Pulitzer Arts Foundation Celebrates 25th Anniversary With Exhibition Organized By Founder Emily Rauh Pulitzer

This year, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary by presenting an exhibition organized by its founder and chair, Emily Rauh Pulitzer. Dialogues & Conversations explores the nature of artistic exchange, both within Mrs. Pulitzer's life and across the broader arc of art history. It traces dialogues between artists, as well as the significant, long-term engagements that have shaped Mrs. Pulitzer as a curator and collector.

Dialogues & Conversations features work by over 35 artists, including Edgar Degas, Willem De Kooning, Dan Flavin, Alberto Giacometti, David Hammons, Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Bruce Nauman, Medardo Rosso, and Doris Salcedo, among others. These include around 90 sculptures, drawings, paintings, prints, and photographs dating from the late 19th century to the present day. The exhibition offers an opportunity to view works of art from Mrs. Pulitzer's collection, which she assembled over many decades with her late husband, Joseph Pulitzer Jr., who was an esteemed collector in his own right; masterworks that she helped to acquire as a curator for the Harvard Art Museums and Saint Louis Art Museum; and artworks from The Museum of Modern Art, as well as private lenders alongside works featured in previous Pulitzer exhibitions.

"The title Dialogues & Conversations is on point," says Cara Starke, executive director. "For Emmy, collecting and living with art is an ongoing conversation with both the artwork and the artist. This nuanced exhibition reflects Emmy's more than six decades in the field, years spent not only observing vibrant exchanges among artists, but also participating in them as both curator and collector."

Says Mrs. Pulitzer, "I began my professional life over 60 years ago at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard, where I was often asked to show works from the collection to a wide range of people-from professors and students to non-experts from other disciplines. It was through this formative experience that I developed an appreciation for spending time truly looking closely at artworks, as well as the value of interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. The relationships between artists as well as my own long-term connections and engagement with them have informed the shape of this show."

Dialogues & Conversations is organized by Emily Rauh Pulitzer with support from Molly Moog, Curatorial Associate.

Curator Biography

Emily Rauh Pulitzer began her professional career at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University in 1957 before coming to the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) in 1964. In the beginning, she served as the sole curator there, overseeing all time periods and cultures. Over the course of nine years, she helped build its collection of modern and contemporary art and organized several shows of living artists. After leaving SLAM, Mrs. Pulitzer co-curated the first exhibition of Ellsworth Kelly's sculpture, which was presented at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York (1982) and SLAM (1983). In 1973, she married Joseph Pulitzer Jr., the publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and a supporter of St. Louis civic ventures, with whom she shared a passion for collecting art. As well as founding the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Mrs. Pulitzer has been a major champion of St. Louis's cultural organizations. She has been a steadfast supporter of journalism and public media: for almost two decades, she chaired the board of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, which she co-founded with John Sawyer in 2006. She has received many distinctions recognizing her contributions and philanthropic work, including a 2011 National Medal of Arts bestowed by President Barack Obama. She is an alumna of Bryn Mawr College, the École du Louvre in Paris, and Harvard University and the recipient of honorary degrees from other universities.

Publication

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation will release a comprehensive illustrated history of its founding and evolution into an internationally recognized museum. This publication features the voices of several individuals who have played key roles in the museum's evolution, including an interview with Emily Rauh Pulitzer conducted by longtime board member Jim Cuno, former President and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust; new essays by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando and artist Glenn Ligon; recollections by artists Ellsworth Kelly and Richard Serra; contributions by Executive Director Cara Starke and Senior Curator Stephanie Weissberg; and more. Together, these contributions offer a layered portrait of a visionary arts organization from its founding to present.

About the Pulitzer Arts Foundation

Located in the Grand Center Arts District, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation is dedicated to bringing world-class art and exhibitions to the St. Louis region. Exhibitions include both contemporary and historical art and are complemented by a wide range of free public programs, including music, literary arts, dance, and cultural discussions. Open and free to all, the Pulitzer is a cultural and civic asset to the St. Louis community and a popular destination for visitors from around the world. Since its founding, the Pulitzer has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the Grand Center Arts District. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday, 10am-5pm, with evening hours until 8pm on Friday. For more information, visit pulitzerarts.org.