by Megan Jezak 

This month, the Grand Rapids Art Museum is celebrating 10 years of providing the community with an opportunity to appreciate all things art with A Decade at the Center: Recent Gifts and Acquisitions. Since the doors of GRAM (101 Monroe Center) first opened back in October 2007, the museum has hosted 113 exhibitions, spanning across all media. A Decade at the Center displays recently acquired pieces in all areas of art in which GRAM collects, including contemporary, mid-century modern furniture, vintage photography and even historical design objects.

“The exhibit will be composed of recent purchases, gifts and promised gifts from GRAM’s generous patrons,” Elizabeth Payne, Communications Manager at GRAM, said. “In some cases, these acquisitions expand the museum’s holding of works by particular artists, such as [German-American impressionist painter] Mathis J. Alten, [American painter and print maker] Richard Diebenkorn and [American figurative artist] Alex Katz.”

From the exhibits opening on Jan. 26 to its closing on April 28, you can be one of the 2,000,000+ attendees who have roamed the GRAM halls and admired a vast array of works from the collection, such as paintings by 15th-century artist Martin Schonguer to current works by multi-media artist Kara Walker.

“Many of the works will be on public view for the first time,” Payne divulged. “It was vital to GRAM Chief Curator, Ron Platt, and Director and CEO, Dana Friis-Hansen, to identify artwork for the exhibition that is an accurate representation of the diversity of GRAM’s collection.”

Show your appreciation for GRAM and join the community in exploring this encompassing and reflective collection.

What: A Decade at the Center: Recent Gifts and Acquisitions

When: Jan. 26-April 28

Where: Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center