SELLDORF ARCHITECTS SELECTED FOR REINSTALLATION OF HIGH MUSEUM OF ART COLLECTION
SELLDORF ARCHITECTS SELECTED FOR REINSTALLATION OF HIGH MUSEUM OF ART COLLECTION
First new collection display in over a decade to debut in fall 2018.
ATLANTA, Feb. 5, 2018 – The High Museum of Art in Atlanta is pleased to announce it has selected the internationally renowned architectural firm Selldorf Architects to work with staff to develop plans for a major reinstallation of the Museum’s collection galleries, set to commence in late spring 2018. This project marks the first comprehensive revision of the collection galleries since the High’s transformative expansion was completed in 2005.
The reinstallation will involve all seven of the High’s curatorial departments and emphasize key concepts across genres and time periods. It will also highlight the collection’s core strengths and continuing evolution while providing new and engaging experiences for visitors. In addition to refining the appearance of the Museum’s collection galleries and improving the functionality of lighting systems, plans include improvements to visitor wayfinding and accessibility throughout the High’s facilities: The Stent Family Wing, Wieland Pavilion and Anne Cox Chambers Wing. The Museum will close its collection galleries beginning in May for the duration of the project and debut the new presentations in fall 2018.
“Selldorf’s track record of achievement and aesthetics dovetail perfectly with our Pritzker Prize–winning architecture by Richard Meier and Renzo Piano and our desire for visitors to rediscover and deepen engagement with the High’s collection through this reinstallation,” said Rand Suffolk, the High’s Nancy and Holcombe T. Green, Jr., director. “We’re thrilled to work with the team to bring these plans to fruition.”
Selldorf Architects, founded by Annabelle Selldorf in New York in 1988, is internationally recognized for architecture and exhibition design for cultural institutions, museums, galleries and universities. Past projects include the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Mass.; the Neue Galerie New York; and the John Hay Library at Brown University, Providence, R.I., among others. Selldorf Architects is currently designing a major enhancement project for The Frick Collection in New York, and its expansion of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is slated for completion in late 2020.
Selldorf Architects will work with the Museum’s staff to develop all aspects of gallery design and space planning, including wall configurations, casework design and fabrication, object placement and mounting, lighting and gallery wayfinding and signage.
“Our vision for this reinstallation project is to highlight the incredible strengths of our collection while connecting these widely ranging works through shared interpretive schemes embracing equity, diversity and approachability,” said Kevin W. Tucker, the High’s chief curator. “We look forward to enhancing both spaces and experiences to present these works of art in their best light and present exciting new opportunities to engage with our community.”
“The reinstallation of the collection is an opportunity to create a more coherent and unified experience throughout the High,” said Annabelle Selldorf, principal Selldorf Architects. “We are very excited to be working with a collection of such depth and quality in buildings by two architects whose work I hold in the highest regard.”
About the High Museum of Art
Located in the heart of Atlanta, Ga., the High Museum of Art connects with audiences from across the Southeast and around the world through its distinguished collection, dynamic schedule of special exhibitions and engaging community-focused programs. Housed within facilities designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architects Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, the High features a collection of more than 16,000 works of art, including an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American fine and decorative arts; major holdings of photography and folk and self-taught work, especially that of artists from the American South; burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, including paintings, sculpture, new media and design; a growing collection of African art, with work dating from pre-history through the present; and significant holdings of European paintings and works on paper. The High is dedicated to reflecting the diversity of its communities and offering a variety of exhibitions and educational programs that engage visitors with the world of art, the lives of artists and the creative process. For more information about the High, visit www.high.org.
About Selldorf Architects
Selldorf Architects creates public and private spaces that manifest a clear and modern sensibility to enduring impact. The 70-person architectural design practice was founded by Annabelle Selldorf in New York City in 1988. The firm has particular expertise in the specific demands of cultural and art-related projects, having designed museums, galleries, artists’ studios and collectors’ homes. Selldorf’s cultural and institutional clients include the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the Clark Art Institute, Neue Galerie New York, and Brown University. In addition, the firm has completed numerous galleries for David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, and Gladstone Gallery, among others, and designed exhibitions for the Whitney Museum, Corning Museum of Glass, Frieze Masters, Gagosian Gallery and the Venice Art Biennale.
The High’s reinstallation plans are still in development, with more details to be announced in the coming months.
Selldorf Architects is currently designing a major renovation and enhancement of The Frick Collection in New York. Recent project openings include LUMA Arles, the conversion of a former rail depot into a new contemporary art center in Arles, France, and Le Stanze del Vetro, a museum dedicated to contemporary glass in Venice, Italy.
