator, said in supplied material.

The exhibition runs through May 2, and includes a video, “Friends of Art 100th Year Anniversary”, which tells the story of the history of the group through the years. The video and exhibition information can be found here.

Also on exhibit as part of the celebration is “Ansel Adams: The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” which features 24 iconic images taken in the 1940s of Yosemite National Park — the location and pictures that defined Adams’s internationally celebrated career.

In preview material of the exhibit, it is stated: “The artistic and technical contributions Ansel Adams made to photography established him as a legendary figure in American art. Seen by millions of viewers during his lifetime, Adams’s images documented the American wilderness, capturing transitory moments of light and weather that gave his subjects an emotive power not previously seen in landscape photography.”

Friends of Art members purchased the photographs for the museum collection in 1989. The exhibition runs through May 9.

Paul Howard Manship (American, 1885-1966), “Flight of Europa” (Bronze on onyx base, 1928. Gift of the Friends of Art, 1944)

The museum is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and closed Mondays. Health and safety measures include limited occupancy in galleries and other public spaces, enhanced cleaning, and mask wearing is required for guests and staff.

Visit muskegonartmuseum.org for museum updates, visitor information, and exhibition information.