Wichita Art Museum

Museum History:
The history of the Wichita Art Museum began with the bequest of Louise Caldwell Murdock and the subsequent establishment of the Roland P. Murdock Collection. Mrs. Murdock’s Will, written in 1915, specified that the income from her estate, following the death of her closest relatives, should be used for the purchase of art for the City of Wichita—a collection to be known as the Roland P. Murdock Collection in memory of her husband.

When the Museum opened its doors in 1935, the art that area residents anxiously lined up to see was borrowed from other Museums. It was in 1939 that the first painting in the Roland P. Murdock Collection was purchased and displayed. Mrs. Murdock’s friend and business associate, Mrs. Elizabeth Stubblefield Navas, continued selecting works of American art for the Murdock Collection until the final one was purchased in 1962.

As the Museum grew, so did community interest and support. In 1960, the Wichita Art Museum Members, Inc., was established. Through this non-profit membership organization, interested citizens could contribute funds and service toward the development of new programs. The City approved funds for the construction of additions to the original building to provide space for storage, expanded exhibition programs, educational programs and membership activities. Thus, in 1963, two wings, a lobby and a new façade were added to the original building. The newly acquired space stimulated more individual gifts, and, in 1964, the Wichita Art Museum Members Foundation, Inc., was established for the specific purpose of raising funds for acquisitions.
In the 1970s, the City Commission voted to construct a totally new facility in order to update the building’s temperature control system and provide enough gallery space to feature a comprehensive exhibition of current holdings. Designed by the internationally renowned Edward Larrabee Barnes, the exterior of the Barnes building, which is still standing today, features a sculpture deck on the riverfront side. From this sculpture deck, one can look out upon the park and the city skyline.

At the start of the new millennium, the City joined forces with the community to complete a $10.5 million expansion project that added another 34,000 square feet to the Museum, bringing the total square footage to 115,000. The new addition, finished in June 2003, provided another 6,500 square feet of exhibition space, a new restaurant, gift shop, research library and much needed art services area. Also as part of the renovation, the Wichita Art Museum acquired two dramatic and large-scale works by Seattle glass artist Dale Chihuly. Inspired by the intricate patterns of traditional Persian glass, the Wichita Art Museum Persian Seaform Ceiling provides a stunning first impression at the Museum’s entrance. It was the first Persian ceiling created by Chihuly that can be viewed from both above and below. Hanging in the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall is the Wichita Art Museum Confetti Chandelier, also by Chihuly. Both permanent installations are examples of the Museum’s focus on the development of its collection of decorative arts.

Exhibitions

Tides of Provincetown

The Lawrence Lithography Workshop: Suites and Portfolios

Make It POP!

Sculpture

Events

Tides of Provincetown
February 5 through April 29, 2012.

A bustling economy, train travel, and a war in Europe, which prevented artists from traveling overseas, were some of the prevailing factors in Provincetown, Massachusetts becoming a haven for artistic creativity and productivity. Hailed as the “Biggest Art Colony in the World” by the Boston Globe in 1916, the relatively small Cape Cod town has hosted some of the biggest names in art since the late 19th and early 20th centuries and has played a pivotal role in the development of nearly every major American art movement in the last 100 years. This exclusive exhibition gives the viewer the unique opportunity to travel visually from American Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism, observing the influence Provincetown artists had on their peers as well as on the art world at large.

“We are honored to bring this exhibition to Wichita,” Says Stephen Gleissner, the Museum’s chief curator. “The breadth of this collection is staggering, and seeing all of these amazing, significant works of art in one place at one time is truly awe-inspiring.”

The Tides of Provincetown will highlight over 100 well-known artists who called the art colony home at one point during their careers and who drew inspiration and support from its growing community. Among the artists represented in the exhibition are Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, and Edward Hopper.

This exhibition organized by the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut.

Exhibition Events:
Final Friday- Friday, March 30, 5 pm to 8 pm

The Lawrence Lithography Workshop: Suites and Portfolios
October 29, 2011- February 12, 2012

The Lawrence Lithographyorkshop: Suites and Portfolios will give visitors a glimpse into the storied Lithography Workshop and the centuries-old printmaking technique that still captivates audiences today.

Established by Michael Sims in 1979 in Lawrence, Kansas it was one of only a very few independent presses in the Midwest at the time. The Lawrence Lithography Workshop was founded to give artists with little or no printmaking experience the opportunity to create original lithographs with the collaboration and guidance of a master printer. The Lawrence Lithography Workshop: Suites and Portfolios opening October 29, 2011, will feature the print series, or portfolios, of several of the Workshop’s prominent artists, giving those viewing it a unique opportunity to see the nuances characteristic of this art form. Artists that have participated in the Workshop and whose work will be on display in the exhibition include Theodore Waddell, Roger Shimomura and William T. Wiley.

This exhibition was organized by the Lawrence Lithography Workshop, The John and Maxine Belger Family Foundation, Belger Cartage Service, Inc., and the Wichita Art Museum. The Exhibition has been funded by Belger Cartage Service, Inc. and Emprise Bank.

Events:
Final Friday- Friday, October 28, 5 pm to 8 pmThe American Abstract Artists is an artist-run organization founded in 1936 in New York City to promote and foster understanding of abstract and non-objective art. This exhibition features works from the Museum's permanent collection by member of the AAA. It rnages from the work of founder-members, such as George L. K. Morris, to current member, including Wichitan James Gross, who is represented by two mixed media works in the exhibition.

Make It POP!
Ongoing

Make It POP! is a tribute to “Pop Art”, the movement that first became established with artist and cultural icon, Andy Warhol.

Visitors will enjoy images of famous works of Pop Art, an interactive Brillo Box sculpture section, a disco ball, comic book illustrations and an instant image camera to capture visitors’ “fifteen minutes of fame”; among other iconic pop culture images. Pop Art is a style of visual art that emerged during the 1950s and 60s. It challenged traditional views of art by using mass-produced images and objects to create art. Moving away from elitism in art, Pop artists used popular culture and mass media as the basis for art creation. Make It POP! is an exhibition with a pop culture twist that will keep kids of all ages excited about art.

The exhibition Make It POP! is sponsored by Commerce Bank. Saturday’s are always free!

Sculpture from the Wichita Art Museum Collection
Ongoing Exhibition

The Wichita Art Museum has a wide variety of sculpture which can be viewed on the grounds outside of the museum and in the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Gallery.

Calendar