“The Museum of Modern Art received a major gift from the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, which will add more than 100 works of modern art by major artists from Latin America to the Museum’s collection, and establish the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Research Institute for the Study of Art from Latin America. The Cisneros Institute will be dedicated to an expansive approach to the study and interpretation of modern and contemporary art from Latin America.
The gift includes 102 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, made between the 1940s and the 1990s by 37 artists working in Brazil, Venezuela, and the Río de la Plata region of Argentina and Uruguay, including Lygia Clark, Hélio Oiticica, Lygia Pape, Jesús Rafael Soto, Alejandro Otero, and Tomás Maldonado. They join 40 works previously given by Patricia and Gustavo Cisneros over the last 16 years.” — MoMA
“This gift and the establishment of a dedicated research institute represents a major milestone in our goal to provide a broader context to the history of art from Latin America, firmly rooted and integrated in a museum whose unparalleled collections and scholarship will allow for a rich and nuanced understanding of the place of Latin America in the history of modern and contemporary art,” said Patricia Phelps de Cisneros. “Under Glenn Lowry’s leadership, MoMA has delivered on the promise of its historical commitment to Latin America, and we are delighted to be able to contribute to this process, and to guarantee its long-term presence in the Museum.”
Hélio Oiticica, (Brazilian, 1937–1980). Painting 9. 1959. Oil on canvas, 45 5/8 × 35″ (115.9 × 88.9 cm).
Waldemar Cordeiro, (Brazilian, 1925–1973). Visible Idea, 1956. Acrylic on wood, 23 9/16 × 23 5/8″ (59.9 × 60 cm).
Geraldo de Barros, (Brazilian, 1923–1998). Diagonal Function. 1952. Lacquer on wood. 24 3/4 × 24 3/4 × 1/2″ (62.9 × 62.9 × 1.3 cm).
Willys de Castro, (Brazilian, 1926–1988). Active Object (Red/White Cube). 1962. Oil on canvas over wood. 9 13/16 × 9 13/16 × 9 13/16″ (25 × 25 × 25 cm).
Gego (Gertrud Goldschmidt), (Venezuelan, born Germany, 1912–1994). Eight Squares. 1961. Painted iron, 66 15/16 × 25 3/16 × 15 3/4″ (170 × 64 × 40 cm).
Tomás Maldonado, (Argentine, 1922). Development of a Triangle. 1949. Oil on canvas, 31 3/4 × 23 3/4″ (80.6 × 60.3 cm).
Alfredo Hlito (Argentine, 1923–1993). Curves and Straight Series. 1948. Oil on canvas, 27 3/4 × 27 3/4″ (70.5 × 70.5 cm).
Judith Lauand, (Brazilian, born 1922). Concrete 61. 1957. Synthetic polymer paint on wood, 23 5/8 × 23 5/8″ (60 × 60 cm).
Raúl Lozza, (Argentine, 1911–2008). Relief N° 30. 1946. Casein on wood and painted metal, 16 1/2 × 21 1/8 × 1 1/16″ (41.9 × 53.7 × 2.7 cm).
Juan Melé, (Argentine, 1923–2012). Irregular Frame no. 2. 1946. Oil on composition board, 28 × 19 3/4 × 1″ (71.1 × 50.2 × 2.5 cm).
Alejandro Otero, (Venezuelan, 1921–1990). Board 1. 1976. Lacquer on wood, 78 1/8 × 21 9/16 × 1″ (198.4 × 54.8 × 2.6 cm).
Lygia Pape, (Brazilian, 1927–2004). Untitled. 1956. Acrylic on wood. 13 3/4 × 13 3/4 × 3 1/8″ (35 × 35 × 8 cm)
Carlos Cruz-Diez, (Venezuelan, born 1923). Project for an Exterior Wall. 1954-1965. Painted dowels and synthetic polymer paint on wood, 15 3/4 × 21 3/4 × 2 1/2″ (40 × 55.2 × 6.4 cm).
Ivan Serpa, (Brazilian, 1923–1973). Untitled. 1954. Oil on canvas, 45 3/4 × 35 1/4″ (116.2 × 89.5 cm).
Jesús Rafael Soto, (Venezuelan, 1923–2005). Displacement of a Luminous Element. 1954. Vinyl on plexiglass and tempera on board and wood, 19 11/16 × 31 1/2 × 1 5/16″ (50 × 80 × 3.3 cm).
Patricia Phelps de Cisneros and Glenn D. Lowry, Director, The Museum of Modern Art, stand next to Hélio Oiticica, (Brazilian, 1937–1980). Painting 9. 1959. Oil on canvas, 45 5/8 × 35″ (115.9 × 88.9 cm). Photo © 2016 Scott Rudd.
Images courtesy The Museum of Modern Art.