Muskegon Museum of Art Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Friends of Art

This year, the Muskegon Museum of Art celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Friends of Art, an independent non-profit organization established in 1921 that promotes the study of art and supports the museum. Two exhibitions organized by the MMA recognize the contributions of the Friends of Art, highlighting works of art that the group has contributed to the MMA over the past century.

To commemorate the occasion, the Muskegon Museum of Art will feature the following exhibitions:

Friends of Art: 100 Years is an exhibition featuring a selection of almost 30 artworks donated by the Friends to the museum’s permanent collection over the decades. MMA Senior Curator Art Martin comments, “Visitors will discover a rich diversity of objects along with some of the museum’s most significant works of art, including pieces by James Richmond Barthé and Paul Howard Manship and one of our signature paintings, Tunis Ponsen’s Yacht Club Pier.” The exhibition runs through May 2, 2021. A video, Friends of Art 100th Year Anniversary, tells the story of the history of the group through the years. The video and exhibition information can be found here: https://muskegonartmuseum.org/exhibition/friends-of-art-100-years/

Ansel Adams: The Photographs of Yosemite Suite features 24 iconic images of Yosemite National Park, the location and pictures that defined Adams’s internationally celebrated career. Friends of Art members purchased the photographs for the museum collection in 1989. The exhibition provides a view into unforgettable scenes of America’s natural grandeur, first photographed by Adams in the 1940s. The exhibition runs through May 9, 2021.