Hirshhorn Acquires Works by Ten Artists

The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has welcomed 11 new works of art into its permanent collection. The works—painting, photography, video and interactive installation art—have all been acquired since Sept. 29, when Melissa Chiu became the Hirshhorn’s director.

“In this 40th anniversary year, the Hirshhorn continues to expand its holdings, adding vital works by a wide range of international artists, many of them new to the collection,” Chiu said.

Yoko Ono’s video “Sky TV for Washington” (1966/2014) continuously displays a closed-circuit image of the sky outside the museum. On view in “At the Hub of Things: New Views of the Collection,” the work was purchased by the museum.

Two paintings by members of Tansaekhwa (Korean Monochrome Movement) are museum purchases. “Untitled 73-7” (1973), by Chung Sang-Hwa, has a cracked pattern that emulates the effect of white porcelain. “Ecriture No. 64-74-77” (1974–77), by Park Seobo, is characterized by repetitive mark-making reminiscent of both writing and drawing.

Paintings by Dan Colen from his “Trash” and “Miracle” series, respectively, “Let’s Spend the Night Together” (2012) and “The Pastoral Symphony” (2012), are a museum purchase with funds provided by Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz and a partial gift of the artist.

Rainer Ganahl’s video “El Mundo” (2013) documents the last days of a discount store in a former theater in Spanish Harlem. It is a gift of Aaron and Barbara Levine.

A history painting by Jane Irish based on a 1970 protest by Vietnam Veterans Against the War, “Operation Rapid Withdrawal Tableau” (2009) is a gift of the Forman Family Foundation.

A group of conceptual photographs derived from commercial colored papers by Dean Kessmann, “Monochrome Fields: Blossom, Khaki, Lake, Papaya, Plum, Curry, Peacock, Poppy, Gravel, Chartreuse, Paper Bag, Gold, Clover, Pool, Persimmon, Cement” (2013) is a gift of the artist.

Part of the “History Images” series of photographs of Chinese cities, “Wangjing Xiyuan Third District, Chaoyang District, Beijing” (2003) is the second work by Sze Tsung Leong to enter the collection. It is a gift of Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Yossi Milo Gallery and the artist.

An interactive installation by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, “Voice Array” (2011) turns recordings of visitors’ voices into a kinetic display of light and sound. It is a gift of Tony Podesta.

Seen at the Hirshhorn in a Black Box exhibition in 2010, “Flooded McDonald’s” (2009), a video by the Danish art collective SUPERFLEX of a full-scale model of a fast-food restaurant interior filling with water, is a museum purchase and a co-acquisition with the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.

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