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National Gallery of Art Opens East Building
National Gallery of Art Opens East Building
The East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., opened to the public on June 1, marking a significant architectural and cultural milestone. Designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei, the building was commissioned to provide additional space for modern and contemporary art exhibitions, as well as research facilities. Its construction was funded by Paul Mellon, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
I.M. Pei's innovative design addresses the challenges posed by the trapezoidal plot adjacent to the West Building. The site has been divided into two interlocking triangular structures: one housing exhibition spaces and the other administrative offices and research facilities. The building's geometry is a defining motif, with triangular forms repeated in elements such as marble floors, hexagonal elevators, and glass skylights26. The exterior uses Tennessee marble to harmonize with the neoclassical West Building while maintaining a modern aesthetic.
The central atrium, a focal point of the East Building, features openness and natural light enhanced by skylights and large round planters with ficus trees. Alexander Calder's monumental mobile "Untitled" was commissioned specifically for this space, adding dynamism to the architectural environment. Commissioned in 1973, "Untitled" is Calder’s largest major mobile, and his last. The artist passed away in November 1976, 12 months before the National Gallery East Building opened to the public.
President Jimmy Carter delivered remarks at the opening ceremony, emphasizing the building's role as a symbol of American civilization and its commitment to artistic freedom. He highlighted its location on Pennsylvania Avenue as emblematic of the nation's cultural values alongside political landmarks like the Capitol.
Since its opening, the East Building has welcomed millions of visitors and hosted hundreds of exhibitions, solidifying its status as a cornerstone of modern art in America.
Perplexity AI, Inc. (2025). Perplexity (DeepSeek R1) [Multiple Models]. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/tell-me-about-some-important-a-2Pkb2EqNTLakwTFli0Y6Ig?login-source=floatingSignup&login-new=false
Second Hayward Annual
Second Hayward Annual
The second Hayward Annual at London's Hayward Gallery: curated by an all-female committee; Rita Donagh, Tessa Jaray, Liliane Lijn, Kim Lim and Gillian Wise, has its roots in a feminist protest to the 1975 Hayward Gallery exhibition "The Condition of Sculpture" That exhibition featured 36 men and only four women. In response, reflecting feminist influences in the art world, this year's Annual showcases works by 23 artists (16 women and 7 men) and includes performances, discussions, and film screenings in an "Open Space."
Google (n.d.). Hayward Annual '78. Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://artsandculture.google.com/story/hayward-annual-78-hayward-gallery/PAXhlEs3uzZeJw?hl=en
Alphabet Inc. (n.d.). Kodak Handle Camera Commercial (Dick Van Dyke, 1978). YouTube. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wklh9EY8RKI
Christo & Jean Claude: Wrapped Walkways
Christo & Jean Claude: Wrapped Walkways
Wrapped Walk Ways, in Jacob Loose Memorial Park, Kansas City, Missouri, consists of the installation of 12,540 square meters (135,000 square feet) of saffron-colored nylon fabric covering 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles) of formal garden walkways and jogging paths.
Installation began on Monday, October 2, 1978, and was completed on Wednesday, October 4. 84 people were employed by A. L. Huber and Sons, a Kansas City building contractor, to install the fabric. There were 13 construction workers, four professional seamstresses and 67 students.
After 15,850 meters (52,000 feet) of seams and hems had been sewn in a West Virginia factory, professional seamstresses, using portable sewing machines and assisted by many workers, completed the sewing in the park. The cloth was secured in place by 34,500 steel spikes (each 7 x 5/16 inch/17.8 x 0.8 centimeters) driven into the soil through brass grommets along the sides of the fabric, and 40,000 staples into wooden planks on the stairways.
All expenses related to Wrapped Walk Ways have been borne by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, as in all their other projects, through the sale of preparatory works created by Christo: drawings and collages, as well as early works and original lithographs. The artists did not accept sponsorship of any kind.
The temporary work of art will remain in the park until October 16, 1978, after which the material will be removed and given to the Kansas City Parks Department for recycling, and the park restored to its original condition.
The Christo and Jean Claude Foundation (n.d.). Wrapped Walk Ways. Christo and Jean Claude. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/wrapped-walk-ways/
Whiteley Wins Archibald Prize
Whiteley Wins Archibald Prize
Brett Whiteley has won, for the second year running, Australia's prestigious Archibald Prize for portraiture with controversial self-portrait 'Art, life and the other thing.'
Art Gallery of New South Wales (n.d.). Brett Whiteley Art, life and the other thing. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/1978/19293/#:~:text=In%201978%20Brett%20Whiteley%20became,Prize%20for%20a%20second%20time.
Whiteley Wins Wynne Prize
Whiteley Wins Wynne Prize
Brett Whiteley has won Australia's prestigious Wynn Prize for landscape panting with 'Summer at Carcoar.'
Art Gallery of New South Wales (n.d.). Brett Whiteley Art, Summer at Carcoar. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/wynne/1978/
Whiteley Wins Sulman Prize
Whiteley Wins Sulman Prize
Brett Whiteley has won Australia's prestigious Sulman Prize for panting with 'The Yellow Nude.'
Australian National Portrait Gallery (n.d.). Brett Whiteley 1939 – 1992. National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from https://www.portrait.gov.au/people/brett-whiteley-1939#:~:text=In%201978%2C%20his%20annus%20mirabilis,in%20the%20winter%20of%201992.
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