DU’s already impressive art program and current holdings have, as of Jan. 2016, massively snowballed into an even more opportunistic frontier for the DU and Denver communities. According to the DU media release, “Mr. John Madden… donated a collection of 120 artworks valued at $10 million to [DU].” The collection is dense with a massive variety of renowned artists, including American painters Thomas Hart Benton and Robert Rauschenberg, along with Italian impressionists like Francesco Gioli and Federico Zandomeneghi. Below, Dan Jacobs, Vicki Myhren Gallery director and University Art Collections curator, comments on the gift.
Dale Chihuly, Bowls, late 20th century glass bowl and vase. Photo courtesy of the Madden Museum of ArtQ: What motivated Mr. John Madden to donate the collection to DU? What is his relationship with DU?
A: I believe that Mr. Madden has two essential motivations for the gift:
1. To partner with an institution that could safeguard the Madden Collection as a legacy for many years to come.
2. To provide educational opportunities around the collection for students, both at DU and more widely in the community.
Q: Where and when will the collection be displayed?
A: For the foreseeable future, we’ll be working with the Madden Museum of Art in Greenwood Village and will keep the artwork on display there. There will be some opportunities for our students to work on exhibitions at that location and we’ll also be highlighting select works from the University Art Collections in Greenwood Village. As you probably know, the university does not have an exhibition space dedicated to the University Art Collections, so this will be a fabulous outlet and a chance to help fulfill some of DU’s outreach and engagement goals under the Impact 2025 Strategic Plan.
Q: What are you anticipating will be the best benefit of the art collection coming to DU?
A: I see several major benefits. First, the quality and range of the collection will dramatically expand our ability to represent major portions of American and European art history. This, in turn, has already begun to attract the attention of other major art collectors and I expect to see more high-quality gifts to DU as a direct result of Mr. Madden’s leadership. Finally, the emphasis on providing student access to working with this collection and expanding their own personal and professional horizons is really the heart of this opportunity.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?
A: I also wanted to mention how important DU’s senior leadership has been in supporting our relationship with Mr. Madden and the Madden family. Chancellor Chopp, Chairman Doug Scrivner and Vice Chancellor Armin Afsahi and his team have all been actively involved. I think this support was essential to the success of this relationship and I feel very positive about what that means for the future of the arts at DU.
The Madden Museum of Art is located near Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, just south of the Denver Tech Center and is open every Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. or by appointment. All admission is free.
