Lamont Gallery

The Lamont Gallery is a non-profit art gallery located on the campus of Phillips Exeter Academy, in Exeter, New Hampshire, United States. It primarily showcases visiting exhibitions of local, national and international acclaimed artists, along with art of Phillips Exeter students and faculty.[2][3] However, it also possesses a small collection.

Lamont Gallery
EstablishedMay 30, 1953 (1953-May-30)
LocationFrederick R. Mayer Art Center, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, United States
Coordinates
TypeArt gallery
Key holdingsIrene Estrella
Visitors7,272 (2015–2016)[1]
OwnerPhillips Exeter Academy
Nearest parkingSurrounding streets
Websitewww.exeter.edu/arts-exeter/lamont-gallery

History

The museum was commissioned in 1951[4][5] and began construction in June 1952. The gallery was given to the school by the Lamont family, which includes academy alumni such as Thomas W. Lamont, Corliss Lamont, and Ned Lamont, as well as by alumni Harvey Kent and Earl F. Slick, the founder of Slick Airways.[6] The cost of the establishment paid through donations was valued at $150,000. The Davison Construction Company was contracted to build the gallery, which was an extension on the Mayer Art Center building, then named Alumni Hall.[7] It was named in honor of Thomas William Lamont II, class of 1942, who died aboard the USS Snook in World War II when it went missing on April 8, 1945, and was dedicated as a part of Alumni Day celebrations on May 30, 1953.[8] The first director of the gallery was Glen Krause.[9] Cabot Lyford, a prominent sculptor, served as the director of the gallery while leading the art department of Exeter.[10][11] The gallery is in part, supported by the Michael C. Rockefeller ’56 Visiting Artists Fund.[12]

Collection

The Lamont Gallery's most famous painting in its possession is Irene Estrella, by Diego Rivera, which was donated to the gallery by Exeter alumnus Corliss Lamont in 1954. It was donated to the academy by Corliss Lamont, and has been shown at museums such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Doge's Palace in Venice, and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.[9] Its collection also includes several more paintings by Rivera including a portrait of Lamont, various works by John James Audubon, George Inness, Yousuf Karsh, Maud Morgan, and Kiyoshi Saitō, as well four metal sculptures by Gerald Laing and two additional sculptures by Anthony Caro and Tony Smith, which are on display around the school campus.[13][14] The gallery also possesses numerous artifacts dating to as far as the Han dynasty, which have been donated to the gallery by Phillips Exeter alumni.[15]

Visiting exhibitions

The Lamont Gallery frequently showcases the works of visiting artists and Exeter students and faculty. Recent exhibitions include "Neighboring",[3] which showed the work of residents of Rockingham County; "2016, A State of Mind Boston Printmakers Members Show", which featured the works of members of the Boston Printmakers;[16][17] and "Self Made", which displayed works exploring identity.[18][19] The photographs of Elizabeth Gill Lui, an academy parent, have been displayed in "Open Hearts Open Doors",[20][21] and the photographs of Steve Schapiro have been displayed in "Heroes".[22] Visiting speakers have included photographer Matt Black.[23][24] Art on display has been loaned from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.[25]

See also
  • Glen Krause 1914-1981, by Glen Krause (1983)

References
  1. "Visit the Lamont Gallery".
  2. Jakebsone, Anete. "The Contemporary Art Galleries You Should Visit In New Hampshire". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  3. "Neighboring". www.nhmagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  4. "Academy Plans Art Gallery". The Portsmouth Herald. 26 November 1951.
  5. "$100,000 plans for a new art center: Lamont gallery". Art Digest. Vol. 26. 15 December 1951. p. 12.
  6. Kershaw, Sarah; Cowan, Alison Leigh (2006-11-01). "A Son of Privilege Takes His Baby Steps on the Political Proving Ground". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  7. "Lamont Gallery Opened at Exeter". The New York Times. 31 May 1953. p. 63.
  8. "Construction Begins On Lamont Gallery". The Portsmouth Herald. 16 June 1952. p. 7.
  9. "A "Top Notch" Story: How Irene Estrella Found Her Way to PEA" (PDF).
  10. "Cabot Lyford's Obituary on Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram". Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. Retrieved 2017-08-14.
  11. Norman A. Geske; Eugenia Robbins (Spring 1972). "College Museum Notes". Art Journal. 31 (3): 306.
  12. "Upcoming Exhibitions | Phillips Exeter Academy". www.exeter.edu. Retrieved 2017-08-28.
  13. "Lamont Gallery Collection | Phillips Exeter Academy". www.exeter.edu. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  14. "Outdoor Sculptures | Phillips Exeter Academy". www.exeter.edu. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  15. "Exeter's Lamont Gallery dusts off a cabinet of curiosities" (PDF). NewHampshire.com. July 3, 2013.
  16. "2016, A State of Mind – The Boston Printmakers". www.bostonprintmakers.org. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  17. Loft, Elaine. "Unexpected Installations: N.H.'s Private Schools Have Public Art". Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  18. ""Self Made" at the Lamont Gallery – Visit Exeter NH". Visit Exeter NH. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  19. "exeter exhibition explores themes of beauty, power, and desire" (PDF). The Union Leader. September 3, 2014.
  20. Hagan, Debbie (March 2014). "Elizabeth Gill Lui: Open Hearts Open Doors" (PDF). Art New England.
  21. "The Exonian". theexonian.com. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  22. "The Exonian | Exeter Life | Historical Heroes in the Lamont Gallery". old.theexonian.com. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  23. "'Geography of Poverty' Photographer Matt Black at Lamont Gallery". Pulitzer Center. 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  24. "Lamont Gallery presents 'Change Agents: Personal Art as Political Tactic'". seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  25. "Special Events at Exeter Mark its 200th Year". The Boston Globe. 26 October 1980.
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