American Night at the Pinakothek

Munich, April 7, 2008

Ambassador William R. Timken, Jr.

  

Professor Baumstark,
Minister President Beckstein,
Duke Franz of Bavaria,

 

It is a pleasure and a privilege to attend the American Night at the Modern Pinakothek.  Thank you very much for the invitation.  It gives me the opportunity to congratulate you and thank the members of the American Patrons of the Pinakothek for their efforts in making sure that this fine museum continues to build its strong collection of modern American art -- one of the finest collections in Europe.

 

Fred, I would also like to commend AmCham for supporting this initiative.

 

One of my jobs is to promote American exports, so I am looking forward to seeing lots of American contemporary art exported to Munich as a result of the efforts of the American Patrons. 

 

Munich enjoys an outstanding reputation as a city of art.  In the 19th century, American artists came to Munich to learn at the Art Academy here. They returned to America enriched and transformed by their stay.  But those artists were also attracted to Munich because of its bustling art scene and its museums which were enriched by the collection of the royal family in Bavaria.  King Ludwig I used his private funds to finance both the Old Pinakothek and the New Pinakothek.  He considered art “not a luxury, but a mission.” 

 

At the same time in America, unique public-private partnerships were also being developed to support the arts and culture.  To this day, there are strong similarities between the activities of the Pinakothek and museums in the United States. Transatlantic connections and cross-fertilization are strong.  Thanks to the efforts of people in this room, Munich remains a laboratory for “best practices” in the give and take of cultural exchange. 

 

For that reason, a few years ago, Duke Franz of Bavaria received the Duncan Phillips Award, which is given exclusively to collectors and donors who champion outstanding museums.  The prize committee emphasized his extraordinary support of the Pinakothek der Moderne, but he also has strong connections to museums in the United States, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York.  The Duncan Phillips Award triggered the founding of the American Patrons of the Pinakothek.  That’s what transatlantic connections are all about.  I believe people both in Germany and in the United States would be amazed to learn about the depth and the breadth of the business, cultural and people-to-people ties between our countries.  They are what make our countries thrive. 

 

Think back to a period of history when liberties and lives were at stake.  In 1939, as the winds of war were stirring over Europe, President Roosevelt spoke at the dedication of the Museum of Modern Art – a museum, I might add, that had started ten years earlier with an initial gift of eight prints and one drawing – as it moved into its new building in midtown Manhattan.  He said, "The conditions for democracy and art are one. The arts cannot thrive except when men are free to be themselves and to be in charge of the discipline of their own energies and passions."

 

Put simply, freedom of expression and creativity represent the triumph of democracy over tyranny.  For that reason, we think it is important to showcase our artistic heritage.   As we put the finishing touches on our new Embassy, we are working closely with Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies, or FAPE, a private, non-profit, educational foundation established to put American art in our diplomatic buildings around the world.  Since 1986, Embassy gifts worth over $37 million have been channeled through FAPE's offices. Highlights of our new building will be specially commissioned pieces by Ellsworth Kelly and Sol LeWitt. 

 

In that spirit, Sue and I have personally commissioned a sculpture from the Meissen Porcelain Company of an American eagle to grace the entrance rotunda of our new building.   Our new Embassy is not just another building.  It demonstrates the commitment of the United States to partnership with the nation of Germany and the people of this country.  The sculpture is a symbol of German-American partnership.  Outside the door of the Embassy is Germany; step inside, it is the USA.  The sculpture is the marriage of an American theme produced by a highly-skilled artist at a German company, known around the world for its historic craftsmanship. 

 

Your commitment is also a part of that marriage.  I thank you again for your initiative and for your support of American art and culture.