This exhibition showcases the collection of Museum of American Art (MoAA), an artist-run institution established in 2004 in Berlin, Germany, that is dedicated to preserving and telling the story of how the canon of modern art was created in the United States. Focusing predominantly on art displayed by the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) and traveled globally since 1952, MoAA’s collection shines light on the institutions, people, and strategies that constructed our understanding of the history of American art, as we know it today.

The show thematizes canonical works of Abstract Expressionism with the individuals who shaped the narrative of the development of modern art, as well as many exhibitions that disseminated the idea of American modern art beyond the US, asserting its supremacy during the Cold War era. The story this show tells relates directly to the history of Sheldon Museum of Art as a mid-century American institution, whose collection was largely built on the model created by New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Remembering Modern Art is the first time the entire collection of MoAA is presented in the United States. Similar to the original display in Berlin, the gallery space mimics an apartment setting and will be activated through regular tours.

Remembering Modern Art is organized by Magdalena Moskalewicz, PhD, Sheldon’s chief curator and associate director for curatorial affairs, in collaboration with the technical assistant of Museum of American Art, Berlin.