WKU News

The Kentucky Museum will upgrade their art print collection storage with support from the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation. The $10,000 grant will provide funding to rehouse the Museum’s contemporary print collection, including purchasing environmentally secure cabinets to protect the prints from potential damage.

“We appreciate the work it takes in being the custodian of prints and work on paper and the essential needs they require for proper storage and conservation in order for generations to enjoy and receive education from them,” stated Tara Zabor, Executive Director of the Neiman Foundation, which is based in New York City.

A hidden treasure in the Kentucky Museum collections, the Contemporary Art Print collection is highly relevant to the WKU campus and community. The collection is comprised of more than 140 prints – serigraphs, lithographs, etchings, block prints and engravings – by artists including James Dine, James Rosenquist, Josef Albers, Lee Krasner, Robert Motherwell, and Frank Stella. There is also a collection of 35 Block prints by Kentucky artist, Malcolm Arnett.

The collection and its associated exhibitions – including POW: Process Oriented Works (open annually in the summer and fall) – have welcomed hundreds of students and been shown to over 30,000 visitors over the past three years. Notably, classes utilizing the contemporary art print collection include History of Art since 1300, Contemporary Art, Graphic Design Surveys, Art Theory & Criticism, the painting/drawing and printmaking tracks of the bachelor’s in fine arts program, art education courses and workshops, as well as general education (Colonnade) courses for freshmen/sophomores that focus on mid-century and contemporary cultures. The exhibition also inspires regional children participating in museum camps and the annual Side by Side classes and exhibition produced in partnership with Arts for All Kentucky.

“We are incredibly grateful for the Neiman Foundation’s support in rehousing our print collection,” shared Brent Bjorkman, Director of the Kentucky Museum. “Ensuring proper storage of our collections is vital to stewarding South Central Kentucky’s heritage and ensuring it is protected for current and future generations of Kentuckians.”

About the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation

Founded in 1986, the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation perpetuates the legacy and philanthropic spirit of LeRoy Neiman by promoting the study, improvement and advancement of the arts and providing opportunities for at-risk youth to develop paths to successful futures.

LeRoy Neiman (1921-2012) was a World War II Army veteran who studied at the Saint Paul School of Art and The Art Institute of Chicago, finding quick success in regional competitions and growing to national fame. Neiman became known for his works commemorating and promoting sporting events, including the Kentucky Derby, earning him the title of “Father of Contemporary Art.” He was the official artist of the Super Bowl, World Series, Kentucky Derby, championship boxing, The Masters golf tournament, Tour de France, and five Olympics. Recently, the Kentucky Museum acquired several prints of Neiman’s works – notably Derby Day Paddock, now on view in the Museum’s POW: Print-Oriented Works exhibition.

About the Kentucky Museum

The Kentucky Museum is an integral part of WKU’s campus and the South-Central Kentucky community. The Museum actively supports the academic and cultural goals of WKU while providing quality educational experiences and opportunities to engage with Kentucky’s heritage and our relevance in a global society. Thanks to the implementation of free admission, the Museum has grown exponentially over the past three years, from 14,000 visitors in 2019 to over 30,000 in 2021, representing a broad swath of Kentucky residents and tourists.

For more information, contact Tiffany Isselhardt at tiffany.isselhardt@wku.edu.