The second rotation of Miami Art Museum’s Recent Acquisitions exhibition opened to the public, Thursday, July 16, in conjunction with JAM@MAM, the Museum’s monthly happy hour with an artful twist. The exhibition will remain up until October 11, 2009 so you still have plenty of time to view it. This second rotation of works underscores the increased inclusion of local artists into the collection. Those artists include: Pablo Cano, Maria Martinez Cañas (in the first rotation), Emilio Perez, Cristina Lei Rodriguez, Mette Tommerup and, Julie Davidow teamed with Carol Prusa. This exhibition is highlighted by works-on-paper (drawings, photographs and aquatint) although, the exhibition also has paintings and sculptures. Without having a larger viewing of the museum’s collection it is not easy to assess what kind of collection the museum has, even though parts of it have been exhibited over the past few years. Once the museum completes its move to its new location we will most likely have a better opportunity to get that view. Miami Art Museum’s new facility will be 200,000 square feet of programmable space and will be located in downtown Miami’s Museum Park. The new venue will include 32,000 square feet of galleries, allowing MAM to better serve its diverse audience with larger and more varied exhibitions.

In the meantime we have a small selection of works on view.

Established in 1984 as the Center for Fine Arts in Miami, the museum was initially run as a kunsthalle, or a space that presents exhibitions but has no permanent collection. In 1996, it became the Miami Art Museum and began to collect works dating from World War II to the present. The museum now has over 300 pieces, including several donated by the estates of the artists Joseph Cornell and George Segal.

© Alexandre Arrechea Architectural Elements, 2005 Two color photographs Collection Miami Art Museum, museum purchase with funds provided by Mary and Howard Frank in honor of Peter Menéndez

“Museums are not good businesses. They do not have strong balance sheets absent endowments and absent heavy fundraising. The only thing that saves museums when times get tough is local support. People who love the museum will not let it go under. That’s the only way it ever works really,” spoke Terry Riley, Director, Miami art Museum, to Tyler Green, of ArtsJournal back in 2006. Green adds, “The veracity of that statement will, in the long term, determine how successful MAM is.”

In 2006 Miamiartexchange.com said, “MAM’s permanent collection lacks direction and presence although there are some good works in the collection.” Has that significantly changed? One would hope so but, it’s not easy to determine that based on this two-part exhibition.