Artistic and environmental innovation at western Michigan’s GRAM

We heard a lot about the stunning new art museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan when it opened to great fanfare as an environmentally innovative building in 2007. So, we were excited to finally visit and stroll around the building as a jazz combo played in an open gallery one recent Friday evening.

We found the starkly modern façade of the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) in keeping with its collection of mostly modern art dating from the early 20^th century to the present, with large canvasses as examples of modern movements like abstract expressionism liberally represented in the collection.

But while Abstract Expressionism sometimes appears accidental or casual, careful planning and execution go into the works—something the movement holds in common with the carefully considered collection housed in the GRAM’s facility.

The GRAM traces its origins to 1910, when Grand Rapids’ City Federation of Women’s Clubs recommended establishing an art collection with the idea of eventually establishing an art museum. Spending $444, the women purchased eleven paintings and organized an art exhibition in January 1911.

The next dozen years saw Grand Rapids host art exhibits in various downtown locations until 1924, when the Grand Rapids Art Association purchased a building as home to a new Grand Rapids Art Gallery. The original Fulton St. museum underwent many changes and several expansions before moving to larger quarters in 1981 with Grand Rapids’ favorite son and former President Gerald R. Ford helping celebrate the move.

Viewing the special exhibit, A Gift of Art: The Legacy of Mabel Perkins, gave us a good look at one of the founding forces behind the GRAM’s well-rounded collection. Perkins, an international art collector whose mother co-founded the GRAM, donated almost 300 prints, etchings, engravings, woodcuts and lithographs to the museum between 1947 and 1973. The thing that makes Perkins’ generosity notable is the fact she had a great eye for art, collecting prints by masters like Francisco Goya, Paul Gauguin, Mary Cassatt and James McNeill Whistler, as well as then-contemporary artists like Pablo Picasso and Jasper Johns.

November 2001 brought news of a $20 million gift from the Wege Foundation for the construction of a new museum and acquisition of a 1.5-acre site (much of it a gift of the city’s Downtown Development Authority) in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. Peter Wege, founder of the foundation and office-furniture manufacturer Steelcase Inc., had a special interest in environmental issues. He stipulated that the museum use his gift for a LEED-certified and architectural quality building that included a visual arts educational center for children.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating and certification system provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

The October 2007 opening for the new GRAM drew 10,000 visitors. In March 2008, the Green Building Association confirmed the GRAM’s status as the first LEED Gold certified museum in the world.

The museum doesn’t generally allow photography inside the building, but you can check out the GRAM’s inaugural celebration booklet and this post at Jetson Green for some great interior shots and more info about the GRAM’s architecture, construction and LEED certification.

Beyond its role as a “green” leader, the GRAM displays great pride in its history and art in the region. We loved reading the title cards by each artwork and finding unexpected little tidbits of information about the Midwestern origins or connections of the featured artists.

Art lovers may best know the city of Grand Rapids for its large Alexander Calder sculpture in the city’s downtown. Check back here later in the week for more about the Calder and GRAM exhibits celebrating the 40^th anniversary of its installation this year.

Meanwhile, check out Grand Rapids Brewing Company recalls a piece of western Michigan history.

© Dominique King 2009

Comments

[Tim]

Folks, this one is definitely worth a visit. The Friday night program was enjoyable and the museum was busy enough but not crowded. If you're in GR then this is a must see.

[Becks Davis]

As you know, I was recently inquiring about Grand Rapids. Thanks for showing different slices of the city.

So much focus in Michigan right now is on the green movement. This looks like a great example.

[Dominique]

Tim-Then I take it you're up for that trip back out to the GRAM early next year?

Becks-We've been in Grand Rapids a bit more in recent years since Tim's brother moved there (this last trip was for a family party), and we try to see something new each time we're out there for a couple of days.
The GRAM was a cool building. It's too bad I couldn't take any photos inside-as they allow in many instances at the U of M Museum of Art in A2.