2023 Annual Report
Education and Research Center Named for Charles and Stacie Mathewson
In October, the Museum announced the naming of the Charles and Stacie Mathewson Education and Research Center in recognition of the couple’s $16 million gift to build and endow an Education and Research Center to serve Nevada’s students, educators, scholars and the larger community. Upon the announcement, Stacie Mathewson, who also serves on the Board of Trustees, praised the Museum for being the jewel of the community and, in remembering her husband, thanked him for his commitment to art education. Chuck Mathewson was named an Honorary Lifetime Trustee in 2011 and was a steady donor prior to his passing in 2021. The expansion is due for completion in 2025.
Imagination and Illusion
Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II, exclusively sponsored by the E. L. Wiegand Foundation, was a resounding highlight from the 2023 curatorial program. Produced by the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, the exhibition told the extraordinary story of more than 1,100 men who sketched and painted across Europe to deceive Hitler’s armies during World War II. Not only did the multi-faceted installation present visitors with a memorable experience, but it also provided an outreach opportunity, with the Museum offering free admission to active military members, their families, and veterans. Community engagement is at the core of the Museum’s values and Ghost Army supported this objective.
Wide-Eyed for Art
The Museum presented Wide-Eyed & Dreaming: A Season of Seeing in Four Acts, which featured the work of four contemporary artists in distinct career-defining solo exhibitions. April Bey, Guillermo Bert, Elisheva Biernoff and Cannupa Hanska Luger’s individual exhibitions were as visually stunning as they were conceptually strong, exploring themes from identity and queerness to internet culture and the journeys of migrants. Overwhelmingly positive feedback from visitors highlighted an appreciation for the immersive nature of the exhibitions and the artworks themselves, which comprised installations, textiles, paintings and sculptures. The exhibitions received expansive media coverage, including articles in the Observer and ARTnews.
Fostering partnerships and more
The Art of Ben Aleck not only showcased the work of this respected artist, educator and enrolled member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (Kooyooe Tukadu/cui-ui fish eaters) to a wide audience, it also fostered Indigenous partnerships within the community. Communities came together to celebrate Aleck through talks by Melissa Melero-Moose, Curator of the Great Basin Native Artists Gallery, Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum, and Billie Jean Guerro, Director of the Pyramid Lake Tribe Museum and Visitors’ Center. A book published in conjunction with the exhibition as well. The Museum was proud to offer free admission to tribal communities for the exhibition and associated programs.
For The Love of Art
The 40-years-strong annual fundraising luncheon event Arts and Flowers returned in 2023, re-imagined, refreshed and with a new name – The Love of Art. Organized by the Volunteers in Art (VIA), the event included a luncheon and artisan shopping experience, continuing the legacy of community inclusion and cultural appreciation, while celebrating the important contribution volunteers make to the Museum. The Love of Art 2023 raised over $50,000 and recognized a corps of 100+ dedicated volunteers for 10,000 hours of service – a value of $125,000 of in-kind human resources annually.
Extraordinary Gifts of Art
Several gifts of art inspired by the expansion were made throughout 2023. Seattle-based collectors Robert Kaplan and Margaret Levi announced a significant gift of 72 paintings from their contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection, while Native American artist Judith Lowry and Brad Croul gifted 120 contemporary artworks by Native American artists from their private collection. Both of these generous gifts contribute to increasing educational opportunities and support the Museum’s commitment to expanding First Nations’ representation within its permanent collection and exhibition program.
Going Green: New Climate Action Plan
Officially launched in 2023, the Sustainability Plan outlines a series of goals the Museum will work towards achieving by 2025. The announcement was picked up internationally by the journal of record for the visual arts world, The Art Newspaper. Our action plan, which was partly enabled by a scoping grant received from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s climate initiative, aligns with the Paris Climate Agreement in its objective to reduce waste and carbon emissions.