On display until January 29th, The Menil Collection is celebrating its 30th anniversary since its opening in 1987 with a showing of thirty works from the collection. A hidden gem tucked away in a quaint neighbordhood in Houston Texas, the collection is home to some of the most prominent art from the twentieth century. Over 17,000 works are in the permanent collection, all contained within the Renzo Piano designed museum and its accompanying centers including the Cy Twombly Gallery , the one of a kind, Rothko Chapel , and the Dan Flavin Installation .
Also unique to the Menil, “are the absence of displays that allow the objects and works of art to speak for themselves—there are no ‘didactics’ on the wall or media in the galleries—the Menil philosophy is to foster each individual’s direct, personal encounter with works of art. The display of carefully chosen artworks in sympathetic settings are Menil hallmarks.”
Thirty Works For Thirty Years
Curated by Associate Curator Clare Elliott , the show highlights key paintings, sculptures, and drawings from the permanent collection. The works include native objects from all over the world, surrealist works from the likes of Max Ernst and Magritte, and contemporary artworks from the likes of Andy Warhol and Maurizio Cattelan .
Explore the thirty works below.
[1984-47 DJ] John Chamberlain, American Tableau, 1984. Paint and chromium-plated steel, 144 × 252 × 132 inches (365.8 × 640.1 × 335.3 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Conservation was funded by a grant from the Bank of America Art Conservation Project. © 2017 Fairweather & Fairweather LTD / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York [1978-005 DJ] Andy Warhol, Lavender Disaster, 1963. Acrylic, silkscreen ink, and pencil on linen, 106 × 81 7⁄8 inches (269.2 × 208 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © 2017 Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York [V 414] René Magritte, Golconda (Golconde), 1953. Oil on canvas, 31 1⁄2 × 39 1⁄2 inches (80 × 100.3 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © 2017 C. Herscovici / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York [2014-10] Trisha Brown, Untitled (Montpellier), 2002. Charcoal on paper, 130 × 106 3⁄4 inches (330.2 × 271.1 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Purchased with funds provided by the John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation. © Trisha Brown [1986-07] Mark Rothko, Untitled (Rothko Chapel Alternate Panel), 1966. Dry pigment, rabbitskin glue, egg/oil emulsion, and synthetic polymer on canvas, 177 1⁄4 × 114 1⁄4 inches (450.2 × 290.2 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York [1992-18 E] Pablo Picasso, Still Life with Skull (Nature morte au crâne), 1945. Oil on canvas, 28 5⁄8 × 36 1⁄8 inches (72.7 × 91.8 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © 2017 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York [CA 3401] Max Ernst, Portrait of Dominique, ca. 1932. Oil and graphite on canvas, 25 3⁄4 × 21 1⁄4 inches (65.4 × 54 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © 2017 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris [1997-36 DJ] John Cage, River Rocks and Smoke 4/9/90 #5, 1990. Watercolor and smoke-applied soot on paper, 72 × 47 1⁄4 inches (182.9 × 120 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Purchased with funds provided by Dominique de Menil. © John Cage Trust [1994-47a-c] Cy Twombly, Untitled (Say Goodbye, Catullus, to the Shores of Asia Minor), 1994. Oil, acrylic, oil stick, crayon, and graphite on three canvases, 157 1⁄2 × 624 inches (400.1 × 1585 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Gift of the artist. © Menil Foundation, Inc. [X 852] Jasper Johns, Voice, 1964/67. Oil on two canvases with wood, string, wire, and metal spoon and fork, 96 × 69 1⁄2 inches (243.8 × 176.5 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © Jasper Johns / VAGA, New York, NY [1997-16 DJ] Unidentified artist, Entry into Jerusalem, early to mid-15th century. Turkey, possibly Istanbul (Constantinople). Tempera and gold leaf on wood, 19 1⁄4 × 14 inches (48.9 × 35.6). The Menil Collection, Houston, Tenth anniversary purchase, with funds provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc.; The Wortham Foundation, Inc.; Mr. and Mrs. James Elkins, Jr.; Shell Oil Company; and Houston Endowment Inc. [1996-23.1 DJ] Dan Flavin, untitled, 1996. Pink, yellow, green, blue, and ultraviolet fluorescent light and metal fixtures, installed: 81⁄2 × 493⁄4 × 124 feet (25.9 × 151.6 × 377.9 m). The Menil Collection, Houston. © 2017 Stephen Flavin / Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York [CA 3203] Unidentified artist. Bark Cloth (Maro), late 1920s. Indonesia, Papua, Humboldt Bay. Tree bark and pigment, 29 × 60 inches (73.7 × 152.4 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston [2000-016] Kara Walker, Freedom, a Fable: A Curious Interpretation of the Wit of a Negress in Troubled Times, 1997. Leather and paper, 9 1⁄4 × 8 3⁄8 × 9 3⁄8 inches (23.5 × 21.3 × 23.9 cm) (closed). The Menil Collection, Houston, Gift of Paul Winkler. © Kara Walker [1971-30 DJ] Edward Ruscha, Hurting the Word Radio #1, 1964. Oil on canvas, 59 1⁄8 × 55 1⁄8 inches (150.2 × 140 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © Edward Ruscha [V 606] Victor Brauner, Memory of Reflexes (Mémoire des réflexes), 1954. Watercolor, ink, and wax on hardboard, 49 1⁄8 × 54 3⁄8 inches (124.8 × 138.1 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © 2017 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris [Z 601] James Rosenquist, Promenade of Merce Cunningham, 1963. Oil on canvas, 70 × 60 inches (177.8 × 152.4 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Formerly in the collection of Christophe de Menil. © James Rosenquist/VAGA, New York, NY [Z 502] Michael Heizer, Isolated Mass/Circumflex (#2), 1968/78. Mayari-R steel, 146 × 1461 × 8 inches (370.8 × 3710.9 × 20.3 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © Michael Heizer [1974-006 DJ] Alexander Calder, Two Acrobats, 1929. Paint, wire, and wood base, 34 1⁄2 × 21 5⁄8 × 6 1⁄2 inches (87.8 × 54.9 × 16.5 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © 2017 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York [1967-25 DJ] Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl) peoples. Feast Ladle, 19th–20th century. Canada, British Columbia. Wood and abalone shell, 8 3⁄4 × 21 5⁄8 × 6 3⁄8 inches (22.2 × 54.9 × 16.2 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston [2005-14] Robert Rauschenberg, National Spinning/Red/Spring (Cardboard), 1971. Cardboard, wood, string, and steel, 100 × 98 1⁄2 × 8 1⁄2 inches (254 × 250.2 × 21.6 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Purchase, with funds contributed by The Brown Foundation, Inc., and the following Menil Board of Trustees: Luisa Stude Sarofim, Frances R. Dittmer, Estate of James Elkins, Jr., Wendi Grimes, Agnes Gund, Janie C. Lee, Isabel S. Lummis, Roy Nolen, Charles Wright, and Michael Zilkha. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation [V 9008] Dogon peoples. Figure (Dege), 17th–early 20th century. Mali, Bandiagara Circle. Wood, 67 × 11 1⁄4 × 9 3⁄8 inches (170.2 × 28.6 × 23.8 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston [2010-029] Maurizio Cattelan, Untitled, 2009. Canvas, wood, and plastic, 82 5⁄8 × 33 1⁄2 × 23 5⁄8 inches (209.9 × 85.1 × 60 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Joint acquisition of The Menil Collection, Houston, with funds provided by Nina and Michael Zilkha; Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The Rachofsky Collection and Deedie and Rusty Rose; The Rachofsky Collection; and Deedie and Rusty Rose. © Maurizio Cattelan [2010-020.43] Danny Lyon, Atlanta, Georgia. A Toddle House has the distinction of being occupied during a sit-in by some of America’s most effective organizers. In the room are Taylor Washington, Ivanhoe Donaldson, Joyce Ladner, John Lewis behind Judy Richardson, George Green and Chico Neblett., 1963–64, printed 2000. Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Gift of Edmund Carpenter and Adelaide de Menil. © Danny Lyon / Magnum Photos [2011-029] Vija Celmins, Torso, 1964. Oil on wood, 35 1⁄2 × 15 × 9 inches (90.2 × 38.1 × 22.9 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © Vija Celmins [2011-041] Richard Serra, Emerson, 2010. Paintstick on handmade paper, 78 1⁄2 × 78 1⁄2 inches (199.4 × 199.4 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Gift of Frances Dittmer in honor of Louisa Stude Sarofim and Janie C. Lee; and gift of Michael and Diane Cannon in honor of Marion Barthelme. © 2017 Richard Serra / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York [2013-29.131] Richard Tuttle, No. 7, 1992. Paint and staples on wood and cardboard with graphite on wall and ceiling, wood and cardboard elements: 5 1⁄8 × 4 3⁄8 × 5⁄8 inches (13 × 11.1 × 1.6 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Bequest of William F. Stern. © Richard Tuttle, courtesy Pace Gallery [TL2014.87.2] Zarina, Veil, 2011. 22-karat gold leaf on bamboo blinds, 142 × 48 inches (360.7 × 121.9 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Promised gift of the artist. © Zarina; Courtesy of the artist and Luhring Augustine, New York [1986-29] Barnett Newman, Be I, 1949. Oil on canvas, 93 1⁄8 × 75 1⁄8 inches (236.5 × 190.8 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Gift of Annalee Newman. © 2017 The Barnett Newman Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
[TL2016.75.23] Martín Ramírez, Untitled (Horse and Rider), ca. 1953. Crayon and graphite on pieced paper, 27 5⁄8 × 24 inches (70.2 × 61 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston, Promised gift of Stephanie and John Smither. © Estate of Martín Ramírez, courtesy of Ricco/Maresca Gallery
