Saginaw Art Museum Unveils New Multi-Million Dollar Facility with Exclusive Exhibition of Rodin, Picasso and Chagall

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A WORLD CLASS MASTERPIECE:
Saginaw Art Museum Unveils New Multi-Million Dollar Facility
with Exclusive Exhibition of Rodin, Picasso and Chagall

By Robert E. Martin

There can be no denying that the new multi-million dollar expansion
of the Saginaw Art Museum is one of the most marvelous improvements to
happen in Saginaw during the past year.  Coupled with the renovation of the
Saginaw Events Center and the restoration of The Temple Theatre, it offers
irrefutable evidence that in terms of class and appeal, Saginaw is capable
of going beyond trite catch phrases as 'hip' or 'cool'.

The $7 million-dollar Art For All campaign that forms the impetus behind
the Museum expansion, as its name signifies, will carry an economic and
educational impact that will pump $5 million into the local economy, add
five full-time employees to the Museum staff, and encourage tourism to
Saginaw City & County with it's world class exhibitions.  Indeed, beginning
with such exhibitions as Linda McCartney's Roadworks last year and Goya's
The Diasters of War earlier  this year, attendance to the Museum has
increased 82% to over 25,000 annual visitors.

On the educational front, completion of the $1.5 million Regional Education
wing will provide state-of-the-art spaces for classes and lectures, expand
the role of museum educators and volunteers, and establish a standard for
interactive art education programming by incorporating science-based
activities in the new Viosionarea gallery, affording children of all ages to
experience art through science.

And on September 18th, the Museum will unveil it's new Exhibition Wing to
donors of the expansion project in an elegant, black-tie affair that will
kick-off the Museum's latest exhibition, an exclusive display of works from
some of the world's most renowned artists, including Auguste Rodin, Renior,
and Marc Chagall.

Museum Director Sheila Redman surveys the new Education Wing, still under construction, that will service over 30,000 students with state-of-the-art facilities.

For Museum Director Sheila Redman, who assumed the daunting task of shepherding these significant changes and evolution into being, the unveiling of the new wing offers a feeling of incredible satisfaction.

"I walked around the entire Museum the other day thinking to myself, 'This really is a big project'," admits Redman. "You kind of elude yourself in the details so often that you forget about the scope of the project. It is an awesome thing for Saginaw."

According to Redman, the impetus for this project began about three years ago. "The idea for expansion stretches back a long time because the Board always knew we needed more space," she explains. "This is a big gorgeous house, but a tiny gallery. We have 1,500 pieces of art and nowhere to show them. So the idea popped up over the years at various times. However, about three years ago the Board met and realized if they didn't do something serious right now, we'd have to shut the doors in a matter of years."

"The Museum was a failing institution on a multitude of levels. Stagnation
affected many areas and once you start to plateau, if there's nothing to
sustain it, you'll just fall off. This was happening with membership,
attendance, and exhibitions. Nothing was grabbing people. There wasn't
anything new to see."

Thanks to Redman's savvy and eye for detail on both the artistic & business
front, coupled with a committed Board and earnest membership, the Art for
All Campaign was launched - intended to raise $2 million for further
endowment and $5 million for new construction and restoration.

To date, $6.5 million has been raised and the group is only $500,000 short
of their goal, which when achieved will witness the opening of the
Educational Wing.

"Our most significant donor was Elizabeth Sargent, "explains Sheila, "an
elderly woman that joined the campaign very early on and bequeathed her
entire estate, which amounted to $2 million when she passed away.  We've
had many other significant donors that may not want the notoriety of being
mentioned, but I must also say that the Dow Family Foundations have been
very generous, and the Saginaw Foundations have been very supportive. The
Herbert & Grace A. Dow Foundation gave us the largest gifts out of Midland,
and the Andersen Foundation matched that gift. The Kresge Foundation and
Citizens Bank were also supportive."

The new Elizabeth H. & Glenn H. Sargent Exhibition Wing is comprised of
4,000 square feet of new exhibition gallery, along with another 5,000
square feet to accommodate a loading dock, crate storage and clean prep
rooms, security & registrars offices, and a new collection storage room to
house more than 1,500 works of art the Museum has collected that spans over
4,000 years of art history.

Also completed will be the renovation of the basement of the Ring Home.
Formerly off limits to the public, the basement now houses a catering
kitchen, pantry, and public restrooms. In the future, visitors will be able
to access the Children's Education Wing from the basement via an
underground walkway.

The Museum's second addition, the Children's Education Wing, is slated for
completion in 2004, but will remain unfinished until the campaign has met
its fundraising goal.

"This educational wing will help serve more than 13,000 children," explains
Redman. "That's why it's important that people realize they don't have to
donate a lot of money to make this happen. One dollar to me helps me build
this facility. Right now we've got $473,276.83 to go until we reach the
goal. If someone donates 83 cents, it helps us get that much closer."

"Most people are surprised by the fact that annually we receive 30,000
students here at the Museum," continues Sheila. "And our attendance has
more than doubled in two years, so we've grown by leaps & bounds."

WORLD RENOWNED ARTISTS TO INAUGURATE WORLD CLASS FACILITY

Rodin working on Father Eymard's bust, 1863

Photograph by Charles Aubrey

For the 'Grand Re-Opening' on September 18th, the decision was made to showcase some of the world's greatest artists. From September 20 through November 30th, Rodin's Obsession: The Gates of Hell, Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collection will be on display to the public in the New Sargent Exhibition Wing.

Some of Rodin's best known and most-beloved works, such as The Thinker and The Kiss will be featured in this stunning exhibition of his most ambitious work.

Also on exhibit during this historic occasion will be LaGraphique: Prints
by Important French Artists from the Collection of the Flint Institute of
Arts.

Works featured will include etchings, drawings, lithographs, and pastels by
artists such as Picasso, Renoir, Chagall, Dubuffet, Braque, Leger, Calder
and many more.  These works will be on display in the second floor
galleries of the historic Ring Home.

The decision to feature the works from such a legendary coterie of artists
seems fitting for such a grand unveiling. "Very honestly, we were looking
for some 'big names' in the art," smiles Sheila.

"Rodin is one of the Modern Masters and considered one of the world's
greatest sculptors," she continues. "When you learn about Modern Art, Rodin
is the basis for all things Modern. The remainder of the artists featured
were all great masters of their time. Everyone knows those names and I feel
that is important to the whole aspect of opening this grand new Wing.  It
isn't just a grand new building housing homegrown art. We are trying to
create a 'destination point', if not just for the community, than for the
200,000 people coming to visit Saginaw each year.  If we can grab just one
percent of them, we'll be successful."

Rodin's Obsession will feature 32 pieces by the noted sculptor, a true
visionary that employed the 'Lost Wax' method into his work. "DaVinci and
Michelangelo used this process as well," notes Sheila, "but interestingly
enough it is the same process that Delphi and G.M. used to cast their auto
parts early on. They've moved to something more modern now, but we want to
be able to show this method through these works, and draw people into the
Museum. After all, Saginaw is still a GM town to an extent."

Indeed, this also fits in tightly with the entire message of the Art For
All Campaign.  "The entire purpose of our mission statement is to make art
accessible for all," explains Sheila. "It isn't a 'hoity-toity' thing for
the rich and by bringing in names familiar to many people, hopefully they
will feel more comfortable coming to see them."

Additionally, the exhibition of Rodin at the Saginaw Art Museum is only one
of two venues where people can see these works in the United States. "They
just had a Rodin exhibit at the University of Michigan," notes Redman, "but
it was an entirely different collection. This is incredibly exciting for
us."

THE  NEW  WING  AND  THE
GALA  OPENING

	At the gala 'unveiling' on September 18th, the evening will
commence at 6:30 PM with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the stately Ring
Home and its historic gardens; both designed by famous architect, Charles
Adams Platt in 1904.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be followed by the grand unveiling of the
New Sargent Exhibition Wing, which amazingly was designed by Platt's
grandson, Charles Platt of the New York Design Firm Platt, Byard, Dovell,
White.

Also present will be representatives from Wigen, Tinknell, Meyer &
Associates of Saginaw who oversaw the historic renovations and acted as
Architect of Record, and Pumford Construction, who acted as both
Construction Manager and General Contractor. Both firms are also donors to
the campaign.

The Exhibition Wing will open with the music of the Saginaw/Bay Symphony
Orchestras, conducted by Maestro Carlton Woods and filling the 9,000 square
foot addition. The artwork of Rodin will inaugurate the new gallery on the
whole first floor. Dramatic lighting of the famous sculptures will
accompany the orchestra in a sound and light extravaganza. Finally, a
Champagne Toast will be proposed as the Saginaw Art Museum kicks off the
next 100 years of Art for All.

"The evening of the 18th is for Donors Only and then the public opening
will take place on Friday, September 19th at 6:00 PM, " explains Sheila.
"The 18th will be a 'black tie' affair because of the fact this is a
once-in-a-lifetime event.  We want it to be very formal and special. Thus
far we've had 313 donors, so this is a very big start."

When asked how the architectural style of the new additions evolved, along
with the color scheme, Redman explains the process.

"People have asked why we didn't 'mimic' the original structure of the Ring
House with the additions, and the answer is simple. The original structure
was built by a famous architect, so just as you wouldn't allow another
artist to come along and paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa, as with any
addition to a well known structure, you do it in a manner that doesn't
mimic the original in any way."

"We wanted something that was contemporary and timely yet also timeless,"
she continues, "so fortunately we brought in the grandson of the original
designer who worked with Wigen/Tincknell. Actually, we got the best of both
worlds."

"The structure is basically copper sheeting with patina green painted on
the brick, which reflects the color that copper would become eventually by
sitting in the rain or elements, mellowing over the years."

As the opening night of the new Exhibition Wing and latest Rodin exhibit
approaches, Sheila Redman is gratified, optimistic, and excited about the
future.

"We are definitely moving on to bigger and better things for Saginaw," she
concludes. "And it is difficult to comprehend the impact that this will

have on our area. The State of Michigan estimates that for every person
that comes to the Museum as a destination point, it will generate an
average of $10.00 per person elsewhere in the community. Art is for
everybody and it does carry an impact."

The public opening of the new Exhibition Wing at the Saginaw Art Museum
will take place on Friday, September 19th at 6:00 PM. Horizon's Conference
Center will be catering the event. Members & children under 16 will b
admitted free of charge. Non-members will be charged $10.00 admission on
September 19th and $7.00 admission thereafter. The Museum is open Tuesday
through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm with extended hours on Thursday until 8
PM.  The Museum is also open Sunday from 1-5 PM.

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