Speeches & Texts
Exhibit Opening: “Compass – Drawings from the Museum of Modern Art New York. The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection” at the Martin Gropius Bau
Berlin, March 10, 2011
Ambassador Philip D. Murphy
Herr Dr. Sartorius, (Intendant, Berliner Festspiele)
Frau Dr. Berggreen-Merkel, (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media)
Herr Haasis, (President, Dt. Sparkassen- u. Giroverband)
Frau Bronkar Bannayan, (Director Collection Management and Exhibition Registration, MoMA)
Herr Rattemeyer, (Curator, MoMA)
sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
ich freue mich sehr, heute Abend mit Ihnen an der Eröffnung einer Ausstellung von wahrhaft transatlantischem Format teilzunehmen. Viele der hier Anwesenden verstehen viel mehr von dieser großartigen Ausstellung und der künstlerischen Bedeutung der Sammlung zeitgenössischer Gemälde der Judith-Rothschild-Stiftung als ich. Deshalb werde ich auch sie über diese Gesichtspunkte der Ausstellung berichten lassen.
[I am so pleased to be here with you this evening at the opening of an exhibit that is truly transatlantic in scope. There are many people in this room who are better qualified than I am to tell you what a great exhibit this is and how truly important the Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection is from an artistic point of view. And I will let them talk about those aspects of this exhibit.]
What I would like to talk about is the importance of transatlantic cooperation in the field of art and culture. This collection includes an extraordinary range of artists from both sides of the Atlantic. It strikes me that if there were no ties between American and European artists, this would be a very, very different exhibit.
I am proud to say that some of the American artists represented here – Ed Ruscha, Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns – are also represented in our Embassy art collection. In many cases, artists themselves but also other generous donors contribute works to Embassies under the auspices of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies, or FAPE for short. They believe, as do we, that one of the most important and telling messages that a country can convey about itself comes via its creative vitality. Freedom of expression is not just an empty phrase. We have seen that demonstrated countless times; most recently perhaps this year at the Berlinale. The letter that Jafar Panahi, Iranian film-maker and Berlinale jury member, wrote to explain his absence at the film festival was a simple but significant statement about the power of film and also, by extension, of the arts in building the better society that we all strive for. His absence from the festival was also a sorry statement about the society where he lives.
Unfortunately, the Embassy is not a museum and we cannot invite large numbers of people in to see our magnificent FAPE collection, but you can see most of the works on our Embassy webpage. Please do take the time to look at our online exhibit. I think you will be amazed at the diversity represented in terms of the methods, materials, and styles used in these works but also in terms of the backgrounds of the artists and the influences upon them.
There is another State Department-sponsored initiative to bring American art to diplomatic institutions. Ambassadors have the opportunity to choose works for their Residences from museums, galleries, and private collections throughout the United States. My wife and I decided, however, to put rotating collections of art up on our walls – works that reflect the German-American relationship and bilateral art programs, rather than displaying purely American works.
That collection is, however, even smaller than the Embassy collection and our house, with four children and two dogs, is definitely not a museum. It certainly cannot compare with this selection of drawings from the Judith Rothschild Foundation at the Museum of Modern Art but it does testify to and celebrate the ties between our two countries as reflected in artistic vision.
Tonight I am here to celebrate the ties between the United States and Germany that make possible the kind of cooperation needed to stage an exhibit of the magnitude and importance of Compass. With over 250 works, it is an enormous undertaking between two leading art institutions – MOMA in New York and the Martin Gropius Bau. I am certain that Judith Rothschild, who was herself an accomplished artist, would be very happy to know that so many people – now on both sides of the Atlantic – will be able to profit from the collection that she posthumously provided for.
I hope that many people take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. My compliments to all those who worked so hard to make this event possible. All the best for a successful exhibit.
Exhibit Opening: “Compass – Drawings from the Museum of Modern Art New York. The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection” at the Martin Gropius Bau
Berlin, March 10, 2011
Ambassador Philip D. Murphy
Herr Dr. Sartorius, (Intendant, Berliner Festspiele)
Frau Dr. Berggreen-Merkel, (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media)
Herr Haasis, (President, Dt. Sparkassen- u. Giroverband)
Frau Bronkar Bannayan, (Director Collection Management and Exhibition Registration, MoMA)
Herr Rattemeyer, (Curator, MoMA)
sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
ich freue mich sehr, heute Abend mit Ihnen an der Eröffnung einer Ausstellung von wahrhaft transatlantischem Format teilzunehmen. Viele der hier Anwesenden verstehen viel mehr von dieser großartigen Ausstellung und der künstlerischen Bedeutung der Sammlung zeitgenössischer Gemälde der Judith-Rothschild-Stiftung als ich. Deshalb werde ich auch sie über diese Gesichtspunkte der Ausstellung berichten lassen.
[I am so pleased to be here with you this evening at the opening of an exhibit that is truly transatlantic in scope. There are many people in this room who are better qualified than I am to tell you what a great exhibit this is and how truly important the Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection is from an artistic point of view. And I will let them talk about those aspects of this exhibit.]
What I would like to talk about is the importance of transatlantic cooperation in the field of art and culture. This collection includes an extraordinary range of artists from both sides of the Atlantic. It strikes me that if there were no ties between American and European artists, this would be a very, very different exhibit.
I am proud to say that some of the American artists represented here – Ed Ruscha, Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns – are also represented in our Embassy art collection. In many cases, artists themselves but also other generous donors contribute works to Embassies under the auspices of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies, or FAPE for short. They believe, as do we, that one of the most important and telling messages that a country can convey about itself comes via its creative vitality. Freedom of expression is not just an empty phrase. We have seen that demonstrated countless times; most recently perhaps this year at the Berlinale. The letter that Jafar Panahi, Iranian film-maker and Berlinale jury member, wrote to explain his absence at the film festival was a simple but significant statement about the power of film and also, by extension, of the arts in building the better society that we all strive for. His absence from the festival was also a sorry statement about the society where he lives.
Unfortunately, the Embassy is not a museum and we cannot invite large numbers of people in to see our magnificent FAPE collection, but you can see most of the works on our Embassy webpage. Please do take the time to look at our online exhibit. I think you will be amazed at the diversity represented in terms of the methods, materials, and styles used in these works but also in terms of the backgrounds of the artists and the influences upon them.
There is another State Department-sponsored initiative to bring American art to diplomatic institutions. Ambassadors have the opportunity to choose works for their Residences from museums, galleries, and private collections throughout the United States. My wife and I decided, however, to put rotating collections of art up on our walls – works that reflect the German-American relationship and bilateral art programs, rather than displaying purely American works.
That collection is, however, even smaller than the Embassy collection and our house, with four children and two dogs, is definitely not a museum. It certainly cannot compare with this selection of drawings from the Judith Rothschild Foundation at the Museum of Modern Art but it does testify to and celebrate the ties between our two countries as reflected in artistic vision.
Tonight I am here to celebrate the ties between the United States and Germany that make possible the kind of cooperation needed to stage an exhibit of the magnitude and importance of Compass. With over 250 works, it is an enormous undertaking between two leading art institutions – MOMA in New York and the Martin Gropius Bau. I am certain that Judith Rothschild, who was herself an accomplished artist, would be very happy to know that so many people – now on both sides of the Atlantic – will be able to profit from the collection that she posthumously provided for.
I hope that many people take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. My compliments to all those who worked so hard to make this event possible. All the best for a successful exhibit.