Bechtler Museum of Modern Art facts for kids
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| Established | January 2, 2010 |
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| Location | 420 South Tryon Street Charlotte, North Carolina |
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is a cool place in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's a museum that shows off modern art from the middle of the 1900s. This museum is part of the Levine Center for the Arts in Uptown Charlotte. A famous architect named Mario Botta designed the building.
The museum is named after the Bechtler family. Andreas Bechtler, who lives in Charlotte, inherited and collected over 1,400 pieces of art. These artworks were made by important artists of the 20th century. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art first opened its doors on January 2, 2010.
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What Makes the Building Special?
The museum building was designed by Mario Botta, a Swiss architect. It has four floors and a cool outdoor courtyard. The outside of the building is made of terracotta tiles.
Unique Design Features
One special part of the museum is a glass area at the front. It lets natural light shine throughout the building. You can also see a huge mural inside called Wall Drawing 995 by Sol LeWitt. This mural is 23 feet tall! Another amazing feature is the fourth floor. Half of it hangs out over the building, supported by a tall column.
Inside, Botta used materials like steel, glass, and wood. He even designed some of the furniture, like the front desk and benches. The Bechtler Museum is one of only two buildings in the United States designed by Mario Botta. He also designed the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
What Art Can You See?
The Bechtler collection has many important art styles from the 20th century. It has a lot of art from the "School of Paris" after World War II. You can see art by famous artists like Alberto Giacometti, Joan Miró, Max Ernst, Andy Warhol, Jean Tinguely, Barbara Hepworth, and Pablo Picasso. Many artists are shown through different types of art they created.
Main Art Styles
The collection focuses on a few key areas:
- European Art
- The art shows what the Bechtler family, who lived in Switzerland, liked to collect. They collected art from all over Europe, Britain, and America.
- School of Paris
- This term describes modern art made in Europe after World War II. It often includes different kinds of abstract art.
- American and British Artists
- The collection also has many American and British artists. Some of these artists had personal connections with the Bechtler family. For example, Mark Tobey lived in Switzerland and knew the family. Ben Nicholson, a British artist, was a mentor to Andreas Bechtler when he was a teenager.
Before the museum opened, most of these artworks had never been shown to the public in the United States. The Bechtler family in Switzerland kept the collection private.
The Firebird Sculpture
One of the most eye-catching artworks is The Firebird. This sculpture was made by Niki de Saint Phalle in 1991. It is very tall, standing over 17 feet high, and weighs more than 1,400 pounds! It's covered with about 7,500 mirror pieces.
Andreas Bechtler bought The Firebird in 2006. It was placed on the museum's plaza in October 2009. After some cleaning and care, it was shown to the public on November 3, 2009. Now, The Firebird is a permanent part of the museum's collection.
About the Bechtler Family
The Bechtler family became interested in modern art thanks to Hans Bechtler's brother, Walter. In 1950, the brothers started visiting art museums and galleries in Zurich, Switzerland. They bought art and became friends with artists. Hans and his wife Bessie collected art for almost 70 years. They liked art that showed how the artist worked. They also bought drawings and other early sketches. The Bechtler brothers even put art in their workplaces. They passed on their love for modern art to their children.
Andreas, the son of Hans and Bessie, grew up around artists. He became an artist himself and also a business owner. His businesses brought him to Charlotte, North Carolina, and he decided to make it his home. Andreas inherited some of his parents' large art collection. He also bought more art himself. He then decided to share this amazing collection with the city of Charlotte.
More to Explore
- Mint Museum of Art
- Mint Museum of Craft + Design
- North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
- Uptown Charlotte
- Charlotte metropolitan area
