As we embark upon the second decade of the 21st century, we also celebrate the 80th year as Alabama’s first art museum. Like most community museums in America, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts’ beginnings were modest, its aspirations lofty, its resources meager.  But it took firm root in central Alabama, and what began as a small seedling was carefully nurtured, and has blossomed into an institution of national stature, a source of enduring civic pride.

The Museum first found its home in an abandoned school building at the corner of Lawrence and High Streets in downtown Montgomery provided by the City for the token fee of $1.00 a year.  After some renovations and securing its first year’s operating budget of $1,000 funded, like now, from the city, it formally opened to the public as the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts on November 9, 1930.

The old school provided a physical home, but the Museum was given its identity by the hard work of dedicated citizens. Under the combined leadership of Mayor William A. Gunter, Board of Trustees’ chairperson, Mrs. Harry S. Houghton, and local artist J. Kelly Fitzpatrick, the Museum moved quickly to become a fully functioning arts institution. While the founders would not recognize the 100 thousand square foot building that is the Museum’s current home, they would certainly take pride in it, and in the ongoing community spirit that sustains an institution they could hardly dare imagine in 1930.

While never wavering from its basic mission or values, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts has significantly reinvented itself several times.  Not surprisingly, each renaissance occurred with the creation of a new facility and a refinement of collecting, exhibition and programming philosophies and policies. In 1959 a new Museum-Library complex was dedicated thanks to the City of Montgomery and voters who approved a $1,000,000 bond issue for construction.  Collections, exhibitions, programs, patron, members, and visitors grew steadily until the early 1980 when it became obvious that the McDonough building was obsolete.

A gift of forty-one American paintings from Blount, Inc. and 35-plus acres of land from Mr. and Mrs. Winton M. Blount allowed the Museum an opportunity to significantly expand the size and quality of its permanent collection and to become the visual arts component to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in the existing Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park.  With the addition of more than $7 million in contributions from the City,  individuals and businesses, the Museum’s magnificent facility became a reality in 1988. The Young Gallery was added in 1993, the Weil Print Study Center opened in 1998 the Education and Exhibition Wing was dedicated in 2006.  

In 80 years the MMFA facility has grown dramatically, its collections are nationally regarded, education programs are diverse and innovative, board, staff and volunteers are professional, and we have not wavered from the founding mission established in 1930, to “cherish, sustain and increase the love and appreciation of fine arts in the state of Alabama.”  

The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is extremely proud of its long association with local artists from the very founding of this institution in 1930 up to the present day. Since the 1950’s the Museum has been partnering with the Montgomery Art Guild to organize regularly scheduled exhibitions showcasing the artistic talent in the region. And, on Thursday evening, May 21st the Museum will host an opening for the 38th Montgomery Art Guild Museum Exhibition.

Traditionally this biennial exhibition features contemporary art in almost every possible media, and demonstrates the dedication, creativity and achievements of approximately 75 artists selected by an independent juror. We guarantee this opening/reception will be a lively and well attended event as the artists and their families, friends, collectors, and the public will show up to see the newest works by artists from this region and beyond.

Last year, the Alabama State Council for the Arts coordinated a unique cultural partnership between the cities of Montgomery, Alabama and Pietrasanta Italy. The state of Alabama and the City of Montgomery were first to showcase our cultural treasures in Italy by sending visual artists, art exhibitions, musicians, writers, movies on Alabama, and arts leaders who participated in various symposia.

This year the arts of Pietrasanta will be presented to the citizens of Alabama, with several events and exhibitions at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. We anticipate exhibitions of sculpture and photography, music, artisans who will demonstrate the incredible skills of stone carving, and a daylong conference of the art of sculpture. Plans are still tentative, but the “Pietrasanta Festival” will take place from mid April into early May. Indeed, our Flimp Festival will have an Italian theme this year. As soon as details are finalized by our partners in Italy, the MMFA will send you a program of all the events, both here in Montgomery and around the state.

The Flimp Festival on May 2nd will salute Italian art, artisans, singers, music, and food, but you’ll still find some of your favorite activities including the Puppet Show, Chalk Art, the Treasure Hunt, studio art projects, and much more. Please join us for a fun day of art activities, demonstrations, and performances. Better yet, please consider being a Flimp Chalk Art Patron with a $100 donation, or volunteer to work at the festival. Either way, you’ll help some youngsters have a great experience.

See you in the galleries.

2009 promises to be great year for visitors to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. During the next few months we’ll be offering exhibition themes on bronze sculpture, folk art, and an amazing outdoor sculpture installation. And, to help better understand, appreciate, and enjoy these presentations our Education Department will be offering a variety of new programs including a folk art conversation series and film series, a “Food for Thought” lunchtime lecture series, a new cell phone tour of the collection, a family day, teacher workshops, and a variety of new studio classes for preschoolers through adults. See the education section of this issue of On Exhibit for complete details and for information on registration.

Currently on view are two outstanding exhibitions. The collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New York is the source for “Ancestry and Innovation”, an exhibition of thirty-nine works created by self-taught African-American artists in the urban North and rural South. A number of the artists represented in the exhibition are Alabama natives, including quilters Leola Pettway, Lureca Outland, Mozell Benson and Mary Maxtion. Also on view is a special traveling exhibition on the sculpture of “Bessie Potter Vonnoh.” Organized by the Cincinnati Art Museum, this rare presentation of Vonnoh’s work features thirty-five bronze sculptures that span the artist’s most productive period, from about 1895 to 1930. An opening reception for both these exhibitions is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, February 12. Watch for your invitation in the mail.

Make sure to hold the evening of Thursday, March 12 for the Museum’s biennial Bazaar d’Art fundraising extravaganza. This is always a fun evening when patrons enjoy fabulous food and drink along with the opportunity to bid on “previously loved” artworks at a very fair price. For further information on this event, or to donate an artwork for auction, call the Development Department.

Thank you for your continuing support. I look forward to seeing you in the galleries.