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Dear Members of the University Community:
I hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful Thanksgiving holiday. This past weekend, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum hosted approximately 800 visitors as part of its grand-opening weekend that has been years in the making. It was a milestone in FIU’s history and in South Florida’s cultural circles.
Bringing the university to this moment has been a labor of love for many. Patricia and Phillip Frost, generous benefactors who believed in the vision for a stand-alone museum and trusted FIU to be careful stewards of that vision. Dahlia Morgan, who opened FIU’s original Art Museum and brought top-flight culture to University Park. Frost Art Museum Director and Chief Curator Carol Damian, who has been nothing short of extraordinary in the months leading up to the opening. And Yann Weymouth, an architect of international renown who designed a building that is as artful as the collections it exhibits. The dedication and uncompromising commitment to excellence that these and other individuals have shown in creating this world-class museum at University Park reminds me of the immense passion, talent and generosity that exists within our FIU family. Congratulations to these individuals and others whose behind-the-scenes efforts ensured an opening befitting the Frost Art Museum’s stature.
If you have not visited the museum yet, I invite you to do so this week. Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Frost is hosting Faculty and Staff Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Light fare will be available and museum tours will be offered. Student Day will be observed on Wednesday, Dec. 2. FIU students are invited to enjoy tours of the museum and a barbecue on the museum’s front lawn from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The museum will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through December 7 in celebration of its grand opening. Beginning December 8, museum hours will be Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Through March 1, 2009, visitors to the museum will be treated to Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, an impressive exhibit that features 31 of the most celebrated artists who came to maturity in the 1950s. Featuring the work of Franz Kline, Josef Albers, Hans Hofmann and Ad Reinhardt, among others, Modern Masters was made possible due to the agreement that was forged in 2001 between FIU and the Smithsonian Institution. At the time, the accord was the first-ever university-wide affiliation for the Smithsonian in the continental United States. That the Frost Art Museum opened Modern Masters is a prestigious honor for our museum – an honor that I am sure will be the first of many for this cultural landmark.
This coming Sunday, Dec. 7, the Frost is hosting Breakfast in the Park with Joel Shapiro from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The occasion, which is an official Art Basel-sponsored event, includes an informal lecture by artist Joel Shapiro, a complimentary outdoor breakfast and guided tours of FIU’s sculpture park. While admission is free and open to the public, it is strongly suggested that participants RSVP. To do so, please call 305-348-1899.
The Frost Art Museum exists today thanks to the vision, generosity, and passion of many. The best way to honor their commitment is to visit the Frost this week and in the months and years ahead.
Below you’ll find links to a sampling of the coverage the Frost has received in recent days:
http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/story/791309.html
http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/story/791306.html
http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/story/790534.html
President Modesto A. Maidique
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