The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC plans to loan classic artworks to 10 states across the US.
The initiative is part of the “Across the Nation” plan, aimed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. Under the project, the museum would loan artworks to institutions in the following 10 states: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Utah, and Washington. The aim of the project is to make artworks, particularly by classic masters, to every part of the country.
Every museum had the option to choose between 1 to 10 artworks for their respective loans. So far, 4 museums have already received and displayed the loaned art. These include the Anchorage Museum (Alaska), Whatcom Museum (Washington), the Denver Art Museum, and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (Salt Lake City). The loaned works are from the likes of Rembrandt, Botticelli, Rothko, and O’Keeffe.
Under the “Across the Nation” project, the National Gallery of Art will bear all the expenses related to the travel and installation of the artworks. It would also bear responsibility for marketing the artworks to the local population. Kaywin Feldman (Director, NGA) said: “[The program] is the manifestation of the National Gallery’s vision as the nation’s art museum, and we are so thrilled to bring some of the most beloved works from the nation’s collection of art directly into communities across the country.”
The news comes at a time when museums have been under increasing scrutiny for promoting “American culture” and dissuading “anti-American” works. The National Gallery of Art was also in the news recently for the activist who attacked a Degas sculpture here was convicted.
