Bronx Museum of the Arts
Encyclopedia
The Bronx Museum of the Arts is a cultural institution located in the New York City
borough of The Bronx
. The museum
focuses on contemporary and 20th century works created by American artists, and it has hosted exhibitions of art and design from Latin America
, Africa
and Asia
. Its permanent collection consists of more than 800 paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper.
. In 1982, it moved into a converted synagogue
at 165th Street and the Grand Concourse
. In 2006, the museum’s size was doubled to 33000 square feet (3,065.8 m²) following a $19 million expansion project designed by Arquitectonica
that added a larger entrance, a new gallery and enhanced educational facilities. In 2008, a 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) arts center was added to accommodate educational programs for local schoolchildren and their families.
In 2006, Holly Block became the museum’s director. She was previously the executive director of Art in General
, a nonprofit organization in New York City
.
artist Romare Bearden
and a presentation of the then-evolving school of computer
generated art. More recent exhibitions have included the 2006 presentation "Tropicalia: A Revolution in Brazilian
Culture" and the 2008 overview of street-level photography by Jamel Shabazz, a Harlem
-based artist.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough of The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. The museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
focuses on contemporary and 20th century works created by American artists, and it has hosted exhibitions of art and design from Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. Its permanent collection consists of more than 800 paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper.
History
The museum was founded in 1971 and originally housed in the Bronx County CourthouseBronx County Courthouse
The Bronx County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building located in the Bronx in New York City. It was designed in 1931 and built between 1931 and 1934. It is a nine story limestone building on a rusticated granite base in the Classical Revival style. It has four identical sides, an interior...
. In 1982, it moved into a converted synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
at 165th Street and the Grand Concourse
Grand Concourse (Bronx)
The Grand Concourse is a major thoroughfare in the borough of the Bronx in New York City...
. In 2006, the museum’s size was doubled to 33000 square feet (3,065.8 m²) following a $19 million expansion project designed by Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica is an international architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and urban planning corporation headquartered in Miami, Florida, United States in the Coconut Grove neighborhood, with offices in ten other cities throughout the world...
that added a larger entrance, a new gallery and enhanced educational facilities. In 2008, a 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) arts center was added to accommodate educational programs for local schoolchildren and their families.
In 2006, Holly Block became the museum’s director. She was previously the executive director of Art in General
Art in General
Art in General is a non-profit contemporary art exhibition space in New York, New York. Founded in 1981 in by artists Martin Weinstein and Teresa Liszka, Art in General is a nonprofit organization that assists artists with the production and presentation of new work...
, a nonprofit organization in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Exhibitions
In 1987, the museum gained attention for two high-profile exhibitions: a career retrospective of African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
artist Romare Bearden
Romare Bearden
Romare Bearden was an African American artist and writer. He worked in several media including cartoons, oils, and collage.-Education:...
and a presentation of the then-evolving school of computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
generated art. More recent exhibitions have included the 2006 presentation "Tropicalia: A Revolution in Brazilian
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Culture" and the 2008 overview of street-level photography by Jamel Shabazz, a Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
-based artist.