Chinati Foundation facts for kids
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| Established | 1986 |
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| Location | 1 Cavalry Row, Marfa, Texas, United States |
| Type | Art Museum |
The Chinati Foundation (also known as La Fundación Chinati) is a special art museum in Marfa, Texas. It was created by a famous artist named Donald Judd. This museum is all about showing modern art in a unique way.
Contents
What is Chinati's Goal?
The main goal of the Chinati Foundation is to keep and show big art pieces by a few artists. These artworks are often connected to the land around them. Donald Judd believed that art should be carefully placed and not moved. He wanted Chinati to be a place where modern art could be seen exactly as the artist intended. It's like a special example for how art should be shown.
Chinati's Story: How It Started
The Chinati Foundation is built on a huge piece of land. It covers about 340 acres (1.4 square kilometers). This land used to be an old army base called Fort D. A. Russell in Marfa, Texas. Some parts of the museum are also in buildings in the town center.
Donald Judd first visited Marfa in 1971. He liked it so much that he moved there from New York in 1977. Work on the museum started in 1979. It got help from the Dia Art Foundation at the beginning. The Chinati Foundation officially opened its doors to the public in 1986. It became an independent, non-profit museum.
Chinati was first planned to show art by Donald Judd, John Chamberlain, and Dan Flavin. But over the years, the museum grew. Its permanent collection now includes works by many other artists. These artists include Carl Andre, Ingólfur Arnarsson, Roni Horn, Ilya Kabakov, Richard Long, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, David Rabinowitch, and John Wesley. Each artist's work has its own building or outdoor space at the museum.
Judd's big idea for Chinati was to bring art, buildings, and nature together. He wanted them to form one complete and beautiful experience.
In 2016, a new art piece called untitled (dawn to dusk) opened. It was created by Robert Irwin. This large concrete building is C-shaped and covers 10,000 square feet (930 square meters). It was built inside the old hospital ruins at Fort D. A. Russell. The artist changed the building to play with light and space.
In 2022, the Chinati Foundation was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Who Has Led Chinati?
- 1994–2010: Marianne Stockebrand
- 2011–2012: Thomas Kellein
- 2013–2022: Jenny Moore
- 2023- : Caitlin Murray
What Art Can You See?
The Chinati Foundation has many permanent artworks. Here are some of the artists and their works you can find there:
| Artist | Work |
|---|---|
| Carl Andre | Words, 1958 - 1972
Chinati Thirteener, 2010 |
| Donald Judd | 100 untitled works in mill aluminum, 1982–1986
15 untitled works in concrete, 1980–1984 The Arena, 1980–1987 |
| Ingólfur Arnarsson | untitled works, 1991–1992 |
| Ilya Kabakov | School No. 6, 1993 |
| John Chamberlain | Various works, 1972–1983 |
| Richard Long | Sea Lava Circles, 1988 |
| Dan Flavin | untitled (Marfa project), 1996 |
| Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen | Monument to the Last Horse, 1991 |
| Roni Horn | Things That Happen Again, Pair Object VII (For a Here and a There), 1986–1988 |
| David Rabinowitch | Elliptical Plane in 3 Masses and 4 Scales III, 1971–72
6-Sided Bar III, 1969 |
| Robert Irwin | untitled (dawn to dusk), 2016 |
| John Wesley | Al Capone Flouting the Law, 1970
Chateau, 1983 Choir, 1988 Day Titanic, 1984 Hannah in Shades, 1989 Hunting Dogs, 1985 Jack Frost, 1971 Mattress Cloud, 1981 Panoply: Eight Silkscreens Inspired by the Splendours of the Great War, 1971 Six-Legged Sheep, 1993 Tour de France, 1982 |
Chinati and the Community
The Chinati Foundation also runs art and education programs. They work closely with the local community in Marfa. They also connect with other museums and universities around the world.
Since 1989, Chinati has had an Artist in Residence Program. This program lets artists from all over the world come to Marfa. They can create and show their art in this inspiring place. The museum also has an Internship Program for students. This gives students hands-on experience working in a museum. Every summer, Chinati offers art classes for local students.
Planning Your Visit
The Chinati Foundation is open again after being closed for a while.
If you want to visit, the closest airports are in El Paso and Midland/Odessa. From either airport, it's about a three-hour drive to Marfa.
