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Chris
Bruce, Seattle, 206/523-8296
Sue Hinz, WSU News Bureau, 509/335-3583, hinz@wsu.edu
Chris
Bruce Named WSU Museum of Art Director
PULLMAN,
Wash. -- Seattle area art curator Chris Bruce has agreed to
serve as director of the Washington State University’s
Museum of Art. He will begin his new position June 9.
Robert
Bates, provost and academic vice president, said he was pleased
Bruce accepted the appointment. “Mr. Bruce has a wide
range of experiences with art organizations and artists across
the country. These experiences uniquely position him to bring
excitement and vision to our arts, museums and community arts
enrichment programs. I look forward to working with him as
we advance the mission of the Museum of Art,” the provost
said.
“The
timing is really great with the president’s interest
in interdisciplinary programs," Bruce said. “I’m
excited about the opportunity to expand the special personality
and identity of the museum by utilizing the strengths of the
university and the region."
Bruce
served as senior curator at Seattle’s Henry Art Gallery,
where he worked for 15 years and his exhibits were seen all
over the world. He also served as director of the former Meyerson
& Nowinski Gallery in Seattle’s historic Pioneer
Square and, until last year, as director of curatorial and
collections at Experience Music Project. While at Meyerson
& Nowinski, he served as president of Seattle Art Museum’s
Contemporary Arts Council.
Bruce
earned his bachelor’s degree in English from San Diego
State University and a master’s degree from San Jose
State University.
The
Museum of Art was established in the fall of 1974. It was
given the responsibility for the care, maintenance and promotion
of the permanent collections; curating and presenting exhibitions
in the museum gallery; curating and assisting statewide exhibitions
in local communities and nationally; teaching a museum procedures
course; acting as a resource for the university and general
public; and developing complementary programming such as symposia,
special lectures, films, didactic labels, catalogues and gallery
tours.
The
museum's exhibitions have been local, national and international
in their scope. Faculty and graduate students of the Department
of Fine Arts are featured each year with their own exhibitions.
Other departments and programs on campus have contributed
their expertise to the exhibitions - Departments of Anthropology;
Architecture; Clothing, Interior Design and Textiles; Home
Economics; Theatre Arts; Asian-American Program; International
Programs; Office of Continuing Education; etc. International
exhibitions shown have been from Indonesia, India, China (Taiwan),
Japan and Africa. Local and Northwest artists have been invited
for exhibitions.
WSU
Museum of Arts Highlights
The
first endowment received by the Museum of Art was the John
Mathews Friel Memorial Art Lecturer Fund established in 1975.
The endowment was given by Catherine and Jack Friel in memory
of their son, John, who was an outstanding artist working
in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
In
1977, a support group was planned and organized with a membership
drive initiated in the fall of that year. This became the
Friends of the Museum of Art. The group has continued to work
closely with the museum staff to assist with funding of exhibitions
and special events; to volunteer time for installing exhibitions,
planning receptions; and contributing time and energies wherever
needed. The Friends have also undertaken special tours and
gala activities for members and the public. In February 1987,
the Friends established a Museum of Art Endowment Fund.
In
1994, the Museum celebrated its 20th anniversary, marked by
plans to redesign the Fine Arts Center Plaza. The Endowment
grew to $79,000.
A
capsulated view of the past 20 years includes: 200 exhibitions,
more than one-half million visitors, expansion of the permanent
collection from 286 to 2,049 works.
In
2000, the museum received a gift of nearly $1 million from
the estate of Mildred Bissinger. The John W. and Mildred Bissinger
Excellence Endowment was created with the gift, proceeds from
the endowment will provide support for a variety of areas
of the museum's programming, particularly education outreach
and exhibition support.
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