Art in Our Time - A Chronicle of the Museum of Modern Art (Hardcover)

In the late 1920s, conservative policies were the norm among traditional museums--that is, until three progressive patrons of the arts decided to establish an institution devoted exclusively to modern art. When The Museum of Modern Art was founded in 1929, its first director, Alfred H. Barr, Jr., dedicated it to helping people understand and enjoy the new visual arts of the time; his hope was that this new institution would offer New York "perhaps the greatest museum of modern art in the world." The public responded with enthusiasm--and has continued to do so over the history of the Museum's extraordinary development. Published on the occasion of the Museum's 75th birthday and the opening of its new building, "Art in Our Time: A History of The Museum of Modern Art is a picture book of historical photographs and archival documents, many of which have never before been published. Included are images of the various Museum buildings and gardens, from its original home in the Heckscher Building on 57th Street, to its present location in Yoshio Taniguchi's complex on 53rd Street; major exhibitions and important events at the Museum; and photographs of curatorial staff and Museum officials whose discerning policies helped shape our understanding of modern art. Documents include excerpts from letters, invitations, and other archival materials that tell the story of The Museum of Modern Art from its beginnings to the present.