![148
148 PRESTIGE MARCH2017 MARCH2017 PRESTIGE 149
something strange is happening
at the Hirshhorn Museum in
Washington, DC. Inside each of
six large Infinity Mirror Rooms on
display, electric lights seemingly
receding into the distance create
a sense of vast space. Outdoors, in
the Sculpture Garden, a massive
yellow pumpkin flecked with
black dots entrances and amuses
visitors, and the Instagram pack
broadcasts a flurry of images from
the museums grounds.
No, this isnt some sort of new
outdoor carnival. Nor has the
Hirshhorn lost its sense of what art
is. Far from it. The museums first
exhibition of 2017, running until
mid-May, just happens to showcase
the work of Yayoi Kusama, a
Japanese artist who for 65 years
has been creating, writing, staging
THE HIRSHHORN MUSEUMS FIRST EXHIBITION OF 2017 HIGHLIGHTS THE ART OF YAYOI KUSAMA
and performing a wide range of influential art
experiences, and Museum Director Melissa Chiu,
who has been an admirer of Kusamas work for
decades, believes that this is the right time to
give the artist her full due.
Shes an extraordinary figure who is 88 [this
month] and still paints every day, says Chiu.
With this show we wanted to re-situate her. Time
magazine put her forward as one of the most
important artists of the year. Its timely to think of
her as a historical figure as well. This is the kind
of show that will gain a lot of momentum.
Its also the kind of show Chiu envisioned when
she became director of the Hirshhorn in 2014
following a decade in the same role at the Asia
Society in New York, during which the Australian
was responsible for opening 10 exhibitions a
year, including rare presentations of art from
Iran in the 1960s and 70s, and paintings created
in the aftermath of Chinas 1949 revolution. In
her dual role as senior vice-president of global
arts and cultural programmes with the Asia
CULTUREART
MELISSACHIUaimstoestablishtheHirshhorn
MuseumandSculptureGardenasoneoftheworlds
majorartexhibitors,writesscott murphy
Z
Z
irshhornHofPlenty
MARCH2017 PRESTIGE 149](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/cultureartmelissachiu-170307093748/85/Hirshhorn-of-Plenty-1-320.jpg)
![150
150 PRESTIGE MARCH2017 MARCH2017 PRESTIGE 151
Society, she also published several
books, including Contemporary Art
in Asia: A Critical Reader.
Yet there were initial difficulties
for Chiu when she became just the
sixth director of the Hirshhorn since
its opening in 1974. Her struggles
included a mass exodus of board
members due to a controversial art
project that had been aborted even
before she arrived. There were also
numerous media complaints that
the new director was spending too
much time away from Washington
and fund-raising in New York
with high-profile benefactors (the
Hirshhorn is part of the Smithsonian
FROM LEFT: MELISSA CHIU; INSTALLATION SQUARE THE CIRCLE IN ROBERT IRWIN: ALL THE RULES WILL CHANGE AT HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN
InstituteandfirmlysetinWashingtonsprominent
National Mall). Hirshhorn board members, vital
to the museums future, were dwindling away at
a drastic rate.
It says a great deal about Chius abilities and
determination that even in such a high-pressure
environment she has turned the Hirshhorn
around in less than three years, and boosted the
number of staff and board members, the latter
from nine to 29. The board of trustees is really
the Hirshhorn family, she says. I saw that as a
real priority: to build out its board because they
are the great advocates. They support much of
what the museum does. We now include board
members from Hong Kong, Dubai, Sydney and
Jakarta, for example. We look for people who
are enthusiastic about contemporary art and
enthusiastic about the Hirshhorn. I brought on a
group of very committed people who want to see
the Hirshhorn succeed.
Among the new board appointees is Xiang-
Dong Yang, Hong Kong-based managing
director and chairman of asset-management
experts Carlyle Asia Partners. Chiu hopes such
new appointees will not only become energetic
advocates for art in Asia, but might also be
supportive should Hirshhorn exhibits be
loaned to Hong Kongs new art museums, most
notably M+ in West Kowloon. I first met XD
when I came on board, Chiu says. His work
is connected through Carlyle as he comes to
Washington, DC a lot. It seemed like a natural
fit. He has a collaborative sense in what were
trying to do.
Yang expresses delight at becoming a
Hirshhorn board member. Im excited to support
the museums mission of engaging artists and
audiences around the world, and look forward
to using my background and experience in the
Chinese cultural landscape to help the Hirshhorn
continue to champion the most influential,
exciting, surprising and humbling contemporary
artists, he says. Today, the art
world is more global than ever and
my role on the board is a reflection
of this.
Now, with a firm foundation in
place at the Hirshhorn, Chiu is
looking forward to growth. Shes
conscious, however, that while the
board would like to see the museum
as a contemporary of international
institutions such as the Tate
Modern, Guggenheim, Whitney and
Moma many of its 600,000 or so
visitors a year are tourists who have
come to the capital primarily for the
major monuments and the nearby
National Air and Space Museum.
And with more than 12,000
artworks over three floors and
60,000 square feet of exhibition
space at the Hirshhorn, theres a lot
to take in.
Although we have a devoted
group of art-world folks visiting,
many are coming to see the national
museums, Chiu says. That has an
impact on how we think about our
exhibitions and highlight the real
masterworks in our collection. We
have one of the best collections
of European and American 20th-
century art.
Citing the exponential growth in
contemporary art in recent years,
Chiu is thinking about how the
Hirshhorn can lead the field, be it
through exhibitions, retrospectives
or new technology. To this end, she
says the museum is in the process
of utilising audio and visual
guides to help people understand
art better. A current exhibition
showcases suspended animation
with a focus on computer
technology. Were planning three
to five years in advance, Chiu says.
Were developing an international
programme one that speaks of
the Hirshhorn as a real innovator.
Were trying to connect to the
world on different levels and in
different ways.
Chiu is also looking at future
exhibitions with a curatorial
narrative. She says that part of
this stems from her childhood in
Darwin and Sydney a time when
she grew to appreciate art and art
history. She believes that a cultures
history can be understood through
its art, and today, as the Hirshhorn
doesnt depend on ticket revenue
for its survival, its a narrative
shes exploring, no matter where
an artist is from. We would be
CULTUREART
thinking, is there an artist who hasnt had a major
retrospective yet? Can we do something that
allows people to think differently about their
work? Our steady attendance numbers enable us
to think carefully in terms of allowing us to bring
artists that challenge peoples perceptions.
As Chiu seeks to spread the influence of the
Hirshhorn throughout the world, citing Asia and
Latin America as two key regions, it wont be a
matter of if Chinese contemporary artists get
a major exhibition at the museum, but when. I
dont think you can have a conversation about
modern art today without showing Chinese art,
she says. Geopolitically and the way the world
is heading, that political relationship is one of the
most important in the 21st century.
Chiu also believes that as art and history
are often intertwined, one only gets a true
perspective with the passing of time, and she
vividly recalls her first visit to the museum, when
she was surprised to discover Alexander Calder
mobiles kept in storage. I thought I knew the
collection, she says. But I had no idea. And the
building is really a unique building.
Its just over 40 years old. As we
move into the 21st century, its a
testament about a moment of time,
[one] that people will understand
better as time goes on.
With that said, its Chius
belief that the Hirshhorn is more
important than ever to a nation, to
a culture, to a time and to the world.
She cites the fact that museum
benefactor Joseph H Hirshhorn
was a Latvian-Jewish immigrant to
the US. Thats an example of the
openness of this country, she says.
Our mission is to share that. Were
at this moment of great change. Its
the transition from the 20th to the
21st century and you can see it in
this cultural way that you cant in
other places.
Museums like ours can really
play a leadership role in this.
Wehaveoneofthebestcollectionsof
EuropeanandAmerican20th-centuryart](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/cultureartmelissachiu-170307093748/85/Hirshhorn-of-Plenty-2-320.jpg)
Hirshhorn of Plenty
- 1. 148 148 PRESTIGE MARCH2017 MARCH2017 PRESTIGE 149 something strange is happening at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC. Inside each of six large Infinity Mirror Rooms on display, electric lights seemingly receding into the distance create a sense of vast space. Outdoors, in the Sculpture Garden, a massive yellow pumpkin flecked with black dots entrances and amuses visitors, and the Instagram pack broadcasts a flurry of images from the museums grounds. No, this isnt some sort of new outdoor carnival. Nor has the Hirshhorn lost its sense of what art is. Far from it. The museums first exhibition of 2017, running until mid-May, just happens to showcase the work of Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist who for 65 years has been creating, writing, staging THE HIRSHHORN MUSEUMS FIRST EXHIBITION OF 2017 HIGHLIGHTS THE ART OF YAYOI KUSAMA and performing a wide range of influential art experiences, and Museum Director Melissa Chiu, who has been an admirer of Kusamas work for decades, believes that this is the right time to give the artist her full due. Shes an extraordinary figure who is 88 [this month] and still paints every day, says Chiu. With this show we wanted to re-situate her. Time magazine put her forward as one of the most important artists of the year. Its timely to think of her as a historical figure as well. This is the kind of show that will gain a lot of momentum. Its also the kind of show Chiu envisioned when she became director of the Hirshhorn in 2014 following a decade in the same role at the Asia Society in New York, during which the Australian was responsible for opening 10 exhibitions a year, including rare presentations of art from Iran in the 1960s and 70s, and paintings created in the aftermath of Chinas 1949 revolution. In her dual role as senior vice-president of global arts and cultural programmes with the Asia CULTUREART MELISSACHIUaimstoestablishtheHirshhorn MuseumandSculptureGardenasoneoftheworlds majorartexhibitors,writesscott murphy Z Z irshhornHofPlenty MARCH2017 PRESTIGE 149
- 2. 150 150 PRESTIGE MARCH2017 MARCH2017 PRESTIGE 151 Society, she also published several books, including Contemporary Art in Asia: A Critical Reader. Yet there were initial difficulties for Chiu when she became just the sixth director of the Hirshhorn since its opening in 1974. Her struggles included a mass exodus of board members due to a controversial art project that had been aborted even before she arrived. There were also numerous media complaints that the new director was spending too much time away from Washington and fund-raising in New York with high-profile benefactors (the Hirshhorn is part of the Smithsonian FROM LEFT: MELISSA CHIU; INSTALLATION SQUARE THE CIRCLE IN ROBERT IRWIN: ALL THE RULES WILL CHANGE AT HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN InstituteandfirmlysetinWashingtonsprominent National Mall). Hirshhorn board members, vital to the museums future, were dwindling away at a drastic rate. It says a great deal about Chius abilities and determination that even in such a high-pressure environment she has turned the Hirshhorn around in less than three years, and boosted the number of staff and board members, the latter from nine to 29. The board of trustees is really the Hirshhorn family, she says. I saw that as a real priority: to build out its board because they are the great advocates. They support much of what the museum does. We now include board members from Hong Kong, Dubai, Sydney and Jakarta, for example. We look for people who are enthusiastic about contemporary art and enthusiastic about the Hirshhorn. I brought on a group of very committed people who want to see the Hirshhorn succeed. Among the new board appointees is Xiang- Dong Yang, Hong Kong-based managing director and chairman of asset-management experts Carlyle Asia Partners. Chiu hopes such new appointees will not only become energetic advocates for art in Asia, but might also be supportive should Hirshhorn exhibits be loaned to Hong Kongs new art museums, most notably M+ in West Kowloon. I first met XD when I came on board, Chiu says. His work is connected through Carlyle as he comes to Washington, DC a lot. It seemed like a natural fit. He has a collaborative sense in what were trying to do. Yang expresses delight at becoming a Hirshhorn board member. Im excited to support the museums mission of engaging artists and audiences around the world, and look forward to using my background and experience in the Chinese cultural landscape to help the Hirshhorn continue to champion the most influential, exciting, surprising and humbling contemporary artists, he says. Today, the art world is more global than ever and my role on the board is a reflection of this. Now, with a firm foundation in place at the Hirshhorn, Chiu is looking forward to growth. Shes conscious, however, that while the board would like to see the museum as a contemporary of international institutions such as the Tate Modern, Guggenheim, Whitney and Moma many of its 600,000 or so visitors a year are tourists who have come to the capital primarily for the major monuments and the nearby National Air and Space Museum. And with more than 12,000 artworks over three floors and 60,000 square feet of exhibition space at the Hirshhorn, theres a lot to take in. Although we have a devoted group of art-world folks visiting, many are coming to see the national museums, Chiu says. That has an impact on how we think about our exhibitions and highlight the real masterworks in our collection. We have one of the best collections of European and American 20th- century art. Citing the exponential growth in contemporary art in recent years, Chiu is thinking about how the Hirshhorn can lead the field, be it through exhibitions, retrospectives or new technology. To this end, she says the museum is in the process of utilising audio and visual guides to help people understand art better. A current exhibition showcases suspended animation with a focus on computer technology. Were planning three to five years in advance, Chiu says. Were developing an international programme one that speaks of the Hirshhorn as a real innovator. Were trying to connect to the world on different levels and in different ways. Chiu is also looking at future exhibitions with a curatorial narrative. She says that part of this stems from her childhood in Darwin and Sydney a time when she grew to appreciate art and art history. She believes that a cultures history can be understood through its art, and today, as the Hirshhorn doesnt depend on ticket revenue for its survival, its a narrative shes exploring, no matter where an artist is from. We would be CULTUREART thinking, is there an artist who hasnt had a major retrospective yet? Can we do something that allows people to think differently about their work? Our steady attendance numbers enable us to think carefully in terms of allowing us to bring artists that challenge peoples perceptions. As Chiu seeks to spread the influence of the Hirshhorn throughout the world, citing Asia and Latin America as two key regions, it wont be a matter of if Chinese contemporary artists get a major exhibition at the museum, but when. I dont think you can have a conversation about modern art today without showing Chinese art, she says. Geopolitically and the way the world is heading, that political relationship is one of the most important in the 21st century. Chiu also believes that as art and history are often intertwined, one only gets a true perspective with the passing of time, and she vividly recalls her first visit to the museum, when she was surprised to discover Alexander Calder mobiles kept in storage. I thought I knew the collection, she says. But I had no idea. And the building is really a unique building. Its just over 40 years old. As we move into the 21st century, its a testament about a moment of time, [one] that people will understand better as time goes on. With that said, its Chius belief that the Hirshhorn is more important than ever to a nation, to a culture, to a time and to the world. She cites the fact that museum benefactor Joseph H Hirshhorn was a Latvian-Jewish immigrant to the US. Thats an example of the openness of this country, she says. Our mission is to share that. Were at this moment of great change. Its the transition from the 20th to the 21st century and you can see it in this cultural way that you cant in other places. Museums like ours can really play a leadership role in this. Wehaveoneofthebestcollectionsof EuropeanandAmerican20th-centuryart