The Bronx Museum of The Arts: From Local Institution to International Prominence

From its humble beginnings in the rotunda of the beautiful landmarked Bronx County Courthouse in 1971, it’s move to larger quarters in 1982 at the former synagogue at 1040 Grand Concourse, and then its expansion in 2006 when it doubled in size, The Bronx Museum of The Arts, “the little museum that could”, has become a major player in the art world on an international scale.

Most recently, the museum has been the center of attention as its executive directory, Holly Block has spearheaded a collaboration between Cuba’s National Museum of Fine Arts which together will be, “…the most sweeping collaboration between the two countries’ museums in more than 50 years.” the New York Times reports.

Ms. Block has been in talks with the Cuban museum since last year, long before President Obama opened up full relations between our two countries in December.

This isn’t the first time our museum has been leading the country in the art world.  Back in 2013, The Bronx Museum was selected to represent the United States in the Venice Biennial — a major art exhibition that has been going on since 1895 in Venice, Italy.

During the past several years at their Spring Gala, The Bronx Museum has raised millions to acquire new art

The New York Times writes:

“Over 80 works of art dating from the 1960s to the present will travel from the Bronx’s permanent collection for display at the National Museum from May 21 through Aug. 16, coinciding with the 12th Havana Biennial. In the fall of 2016, more than 100 works from the National Museum’s collection will come to the Bronx Museum, which has long collected and championed work by Cubans and Cuban-Americans as well as other art from Latin America and from Africa and Asia.

“There are, of course, huge differences between the Bronx and Havana, but there are also a lot of similarities,” Ms. Block said. “The idea is to reinforce the fact that the National Museum is a very local museum, which is what we are, too.”

Read more over at The New York Times: Bronx Museum of the Arts Plans Art Exchange With Cuba – NYTimes.com