Project Description:
In March 2016, The Met Breuer (pronounced BROY-er) becomes the new home for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s expanding modern and contemporary art program. Through exhibitions, artist residences, and performances, The Met Breuer invites visitors to engage with art of the 20th and 21st centuries through the global breadth and historical reach of the Museum's unparalleled collection and scholarly resources.
Public Opening:
March 18, 2016
Location:
The Met Breuer
945 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021
Programming:
Under the direction of Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sheena Wagstaff, Leonard A. Lauder Chairman for Modern and Contemporary Art, has developed the curatorial program at The Met Breuer in partnership with departments from across the Museum.
Exhibitions include thematic surveys addressing issues that stretch across history and geography as well as major monographic presentations. The Met Breuer also hosts performances and an artist-in-residence series as well as other educational and public programs.
The inaugural 2016 exhibition season includes:
- Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible (March 18 – September 4, 2016)
Co-curated by Andrea Bayer, Jayne Wrightsman Curator in the Department of European Paintings; Kelly Baum, Curator in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art; and Nicholas Cullinan, former Curator in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art, under the direction of Sheena Wagstaff
- Nasreen Mohamedi (March 18 – June 5, 2016)
Curated by Roobina Karode, Director, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi, with Sheena Wagstaff and Manuel J. Borja-Villel, Director, Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid
- Relation: A Performance Residency by Vijay Iyer (March 18 – 31, 2016)
Commissioned by MetLiveArts
- diane arbus: in the beginning (July 12, 2016 – November 27, 2016)
Curated by Jeff L. Rosenheim, Curator in Charge of the Department of Photographs
- Kerry James Marshall: Mastry (October 25, 2016 – January 29, 2017)
Co-curated by Ian Alteveer, Associate Curator in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art; Helen Molesworth, Chief Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and Dieter Roelstraete, former Manilow Senior Curator, and Abigail Winograd, Research Associate, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
- Inhabiting Marcel Breuer’s Architecture: Four Public Buildings Photographed by Luisa Lambri and Bas Princen (opening November 29, 2016)
Curated by Beatrice Galilee, Daniel Brodsky Associate Curator of Architecture and Design, in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art
Inaugural performances include:
- Soundwalk 9:09 by John Luther Adams (ongoing from March 1, 2016)
- U.S. Premiere of KLANG by Karlheinz Stockhausen (March 25 and 26, 2016)
Building History:
Designed by Hungarian-born émigré and Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer, the building opened in 1966 as the new home for the Whitney Museum of American Art. Following the Whitney’s announcement of its move to downtown Manhattan, The Met and the Whitney entered into a collaborative agreement, in which the Whitney retains ownership of the building and The Met is able to present programming in the building for a period of eight years.
Building Restoration:
In addition to programming the building, The Met has reanimated Breuer’s iconic structure, with restorations to the original finishes that honor his vision for the space as well as several new design features that support a fluid, integrated visitor experience of art and architecture. Extensive research into the building’s history, design, and construction informed the restoration, which encompasses both interior spaces and the exterior sunken garden.
With the guidance of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, The Met restored the landmark building with special consideration given to respecting the patina of history. In keeping with Breuer’s belief that materials become more dignified over time, the restoration focused on gentle, targeted cleaning and repairs, as well as the removal of interventions made after 1966. Breuer's original finishes have been cleaned and restored, including the interior bush-hammered concrete surfaces, bluestone and parquet floors, bronze fixtures, granite accents, wooden handrails, and the iconic Breuer designed lobby lighting.
Additionally, the Whitney Museum of American Art and The Met collaborated on upgrading the building’s infrastructure systems.
To realize the building’s original plan for a sunken garden, The Met commissioned landscape architect Günther Vogt to design a planting installation that includes Quaking Aspen trees planted along the west wall.
Space Breakdown:
The Met Breuer is a five-story building that includes main galleries on the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors, as well as a lobby gallery on the ground level. The building also includes a sunken garden and restaurant on its lower level.
Total footprint: 82,000 square feet
Total gallery space: 29,000 square feet
Architect:
Marcel Breuer (1902 – 1981) with Hamilton P. Smith
Retail:
A selection of catalogues for sale will be displayed on the lobby’s original granite “book bar,” reflecting Breuer’s intent for the space. Throughout the spring, a pop-up shop on the lobby level will offer additional merchandise, and on the fifth floor, a Phaidon book shop will have catalogues, limited edition prints, and other items for sale.
Restaurant:
Estela Breuer (opening summer 2016)
Managed by restaurateur Thomas Carter and chef Ignacio Mattos
Prior to the restaurant’s opening, Blue Bottle Coffee will operate a pop-up coffee shop with food and beverage service for visitors on the 5th floor.
Museum Hours:
Inaugural Weekend Hours at The Met Breuer
Friday, March 18, 2016 10 am – 10 pm
Saturday, March 19, 2016 10 am – 10 pm
Sunday, March 20, 2016 10 am – 5:30 pm
Hours at The Met Breuer Beginning March 22, 2016
Tuesday and Wednesday 10 am – 5:30 pm
Thursday and Friday 10 am – 9 pm
Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 5:30 pm
Closed Monday
Admissions:
If you buy tickets at a museum ticket counter, the amount you pay is up to you. Ticket includes same-day admission to The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer (opening March 18), and The Met Cloisters.
Suggested admission:
Adults $25
Seniors (65 and older) $17
Students $12
Members and children under 12 accompanied by an adult free
There is no extra charge for entrance to exhibitions.
The lobby level of The Met Breuer, including the lobby gallery–the Tony and Amie James Gallery, and the lower level, which includes the restaurant and entry to the sunken garden, will be open and accessible to the public without admission during regular Museum hours.
Credits:
Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible is made possible by Leonard A. Lauder and The Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Daniel and Estrellita Brodsky Foundation, the Jane and Robert Carroll Fund, Howard I. Hoffen & Sandra Hoffen, Kenneth and Rosalind Landis, Ann M. Spruill and Daniel H. Cantwell, and Northern Trust. It is supported by an Indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Nasreen Mohamedi is made possible by Nita and Mukesh Ambani and the Reliance Foundation. The exhibition is organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía with the collaboration of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.
Relation: A Performance Residency by Vijay Iyer is made possible by Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon B. Polsky, with additional support from the Chester Dale Fund.
Kerry James Marshall: Mastry is made possible by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The exhibition is organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Inhabiting Marcel Breuer’s Architecture: Four Public Buildings Photographed by Luisa Lambri and Bas Princen is made possible by The Daniel and Estrellita Brodsky Foundation.
Soundwalk 9:09 is made possible by Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon B. Polsky.
KLANG by Karlheinz Stockhausen is made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel and Carl Spielvogel, with additional support from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Samuel White Patterson Lecture Fund. It is presented in collaboration with Analog Arts.
The Met gratefully acknowledges the following lead contributors to The Met Breuer: Daniel and Estrellita Brodsky and Howard S. and Nancy Marks; The Carson Family Charitable Trust, Tony and Amie James, and Anthony W. and Lulu C. Wang; Cheryl and Blair Effron, Mark Fisch and Rachel Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. J. Tomilson Hill, Eliot C. and Wilson Nolen, Samantha Boardman Rosen and Aby J. Rosen, Bonnie J. Sacerdote, and Alejandro Santo Domingo; Stephanie and Peter Brant, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Anne Cox Chambers, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey W. Greenberg, Mary and Michael Jaharis, Michael B. Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Leonard A. Lauder, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee, The Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation, Barrie and Deedee Wigmore, and two anonymous donors.
Major corporate support for The Met Breuer is provided by Sotheby’s.
Media Contacts:
Alexandra Kozlakowski, Communications, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
212-570-3951,
alexandra.kozlakowski@metmuseum.org
Juliet Sorce, Resnicow and Associates
212-671-5158,
jsorce@resnicow.com
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Updated March 3, 2016
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