For Immediate Release
Office of Mrs. Bush
February 20, 2003
Remarks by Mrs. Bush at Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Thank you, Ann, for your warm welcome and for your generosity in making the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth one of the largest and most
beautiful contemporary art museums in the world. Thank you, Marla, for
your leadership in expanding the Museum's impressive collection.
And thank you, Michael, for designing this amazing exhibition which
complements the Modern's extraordinary new home.
I am happy to have as our guest Dana Gioia, whom the President just
appointed to chair the National Endowment for the Arts. Dana is a
gifted poet and business man. He says he is, "the only person in human
history who went to Stanford business school to be a poet." His talent
and managerial experience are well suited for leading NEA and I know he
will work hard to share the joy of the arts with America. Accompanying
Dana is Deedie Rose, whom you all know. Deedie is on the Board of the
National Endowment for the Arts. Thanks for being here, Deedie.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this collection and to
making the oldest art museum in Texas now the most renowned. This
exhibition celebrates the Modern's 110-year history and its continuing
evolution. It was the ambition of volunteers - twenty local women - who
first brought a love of the arts and a museum to Fort Worth in 1892.
More than a decade later, the museum purchased its first permanent
piece, Approaching Storm, by George Inness. Inness believed that art
was the poetic representation of nature itself - represented in color,
space, and contrasts of light and dark.
He would be proud that renowned architect Tadao Ando captured all
of these in this remarkable building. It is fitting that Ando's first
public commission in America would be here in the city "Where the West
Begins." In this building, art, architecture, and nature come together
to provide a rich museum experience.
Every detail from the intricate concrete walls and the reflecting
pond, to the angles of natural light are pieces of art. Touring the
Modern is an experience in art itself. You feel part of the paintings
as you walk through the perfectly lit galleries. Art doesn't just hang
in the Modern - it comes to life. Richard Serra's Vortex 2002, is a
wonderful welcome to the museum. I enjoyed seeing Jackson Pollock's
Masqued Image. And given my fondness for books, I, of course loved
Anselm Kiefer's giant book.
This museum, like thousands across America, stands as a beacon for
education. It is a living repository for information and treasured art
- and with the Modern's new Education Center and Auditorium, a museum
that will be enjoyed by everyone.
The Education Center will provide budding Picassos with plenty of
space for activities. These rooms will be part of an active museum -
hosting lectures, musical performances and citywide cultural events.
Thank you for your support of this great institution. Your tireless
efforts will make the museum an inviting place for thousands of
visitors every year. The fact that the Modern was built with private
funds is a testament to the people of Fort Worth. Your commitment
continues that of the twenty pioneering volunteers who worked hard to
bring modern art to Fort Worth. I know you are proud of the investment
you have made in your community and your future - especially your
children's future. I'm especially proud of Fort Worth.
When this beautiful building was complete, Tadao Ando said, "I hope
this museum becomes the heart of Fort Worth." It is well on its way to
becoming the heart of modern art in America. Congratulations, and I
wish you another 100 history-rich and colorful years here in Fort
Worth. Thank you.
###
|