Press Release: "+ collection" opening at the Portland Museum of Art in February 2024

Exhibition dates: February 2 through April 28, 2024

For Immediate Release: December 18, 2023

Derrick Adams (United States, born 1970), This Could All Be Yours, 2020, inkjet and six color screen print on paper, 19 1/2 x 28 7/8 inches. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Museum purchase with support from the Contemporary Art Fund, 2020.18. © Derrick Adams. Image courtesy of the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture.

There are more than 19,000 artworks in the PMA collection—each one of them has a story. 

The Portland Museum of Art has more than 19,000 objects in its collection, and over the last decade has taken deliberate steps to expand the narratives it can tell through its artworks.  + collection is a rare opportunity to view a selection of the PMA’s most recent acquisitions, while gaining insight into the very basis of building, maintaining, and stewarding a museum collection. On view from February 2 through April 28, 2024,  
+ collection highlights the transparent and evolving nature of the PMA's Art for All mission and how it impacts its galleries, exhibitions, and the museum’s artistic program as a whole.  

New works in museum collections undergo a lengthy review process that often takes several months or even years. + collection features over 50 artworks that have come into the collection via bequests, gifts, and purchases. Additionally, the exhibition investigates these artworks’ many avenues into the museum and unveils the processes critical for inclusive collection stewardship. By prioritizing the process as a critical part of the story, + collection enables conversation around private and public collections, presentation and care of artwork in profound ways.

Many artworks added to the collection have already transformed the PMA galleries. Extraordinary gifts in recent years—including more than 100 works from the Alex Katz Foundation as well as Judy Glickman Lauder's promised gift of nearly 700 photographs—have attracted global audiences to Portland to view works by Berenice Abbott, Martha Diamond, Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, Rackstraw Downes, Philip Guston, Sally Mann, Thaddeus Mosley, Sigmar Polke, Robert Rauschenberg, and many more.  

In exploring the relationship between artworks and museums, + collection is a testament to the Portland Museum of Art's unwavering commitment to growth, stewardship, and evolving impact. With its diverse array of media and thought-provoking narratives, the exhibition invites viewers to explore the responsibilities, and ambitions, of public and private art institutions.

 ABOUT THE PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART: 

With an extensive collection and nationally renowned exhibitions, the Portland Museum of Art is the cultural heart of Portland, Maine. The PMA boasts significant holdings of American, European, and contemporary art, as well as iconic works from Maine—highlighting the rich artistic tradition of the state and its artists. The museum brings it all to life with unparalleled programming. From special members events, Free School Tours, and a commitment to family activities, to PMA Films, curator talks, and tours of the Winslow Homer Studio—it's all happening at the PMA. 

In 2022, the museum launched The PMA Blueprint: Building a Landmark for the Future, a $100M campus expansion and unification project that will more than double the size of the PMA's campus as well as the museum's economic impact throughout the region. Designed by LEVER Architecture, a new mass timber, landmark building will be a pillar of sustainable design and a catalyst for climate-safe construction in Maine. Sparked by the current growth of the collection, record attendance and community feedback, and new opportunities to expand and unify its campus, the Portland Museum of Art stands ready to embark on what will be its most ambitious and pioneering era yet.