The Fisher Collection

Don Fisher's death was quite a shock; I had no idea he had cancer. But I e-mailed the SF MOMA PR people and got an assurance that the art deal will still go through.  Of course, there's many a slip between cup and lip (as they say) so I'm not holding my breath. The new wing still has to be build and numerous hurdles jumped before we can see the art but it sure would be nice if they could have a preview of some selected pieces. That would go a long way towards reassuring informed opinion that the collection is worth the time and effort it will take. But I'm still glad that he didn't get permission to build at the Presidio. The environmental impact would have been horrific. I was watching the new series on our parks up at PBS and was struck by this quote from Teddy Rosevelt "Leave it as it is. You can not improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it."

Diebenkorn, Ocean Park No. 67, 1973; oil on canvas; 8' 4" x 81"; Doris and Donald Fisher Collection; © Estate of Richard Diebenkorn

Cy Twombly, Note 1 (from Three Notes from Salalah), 2005-2007; Acrylic on wood panel; 96” x 144”; Doris and Donald Fisher Collection; © Cy Twombly

Gerhard Richter, Two Candles [Zwei Kerzen], 1982; oil on linen; 48" x 40"; Doris and Donald Fisher Collection; © Gerhard Richter

 

Alexander Calder, Three Black Fishtails, 1960; sheet metal, wire, and paint; 60" x 45"; Doris and Donald Fisher Collection; © Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Works from the Fisher Collection will be on view in a new wing that will also include art from the museum's collection. In addition, works from the Fisher Collection will be interwoven in existing galleries with SFMOMA's modern and contemporary holdings. (Segregating private collections, after a while, is almost always a mistake for the institution and the art.)

The Fishers will create a trust, administered in collaboration with SFMOMA, to oversee the care of their collection at the museum, renewable after 25 years. 

Before building the 100,000 sq. ft. expansion, SFMOMA will work with Bain and Company to develop a real business plan to define the impact of the enlarged facility, increased operations, and enhanced programming on the museum's expansion and annual operating budgets.

The business plan will inform both the contributions to the capital campaign and endowment that will be made by the Fishers and the funds that need to be raised by the museum.

http://www.sfmoma.org/pages/about_new

All images courtesy of SF MOMA