Don Bacigalupi

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Don Bacigalupi is a curator specializing in contemporary art and popular culture[1][2] and a museum administrator. Bacigalupi helped to set the direction for two American museums early in their history: The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art[3] and The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.[4]

Early life and education[edit]

Bacigalupi was born in New York in 1960 and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when he was nine years old.[5]

Bacigalupi studied at the University of Houston where he earned a bachelor's degree.[6] He earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Texas, Austin.[6][7][8]

Career[edit]

Bacigalupi was the Brown Curator of Contemporary Art at the San Antonio Museum of Art from 1993 to 1995.[7] He was director and chief curator of the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston from 1995 to 1999.[1][7] While at Blaffer, he curated the exhibition Michael Ray Charles, 1989–1997: An American Artist's Work.[9]

From 1999 to 2003, Bacigalupi served as executive director of the San Diego Museum of Art.[1][10][7] Dan Stephen, president of the museum's board, described Bacigalupi's tenure as "We wanted someone with fire in his belly, and we got someone like that—someone who could do some fence mending, someone who could help us take our place in the community of museums and as an educational resource."[7] During Bacigalupi's tenure, exhibitions at the museum included High Societies, Axis Mexico, Idol of the Moderns: Pierre-Auguste Renoir and American Painting, and Power & Desire: South Asian Paintings from the Edwin Binney 3rd Collection.[7]

From 2003 to 2009, Bacigalupi served as director of the Toledo Museum of Art.[1] During his tenure, Bacigalupi acquired numerous works for the collection including The Party by Marisol Escobar,[11][12] Executive by Duane Hanson,[13][14] and Chandelier Campiello del Remer #2 by Dale Chihuly.[15] He also spearheaded the development of the Glass Pavilion that opened in 2006.[1][10] Georgia Welles, a committee member at the museum, said of Mr. Bacigalupi "I was always delighted with his enthusiasm when he found wonderful objects to present to us. I would say we had a very successful time under Don's tenure and everyone wishes him well with his new job."[16]

View of the Museum
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

In August 2009, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art named Bacigalupi as director, two years prior to its opening in November 2011.[10][17][2][18][19] John Wilmerding said of the appointment, “It’s an opportunity for it [the museum] to be perceived not as a curiosity in the hinterlands, but as a major American art museum.” [10] At the time of his appointment, Virginia Germann, director of museum relations at Crystal Bridges, said Bacigalupi "has several skills that will enable him to oversee completion of a new, unusual building, to build a team, and interact with both the Bentonville community and his peers around the world.[16] While at Crystal Bridges. Bacigalupi curated the exhiibition State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now,[20] which presented work by around 100 contemporary American artists. In August of 2014, Bacigalupi gave a TEDx talk describing the process of putting the exhibition together.[21]

When Bacigalupi left Crystal Bridges, founder and board chair Alice Walton said of him "“Don’s achievements at Crystal Bridges have been numerous, and many of our successes are attributable to his guidance leading up to the opening of the museum and continuing into our highly successful next three years. He came on board when the museum was in its early stages, guiding our direction through the building phase and helping to shape the development and exhibition of our art collection."[3]

Old-fashioned barber's shop (painting)
Shuffleton's Barbershop by Norman Rockwell

In November, 2014, Bacigalupi was named founding president of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.[17][18][22][23][8][24][25] Worth magazine wrote "Don Bacigalupi is arguably America’s most innovative museum director, and he’s become a trusted partner to some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals when they want to create public art institutions."[26] Worth described Bacigalupi as "a carefully-dressed academic who naturally speaks in paragraphs, [and] has become adept at working with exacting collectors and benefactors."[26] In 2018, during Bacigalupi's tenure, the museum acquired Shuffleton’s Barbershop by Norman Rockwell.[27] Bacigaluci said of the acquisition "This will be one of the anchor works of our museum, which we’re delighted to share with the public."[27] In February 2019, the museum announced that Bacigalupi would step down as president, continuing in the role of special adviser.[4][28][29] George Lucas said of Bacigalupi "Don was essential in helping to formalize our vision and in laying the important groundwork that has brought us to this point. We would not have been able to break ground in Los Angeles without him."[4]

In December of 2023, TV producer Dick Wolf gave more than 200 works to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The gift included works by Van Gogh, Bronzino, Botticelli, and Artemisia Gentileschi. Bacigalupi was described by The Art Newspaper as the art advisor who helped Wolf to assemble the collection.[30][31][32]

Personal life[edit]

As of July 2020, Bacigalupi lives with his husband graphic artist Dan Feder and their teenage son in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. They have lived in that neighborhood since their move from Chicago in 2018. Additionally, the couple have a weekend home in Palm Springs.[6][5][19][33]

Publications[edit]

  • Synesthesia : Sound and Vision in Contemporary Art[34]
  • Continental Discourse : Art of Mexico and the United States Today[35]
  • Transcending Limits : Moving Beyond Mainstream and Margin[36]
  • Michael Ray Charles: An American Artist's Work, 1989-1997 [37]
  • Celebrating the American Spirit : Masterworks from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art[38]
  • State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now, Exhibition Catalog, 2014.[39][40]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Director Don Bacigalupi to leave Toledo Museum of Art". WTOL Toledo. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  2. ^ a b Failing, Patricia (2012-01-12). "American Art, Alice Walton's Way". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  3. ^ a b "Crystal Bridges Announces the Departure of Museum President Don Bacigalupi". Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. 2014-11-17. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  4. ^ a b c "Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is searching for a new president". Los Angeles Times. 2019-02-16. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  5. ^ a b "Lucas Museum founding president: A story through art - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News Archive". Windy City Times. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  6. ^ a b c "Lucas Museum president has been through the art wars before". Crain's Chicago Business. 2015-12-04. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Museum Announces Departure of Don Bacigalupi". artdaily.cc. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  8. ^ a b "Lucas Museum Names Founding President". www.lucasmuseum.org. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  9. ^ Charles, Michael Ray (1997). Michael Ray Charles, 1989–1997: An American Artist's Work. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-941193-12-2.
  10. ^ a b c d Kennedy, Randy (2009-08-17). "Don Bacigalupi Is Named New Director of Crystal Bridges Museum". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  11. ^ "Marisol, The Party – Smarthistory". smarthistory.org. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  12. ^ "The Party". emuseum.toledomuseum.org. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  13. ^ "Duane Hanson, Executive, originally titled, Another Day – Smarthistory". smarthistory.org. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  14. ^ "Another Day". emuseum.toledomuseum.org. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  15. ^ "April 8 Art Minute: Dale Chihuly, "Campiello del Remer #2"". The Toledo Museum of Art. 2016-04-08. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  16. ^ a b "Toledo Museum of Art's CEO to leave for new facility in Arkansas". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  17. ^ a b Miller, M. H. (2014-11-17). "Crystal Bridges President Don Bacigalupi Will Leave to Lead Lucas Museum of Narrative Art". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  18. ^ a b Harris, Melissa Harris, By Melissa. "Lucas Museum hires Don Bacigalupi as president". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-12-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ a b Bernstein, Fred A. (2012-03-27). "A Bold Move". T Magazine. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  20. ^ Failing, Patricia (2013-11-27). "1,000 Studio Visits, One Ambitious Crystal Bridges Show". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  21. ^ State of the art | Don Bacigalupi | TEDxKC, retrieved 2023-12-28
  22. ^ "What Is a 'Narrative Art Museum'? 6 Things to Expect From George Lucas's New LA Museum". artnet News. 2018-04-17. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  23. ^ Kennedy, Randy (2014-11-18). "President Named for Lucas Museum in Chicago". ArtsBeat. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  24. ^ Finkel, Jori (2018-03-14). "George Lucas's New Museum Breaks Ground in Los Angeles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  25. ^ "Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Announces President". www.architectmagazine.com. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  26. ^ a b "The Billionaires' Museum Builder". Worth. 2018-10-26. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  27. ^ a b Finkel, Jori (2018-04-11). "Lucas Museum Comes Forward as Buyer of Rockwell Painting". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  28. ^ "L.A.'s Lucas Museum Finds CEO". The Hollywood Reporter. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  29. ^ "Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Announces Leadership Transition". www.lucasmuseum.org. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  30. ^ "Creator of TV drama Law & Order donates more than 200 works to the Metropolitan Museum". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 2023-12-21. Archived from the original on 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  31. ^ Small, Zachary (2023-12-20). "Dick Wolf, 'Law & Order' Creator, Gives 200 Artworks to the Met Museum". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  32. ^ "The Met Announces Transformative Holiday Gift of Over 200 Works of Art from Dick Wolf". mail.metmuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2023-12-28. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  33. ^ Sullivan, Paul (2020-07-17). "New Tools for Home Buyers as the Pandemic Upends Real Estate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  34. ^ Bacigalupi, Don; San Antonio Museum of Art (1994). Synesthesia: sound and vision in contemporary art. San Antonio: San Antonio Museum of Art. OCLC 32372915.
  35. ^ Bacigalupi, Don; San Antonio Museum of Art (1995). Continental discourse: art of Mexico and the United States today, November 17, 1995 through March 3, 1996. San Antonio, Tex.: San Antonio Museum of Art. ISBN 978-1-883502-05-8. OCLC 34411349.
  36. ^ Bacigalupi, Don; Charles, Michael Ray; Texas Fine Arts Association (1999). Transcending limits: moving beyond mainstream and margin. Austin, Tex.: Texas Fine Arts Association. OCLC 156908874.
  37. ^ Bacigalupi, Don; Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston (1997). Michael Ray Charles: An American Artist's Work, 1989-1997. Houston, Texas: Blaffer Gallery. ISBN 9780941193122. OCLC 37437284.
  38. ^ Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, Ark.); Bacigalupi, Don; Crosman, Christopher; Shapiro, Emily Dana (2011). Celebrating the American spirit masterworks from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Bentonville, Ark.; Manchester, Vt.; [Lanham, MD: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; Hudson Hills Press; Distributed by National Book Network. ISBN 978-1-55595-371-3. OCLC 867854423.
  39. ^ Bacigalupi, Don (2014). State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. ISBN 978-0-9834665-0-5.
  40. ^ Bacigalupi, Don; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; Minneapolis Institute of Arts (2014). State of the art: discovering American art now. ISBN 978-0-9834665-0-5. OCLC 890660937.
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