Now on view at the Museum of the City of New York, Preservation in Progress: Picturing Immigration gives visitors an exclusive inside look into the conservation of one of the museum’s most prized possessions: 19th-century painter Samuel Bell Waugh’s monumental piece The Bay and Harbor of New York. Nearly 170 years old, Waugh’s masterful painting has gradually deteriorated over time, an important preservation project the Museum of the City of New York sought to take on. “Conservation is pivotal in preserving the essence and vitality of artworks,” says museum curator Sarah Henry. “A big part of our job is to steward these irreplaceable documents of our shared history as New Yorkers. With this special installation, the public is invited to witness this process firsthand and gain insights into the meticulous care and specialized techniques employed to safeguard this cultural treasure and others within our collection—and, ultimately, preserve the importance of New York City’s history.”

A view of Lynne Drexler’s 1968 oil on canvas, Feather Blue, at J. Kenneth Fine Art.

J. Kenneth Fine Art relocates to Vermont

J. Kenneth Fine Art has recently announced its relocation to historic Shelburne, Vermont. Situated on the shores of Lake Champlain, Shelburne is the home of the “gilded age” Shelburne Farms and the world-renowned Shelburne Museum—founded by Electra Havemeyer Webb, a pioneering collector of American folk art. Just to the south, in Weybridge, lies the nationally recognized Morgan Horse Farm. Shelburne is bracketed by the major metropolitan areas of Montreal 100 miles to the north and Manhattan 300 miles to the south, with the Hudson River Valley corridor and Champlain Valley spanning the distance between. While continuing to highlight underrepresented artists of the post-war era, J. Kenneth Fine Art will also set its sights on the inclusion of Hudson River Valley School artists and other local historically significant painters.

Joel Shapiro (b. 1941), Untitled, 1979. Gouache and charcoal on rag paper, 135⁄8 x 17½ in.

Joel Shapiro Retrospective

An exhibition at Craig Starr Gallery in New York City highlights the artwork of American sculptor Joel Shapiro in a survey of the prolific artist’s work ranging from 1978 to 1983. Organized in collaboration with the artist and his studio, the exhibition delves into Shapiro’s interest in the play between color and structure, abstraction and illusion. Known as a minimalist, Shapiro gained esteem for his dynamic, abstract art consisting of simple geometric shapes. Joel Shapiro: Gouaches and Reliefs 1978-83 will be available for viewing through October 12.

Ansel Adams (1902-1984), The Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 1942. Gelatin silver print, 3915⁄16 x 51¼ in. Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona: Ansel Adams Archive, 76.562.2, © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust.

Discovering Ansel Adams

Opening September 27 at the Cincinnati Art Museum, Discovering Ansel Adams provides an unprecedented exploration of the early career of iconic photographer Ansel Adams. Drawn from the Adams collection at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona, the exhibition displays nearly 80 photographs—a comprehensive dive into Adams’ work between 1916 and the 1940s, in which the artist grew into the most celebrated and ubiquitous photographer in the country. “Featured works range from small, one-of-a-kind photographs from Adams’ teenage years to jaw-dropping mural-sized prints of his most iconic mature views. Join the artist on his journey from teenage musician to young mountaineer, as he makes his first pictures at Yosemite, experiences the American Southwest, learns how to communicate with a broad national audience and undertakes an epic quest to photograph America’s national parks,” the museum notes. Discovering Ansel Adams will be on view through January 19, 2025.

People &Places

Donna Gustafson

After nearly two decades of service to the museum and university, chief curator Donna Gustafson, will retire from her position at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University-New Brunswick on September 1. During her career at Rutgers, which began in 2006, Gustafson curated more than 20 exhibitions, provided significant contributions to the museum’s Art of the Americas collection and adopted a forward-thinking approach that continues to propel the institution to this day.

The Frye Art Museum has appointed Lea Lovelace as its associate director of Creative Aging Programs following a national search to fill the position. Lovelace brings more than 20 years of work experience in museums, project management, community engagement, teaching and program facilitation for aging populations to this new role.

Katherine Jentleson

Michael Rooks

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia, has announced promotions for two of its curators: Katherine Jentleson, who has served as the Merrie and Dan Boone curator of folk and self-taught art since 2015, will continue in that role and also serve as senior curator of American art, overseeing the American art program. Michael Rooks, who joined the High Museum in 2010, is now the Wieland Family senior curator of modern and contemporary art.

Laura Paterson

Laura Paterson has joined Heritage Auctions’ photographs department as consignment director. She is based at Heritage’s New York City Park Avenue location, bringing three decades of experience in photography sales.

The Gibbes Museum of Art recently announced that Angela D. Mack will retire from her role as president and CEO in October 2025. In her accomplished 43-year career at the Gibbes, she served as associate curator, curator of collections, chief curator and deputy director of curatorial affairs before becoming executive director in 2008 and assuming her current role in 2023. The museum will launch a nationwide search to fill the position.

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