Sep 27, 2011 ... announce Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim
Foundation, as this yearʼs. Susan Sherman Annual Distinguished ...
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CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM ST. LOUIS WELCOMES RICHARD ARMSTRONG AS SUSAN SHERMAN ANNUAL DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER
September 27, 2011 (St. Louis, MO) — The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) is thrilled to announce Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, as this yearʼs Susan Sherman Annual Distinguished Speaker. This Thursday, September 29 at 7:00 pm, Armstrong will give a free public talk at CAM titled “The Guggenheim Family.” “I am looking forward to welcoming Richard Armstrong to the Contemporary Art Museum,” said CAM Director Paul Ha. “Richardʼs passion for art and seasoned expertise will make his discussion of the Guggenheim network a treat for all those in attendance. This is an amazing opportunity for the entire St. Louis community to hear from the director of a global network of museums.” Armstrong joined the Guggenheim executive staff in November 2008 as Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. Armstrong focuses on the pivotal role of the New York museum and its collection while also providing leadership and management for the four other institutions in the -more-
Guggenheim network - Venice, Bilbao, Berlin, and the new Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum, scheduled to open in early 2013. He works with senior staff to fully maximize all aspects of the foundationʼs operations: permanent collections, exhibition programs, loans, acquisitions, documentation, scholarship, and conservation. Additionally, he works with the foundationʼs development department to build the collections by securing new sources of funding and pursuing global corporate development opportunities for both the foundation and the New York museum. Prior to his appointment, Armstrong was the Henry J. Heinz II Director of Carnegie Museum of Art, where he had also served as Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art. From 1981 to 1992, he was a curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, where he organized four biennials, as well as exhibitions on Richard Artschwagerʼs work and The New Sculpture 1965–75. He previously served as a curator at La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, California. Armstrong, who grew up in Kansas City, MO, graduated from Lake Forest College in Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History. He also studied at the Université de Paris, Sorbonne, and the Université de Dijon. THE SUSAN SHERMAN ANNUAL DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER PROGRAM The Susan Sherman Annual Distinguished Speaker program is designed to bring scholarship and art commentary of the highest caliber to St. Louis. Past speakers have included Glenn Lowry, Director of Museum of Modern Art; Michael Kimmelman, Chief Art Critic of New York Times; Maya Lin, artist and creator of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; Jeff Rosenheim, Curator in the Department of Photographs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art; and Robert Storr, Dean of the Yale School of Art. The Susan Sherman Annual Distinguished Speaker is supported by an endowment established by Susan and David Sherman III. CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM ST. LOUIS The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis promotes meaningful engagement with the most relevant and innovative art being made today. Founded as the Forum for Contemporary Art in 1980, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis re-opened in its current location, 3750 Washington Blvd. St. Louis, Missouri 63108, with a new 27,000 square foot building in 2003. As a non-collecting institution, the Contemporary focuses its efforts on featuring local, national and international, well-known and newly established artists from diverse backgrounds, working in all types of media. As St. Louisʼ forum for interpreting culture through contemporary visual art, the Contemporary connects visitors to the dynamic art and ideas of our times. As a gathering place for experiencing contemporary art and culture, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis pushes the boundaries of innovation, creativity, and expression. Visit the Contemporaryʼs website at www.camstl.org. Website: www.camstl.org Blog: www.2buildings1blog.org Facebook: /contemporaryartmuseumstl Twitter: @contemporarystl
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