American Folk Art Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
American Folk Art Museum

American Folk Art Museum
Established	June 23, 1961 (1961-06-23)
Location	2 Lincoln Square Manhattan, New York, United States
Public transit access	Subway: to 66th Street–Lincoln Center Buses: M5, M7, M11, M20, M66, M104

The American Folk Art Museum is a special art museum in New York City. It's located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, at 2 Lincoln Square. This museum is dedicated to showing and celebrating folk art and the amazing creations of self-taught artists from the United States and other countries.

The museum has a huge collection of over 8,000 art pieces. These works range from the 1700s to today. They include traditional folk art and art made by people who learned on their own, often called Art Brut. The museum's exhibits and programs highlight the creative works of people who developed their artistic skills without formal training.

It's free to visit the museum. More than 130,000 people visit the museum each year.

Museum History and Mission

The American Folk Art Museum started with a temporary charter in 1961. Back then, it didn't have a permanent collection, money, or even a building. But its founders, Joseph B. Martinson and Adele Earnest, had a clear goal. They wanted to help people understand and enjoy American folk art.

The museum's first exhibition was in a rented space in 1961. Its collection began in 1962 with a gift: a gate shaped like an American flag. At first, the museum focused on art from the 1700s and 1800s, mostly from the northeastern United States.

In 1966, the museum got a permanent charter and changed its name to the Museum of American Folk Arts. It started looking beyond old definitions of folk art. The museum began to include art from all parts of America. Curator Herbert W. Hemphill Jr. helped expand the idea of folk art. He included unique and individual artworks, not just traditional ones. This helped bring new attention to 20th-century folk art.

In the 1990s, the museum started to focus on the many different cultures in American folk art. It began showing African American and Latino artworks. The museum's director, Gerard C. Wertkin, said that American folk art helps us appreciate diversity.

In 1998, the museum created the Contemporary Center. This part of the museum focuses on art from the 20th and 21st centuries made by self-taught artists. It also includes international art in the style of European art brut. In 2001, the museum opened the Henry Darger Study Center. This center holds many works and materials from the self-taught artist Henry Darger.

The museum chose its current name, American Folk Art Museum, in 2001. The word "American" shows where the museum is located and its main focus. However, it doesn't limit the art it collects. The museum now includes folk art from places like Latin America, England, and Norway.

Museum Locations Over Time

As the museum's mission grew, it also worked to find a permanent home. In 1979, the museum bought two townhouses next to its rented space. In 1984, the museum held exhibitions from a former carriage house. Five years later, a new branch, the Eva and Morris Feld Gallery, opened at 2 Lincoln Square. This is across from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

In 2001, a new building opened on West 53rd Street. It was designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. This building was the museum's main location from 2001 to 2011. However, the museum later sold this building to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). MoMA decided to take down the building in 2014 to expand its own space. The unique metal front of the building was saved by MoMA.

After the sale, the American Folk Art Museum used its location at 2 Lincoln Square as its main exhibition and shop space. In 2014, the museum's archives and offices moved to Long Island City, Queens. In September 2017, the museum opened the Self-Taught Genius Gallery there. This gallery shows art from the museum's collection in changing themed exhibits. It is currently closed, but may reopen in the future.

Art Collection

The museum's collection has more than 7,000 pieces of art. Most of these artworks have been given as gifts. The collection includes many different types of art. There are over 1,200 paintings, 1,500 drawings, and 1,000 sculptures. It also has 1,000 textile items, 200 ceramic objects, and 100 pieces of furniture.

The museum also has a large collection of historical records and research materials. It holds the biggest collection of materials from the self-taught artist Henry Darger.

The art ranges from early portraits by artists like Sheldon Peck and Ammi Phillips to quilts and needlework. It also includes furniture and weathervanes. There are also works by famous masters such as Thornton Dial, Morris Hirshfield, Martín Ramírez, Judith Scott, Mary T. Smith, and Bill Traylor.

The museum continues to add to its collection. Recently, it acquired a version of Edward Hicks's famous painting, The Peaceable Kingdom. This painting was given by Hicks to his daughter and stayed with his family for many years. Other new additions include portraits by Sheldon Peck and William Matthew Prior. The street artist KAWS also donated a rare sculpture by self-taught artist William Edmondson in 2021.

Selected collection highlights

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  Edward Hicks, Peaceable Kingdom, 1829–1831

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  Artist unidentified, Flag Gate, 1876

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  Artist unidentified, Bird of Paradise Quilt Top, 1858–1863

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  Ammi Phillips, Girl in Red Dress with Cat and Dog, 1830-1835

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  Artist unidentified, Hudsonian Curlew Weathervane, 1874

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  Samuel Addison Shute and Ruth Whittier Shute, Master Burnham, 1831-1832

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  Hannah Cohoon, Gift Drawing: The Tree of Light or Blazing Tree, 1845

Exhibitions and Shows

Each year, the museum hosts many exhibitions. These shows feature both traditional folk art and more modern "self-taught" expressions. The exhibits often look closely at the works of one artist or a certain type of art, like quilts.

Through its exhibits, the museum helps us better understand folk and self-taught artists. Past shows have featured artists who were not widely known, like Thomas Chambers and Asa Ames. The museum has also had solo exhibitions for famous self-taught artists. These include Martín Ramírez, Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, Willem van Genk, and Bill Traylor.

Some past exhibits have also put traditional folk art next to modern art. For example, in 2008, an exhibit explored how the colors in paintings by Ammi Phillips were similar to those in works by Mark Rothko. In 2013, the museum asked fashion designers to create new works inspired by pieces in its collection. This resulted in the "Folk Couture: Fashion and Folk Art" exhibit.

At the Self-Taught Genius Gallery in Long Island City, past exhibitions have included "Holding Space" and "Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts." By bringing folk artists and self-taught artists into the spotlight, the museum continues to show the value of art made by people who teach themselves.

Museum Honors

In 2007, the museum received part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation. This money was given by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Museum gift shop

In 2013, a piece from the museum's collection, The Encyclopedic Palace, inspired the theme for the 55th international Venice Biennale. This artwork was created by Marino Auriti, a self-taught Italian American artist. It was a model for an imaginary museum that would hold all the world's knowledge. The artistic director of the Biennale said that Auriti's work is still important today. It shows how we try to organize all the information we get.

Museum Gift Shop

The museum's gift shop has been called one of the "World's Best Museum Gift Shops" by Condé Nast Traveler. It offers many unique items made in the folk tradition. You can find jewelry, accessories, toys, home decor, books, and catalogs there.

Images for kids

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  The museum's former building, demolished in 2014.

See also

In Spanish: American Folk Art Museum para niños

• List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City