FRENCH AMERICAN MUSEUM EXCHANGE INC
PO BOX 18029, PORTLAND, OR 97128 www.framemuseums.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE ORGANIZATION FOSTERS BILATERAL EXCHANGES OF INFORMATION, PERSONNEL, TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES BETWEEN A GROUP OF 32 NORTH AMERICAN AND FRENCH REGIONAL ART MUSEUMS.

FRAME IS A COALITION OF 32 ART MUSEUMS DEDICATED TO PROMOTING FRENCH- AMERICAN COOPERATION IN THE CULTURAL ARENA CONCERNING MUSEUMS, THEIR COLLECTIONS, AND THEIR PROFESSIONAL STAFFS. IT FOSTERS PARTNERSHIPS, PROJECTS AND EXCHANGES OF INFORMATION, PERSONNEL, TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES. THE PROJECTS ARE BASED ON THE RESOURCES OF THE MUSEUMS AND RANGE FROM A SHARED WEBSITE TO JOINT EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLICATIONS. THEY SERVE THE CULTURAL NEEDS OF EACH COUNTRY AND EDUCATE A CONSTITUENCY OF GREAT SIZE, BREADTH AND DISTRIBUTION.

IN 2019, THE ORGANIZATION SPONSORED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: "IN PRAISE OF EMOTION AND IN PRAISE OF SENSIBILITY" NANTES ARTS MUSEUM: IN PRAISE OF SENSIBILITY FEBRUARY 15 - MAY 13, 2019 FINE ARTS MUSEUM OF RENNES. IN PRAISE OF EMOTION AND IN PRAISE OF SENSIBILITY IS THE RESULT OF AN EXEMPLARY COOPERATION BETWEEN THE NANTES ARTS MUSEUM AND THE RENNES MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. THE EXHIBITION IS SET UP AS A DIPTYCH (AN EXHIBITION AT EACH MUSEUM) THAT ESTABLISHES A PERFECT DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE WORKS FROM THESE COMPLEMENTARY COLLECTIONS. MANY OF THESE PAINTINGS ECHO OTHER WORKS HELD WITHIN THE FRAME NETWORK AND SHOW THE UNIVERSAL CULTURAL HERITAGE THAT CONSTITUTES THE COLLECTIONS OF HISTORICAL BRITTANY. THE EXHIBITION'S MAIN PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE A DISCOVERY OF THE ENTIRE PICTORIAL PRODUCTION IN THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH THE PRISM OF EMOTION AND SENSIBILITY. RENNES' EXHIBITION FEATURES GREAT, ANCIENT, RELIGIOUS AND MYTHOLOGICAL HISTORY, WHILE NANTES FEATURES THE DIFFERENT GENRES, FROM GREAT FORMAL PORTRAITS TO DELICATE STILL LIVES. "NAPOLEON: POWER AND SPLENDOR" THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART OCTOBER 26, 2018 - THROUGH MARCH 3, 2019 THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ORGANIZED AND CIRCULATED THIS MAJOR EXHIBITION THAT REVIVES THE SUMPTUOUS ATMOSPHERE OF NAPOLEON'S COURT SINCE HIS CORONATION, IN 1804, UNTIL HIS EXILE IN 1815, WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART, THE MUSE NATIONAL DU CHTEAU DE FONTAINEBLEAU AND THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. THE EXHIBITION BRINGS TOGETHER MORE THAN 400 WORKS AND OBJECTS OF ART FROM SOME 50 PRESTIGIOUS LENDERS, INCLUDING THE LOUVRE MUSEUM, THE CHTEAU FONTAINEBLEAU, THE MOBILIER NATIONAL DE FRANCE, THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CASTLES OF MALMAISON AND BOISPRAU, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM, THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, AND THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO. 2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE, THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART IN KANSAS CITY, MO FRAME'S 20TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD ON OCTOBER 30, 2019 THROUGH NOVEMBER 1, 2019 AT THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART IN KANSAS CITY, MO AND WAS ATTENDED BY 75 MEMBER MUSEUM DIRECTORS, CURATORS, EDUCATORS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS. WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON IDEAS FOR POTENTIAL NEW EXHIBITIONS, AND TURNKEY EXHIBITIONS SEEKING PARTNERS, AS WELL AS BEST PRACTICES PRESENTATIONS ON RESTORATION, AND OUTREACH TO TEEN AUDIENCES. SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATORS FACILITATED THE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AMONG THE GLOBAL PARTICIPANTS. 20TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2019, FRAME CELEBRATED ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY BY PRODUCING A AND VIDEO AND A PUBLICATION TO DOCUMENT THE ORGANIZATION'S ACTIVITIES SINCE ITS INCEPTION. FRAME ALSO HOSTED RECEPTIONS IN PARIS AND AT THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART IN KANSAS CITY, MO.

FRAME FACILITATES EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES BY MAKING THEIR RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC. THE BI-LINGUAL FRAME INITIATIVES ARE INFORMED BY THE PERMANENT COLLECTIONS AT EACH OF THE MEMBER MUSEUMS. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN 2019, A TOTAL OF FOUR REGULAR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WERE DEVELOPED BETWEEN FRAME MUSEUMS: CURATING A CULTURE OF RESPECT: A PROGRAM DEVELOPED SINCE 2014 WHOSE GOAL IS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND EVEN PREVENT VIOLENCE WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO BUILD RESPONSIBLE HUMAN BEHAVIOURS. THE MUSEUMS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROGRAM IN 2019 WERE: THE WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART, HARTFORD; THE PALAIS DES BEAUX-ARTS OF LILLE; THE MUSE FABRE IN MONTPELLIER; THE MUSEUMS OF STRASBOURG; THE STERLING AND FRANCINE CLARK ART INSTITUTE, WILLIAMSTOWN. THE ART OF INCLUSION: A PROGRAM DEVELOPED SINCE 2016 WHOSE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE SOCIAL COHESION AND HELP TO DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE AMONG PARTICIPANTS. THE MUSEUMS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROGRAM IN 2019 WERE: THE MUSE DES BEAUX-ARTS OF LYON; THE MUSE DES AUGUSTINS IN TOULOUSE. BRIDGES ACROSS BORDERS: A PROGRAM DEVELOPED SINCE 2015 THROUGH THE DISCOVERY AND KNOWLEDGE OF ART AND HERITAGE, THIS LANGUAGE PROGRAM GIVES THOUGHT TO GEOGRAPHICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL BORDERS BETWEEN COUNTRIES AND PEOPLE. THE MUSEUMS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROGRAM IN 2019 WERE: THE MUSE DES BEAUX-ARTS OF BORDEAUX; THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, RICHMOND; THE MUSE DES BEAUX-ARTS OF TOURS. PLEASE TOUCH: A TOURING TACTILE GALLERY DEVELOPED IN 2017 BY THE MUSE FABRE IN MONTPELLIER AND ADAPTED IN 2019 TO OTHER FRENCH FRAME MUSEUMS. A MAJOR GOAL OF THIS EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITION IS TO FOSTER SOCIAL TIES FOR BLIND PEOPLE AND EXPERIMENT NEW WAYS OF APPROACHING COLLECTIONS, ESPECIALLY SCULPTURE, BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF VISUAL IMPAIRED PEOPLE. THIS EXPERIENCE WAS PRESENTED AT THE MUSE DES BEAUX-ARTS OF LYON FROM APRIL 13 TO SEPTEMBER 22, 2019. THE OTHER FRAME MUSEUMS WHICH COOPERATED WITH LYON TO BUILD EDUCATIONAL DEVICES FOR THE SHOW WERE: THE MUSE DES BEAUX-ARTS OF BORDEAUX; THE PALAIS DES BEAUX-ARTS OF LILLE; THE MUSE D'ARTS IN NANTES; THE MUSEUMS OF ROUEN. IN ADDITION IN 2019, THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART, THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS AND THE PALAIS DES BEAUX-ARTS OF LILLE PARTNERED AND STARTED TO ELABORATE AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER PROTOCOL FOR MUSEUMS TO HOST THESE AUDIENCES IN THE BEST WAY. FRAME EDUCATION CONFERENCE IN MONTPELLIER FRAME'S ANNUAL EDUCATORS CONFERENCE WAS HELD ON JUNE 30, 2019 THROUGH JULY 3, 2019 AT THE MUSE FABRE IN MONTPELLIER AND WAS ATTENDED BY 29 MEMBER MUSEUM EDUCATORS FROM FRANCE AND THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS. THE CONFERENCE PROMOTED CONVERSATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES EXCHANGES BETWEEN FRENCH AND AMERICAN EDUCATORS. WORKSHOPS WERE ORGANIZED TO TAKE STOCK TOGETHER ABOUT ACTIVITIES WHICH HAD BEEN DEVELOPED IN EACH FRAME EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND TO DEFINE DIRECTION TO TAKE IN THE FUTURE. THE CONFERENCE WAS HELD AT THE SAME MOMENT AS AN EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED BY THE FRENCH MINISTRY OF CULTURE. ON THIS OCCASION, TWO AMERICAN COLLEAGUES FROM THE CLARK ART INSTITUTE, WILLIAMSTOWN AND FROM NEWFIELDS, INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART TOOK PART IN A ROUND TABLE ABOUT "MUSEUMS AS THIRD PLACES". GIVERNY FRAME'S ANNUAL GIVERNY CONFERENCE PROMOTED SCHOLARLY CONVERSATIONS, OPEN DISCUSSIONS AND INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF MEMBER MUSEUMS' PROGRAMS AND COLLECTIONS AND WAS HELD MAY 21-23, 2019. A GROUP OF APPROXIMATELY 30 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE. THE GROUP PARTICIPATED IN A VARIETY OF BREAKOUT SESSIONS ABOUT FRAME EXHIBITIONS UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND NEW IDEAS FOR EXHIBITIONS.

THE MUSEUMS OF THE CITY OF MARSEILLE WAS AWARDED 12,000 IN GRANT FUNDS FOR TRAVEL AND RESEARCH FUNDING FOR "SURREALISM IN AMERICAN ART," A MAJOR EXHIBITION SLATED FOR JUNE 2020 AT THE CENTRE DE LA VIEILLE CHARIT. CURATOR OF THE PROJECT: ERIC DE CHASSEY (PHD), PROFESSOR OF ART HISTORY, DIRECTOR OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ART HISTORY (INHA). THE EXHIBITION WILL OPEN IN MARSEILLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2020 IN COPRODUCTION WITH REUNION DES MUSEES NATIONAUX - GRAND PALAIS (RMN-GP). THE FOCUS OF THE EXHIBITION IS THE STORY OF HOW NEW YORK WAS INSPIRED BY THE MODERN ART OF PARIS. IN 1941-1942, MANY SUREALISTS HAD TO FLEE OUT OF EUROPE TO EVADE WWII. A GROUP OF EUROPEAN SURREALIST ARTISTS (MAX ERNST, WIFREDO LAM, ANDRE MASSON, ETC) ARRIVED FROM MARSEILLE AND PARTICIPATED IN THIS NEW ADVENTURE OF THE MIND. AMERICAN ART WAS PROVINCIAL UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF EUROPEAN ARTISTS, IN PARTICULAR SURREALISTS. IMMIGRATING TO THE UNITED STATES, THEY FOSTERED THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW GENERATION OF LOCAL ARTISTS WHO BECAME THE FIRST REAL INTERNATIONAL AMERICAN ARTISTS, THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISTS, AND THE FIRST GENERATION OF ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM WAS SUPERSEDED BY SUCCESSIVE MOVEMENTS - POP ART, MINIMAL ART, POST-MINIMAL ART AND CONCEPTUAL ART. THE EXHIBITION AIMS AT PROPOSING AN ALTERNATIVE HISTORY OF POSTWAR AMERICAN ART BY SHOWING HOW AMERICAN EXILE APPEARS MORE LIKE A NEW BEGINNING THAN THE END OF SURREALISM AND HOW SURREALISM CONTINUES TO EVOLVE THROUGH AMERICAN ABSTRACT WORKS. THIS JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN FRENCH AND AMERICAN MUSEUMS HIGHLIGHTS THE RICH HOLDINGS OF SURREALISM IN AMERICAN ART IN THESE MUSEUMS. THE EXHIBITION INVOLVED KEY LOANS FROM FRAME MEMBER MUSEUMS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS, ALLOWING FOR VISUAL CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN IMPORTANT WORK FROM ACROSS THE US AND FRANCE. THE DENVER ART MUSEUM WAS AWARDED 10,630 TO SUPPORT ITS EXHIBITION "AMERICAN RESPONSES TO FRENCH ART: 1850 - 1920," TO BE PRESENTED OCTOBER 2021 TO FEBRUARY 2022. CURATOR: DR. TIMOTHY J. STANDRING, GATES FAMILY FOUNDATION CURATOR OF PAINTING & SCULPTURE. THE EXHIBITION EXPLORES THE MANNER IN WHICH AMERICAN ARTISTS COLLECTIVELY REACTED TO, ABSORBED, AND REJECTED FRENCH ARTISTIC APPROACHES WHILE LIVING AND WORKING IN FRANCE BETWEEN 1850 AND 1920. THIS SURVEY FOSTERS A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE RESPONSES THESE ARTISTS DEVELOPED FIRSTHAND IN A NOVEL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL MILIEU. BECAUSE OF IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION AND A DECLINE IN PROVINCIALISM IN THE U.S. AFTER THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, ARTISTS FLOCKED TO PARIS FOR THE CITY'S ANNUAL EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES, TO BE NOTICED BY CRITICS AND COLLECTORS, AND TO BENEFIT FROM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN AT THE ECOLE DES BEAUX-ARTS. MOREOVER, THE RENEWED APPRECIATION FOR SALON PAINTINGS SPREAD TO AMERICAN PATRONS WHO SOUGHT WORKS FROM AMERICAN MASTERS WHO EMULATED THEIR FRENCH CONTEMPORARIES. THE EXHIBITION FEATURES WORKS BY WHISTLER, SARGENT, AND CASSATT-ALL HIGHLY REGARDED BY THE FRENCH CRITICAL PRESS-AS WELL AS ARTISTS JOHN TWACHTMAN THEODORE ROBINSON, WILLARD LEROY METCALF, CHARLES SPRAGUE PEARCE, HENRY OSSAWA TANNER, AND THOMAS HOVENDEN - ALL OF WHOM FREGUENTED GIVERNY, PONT- AVEN, AND CONCARNEAU; AS WELL AS ROBERT VONNOH, AMONG OTHERS, WHO HELD FORTH AT GREZ-SUR-LOING. AMERICAN FEMALE ARTISTS ELIZABETH JANE GARDNER, CECILIA BEAUX, HELEN CORSON, AND ELIZABETH NOURSE-ALL OF WHOM WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEIR MALE CONTEMPORARIES-OFFER YET ANOTHER STRAND IN THIS BRAIDED NARRATIVE OF AMERICANS' RESPONSE TO FRENCH ART. THESE ARTISTS APPROPRIATED TO VARYING DEGREES ASPECTS OF RURAL NATURALISM, REALISM, IMPRESSIONISM, AND TONALISM FOR THEIR PORTRAITS AND LANDSCAPES, AND THEIR PICTURES OF GENRE AND HISTORY SUBJECTS OVER THIS SEVEN-DECADE PERIOD. THIS PROJECT CONVENES CURATORIAL, EXHIBITION, AND INTERPRETIVE TEAMS AND FOSTERS PARTNERSHIP AMONG FRAME MEMBER MUSEUMS TO DEVELOP A MAJOR EXHIBITION. THE STERLING AND FRANCINE CLARK ART INSTITUTE WAS AWARDED 13,500 IN SUPPORT OF "FREE FORM," A PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR THE PRISON POPULATION. FREE FORM IS A CULTURAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS, ARTISTS AND PEOPLE IN PRISON. FREE FORM IS AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM MODEL ENGAGING NEW AUDIENCES IN THE ARTS ("DE-ELITIZING" OF THE ARTS) THAT DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF THE ARTS TO IMPROVE LIVES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES. PROJECT LEADERS: RONNA TULGAN OSTHEIMER - THE CLARK MUSEUM AND SOPHIE ONIMUS-CARRIAS - THE MUSE DES BEAUX-ARTS IN LYON, THERE THE TRANSLATION OF THIS SHARED PROGRAM IS "RVES DE LIBERT". THE GRANT WAS FOR FUNDING TRAVELS FOR PROJECTS LEADERS AND THEIR PARTNERS BOTH IN LYON (FIRST) AND WILLIAMSTOWN (SECOND) TO FOSTER INSPIRATION BETWEEN EACH OTHER ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. THROUGH ENGAGING WITH THE ARTS, PARTICIPANTS WILL EXPAND THEIR SENSE OF SELF (AND OTHER) AWARENESS AND SELF (AND OTHER) UNDERSTANDING, LEADING TO GREATER SELF-ESTEEM AND AN INCREASED ABILITY FOR SELF-DETERMINATION AND CONSTRUCTIVE INTERACTION WITH THE WORLD. MUSEUM EDUCATORS AND CONTRACTED ARTISTS WILL WORK WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM A LOCAL PRISON TO INTRODUCE THE ARTS AS A WAY TO CONTEMPLATE AND EXPLORE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A HUMAN BEING AND THE CHOICES WE CAN MAKE IN OUR OWN LIVES. CONCEPTS WILL BE DEVELOPED THROUGH ENGAGING WITH IMAGES OF VISUAL ART FROM THE MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM. DURING THE PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS WILL IMAGINE AND EXPRESS THEIR STORIES AND DREAMS BY EXPERIMENTING WITH SPOKEN WORD POETRY, COLLAGE AND DANCE, DEVELOPING A CULMINATING PERFORMANCE AND BOOKLET. IT IS INTENDED THAT THE PERFORMANCE WILL BE PRESENTED AT BOTH THE PRISON AND AT THE INVOLVED MUSEUM AND THE BOOKLET WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED AT BOTH LOCATIONS. TIMELINE: PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT - SPRING 2019 THROUGH WINTER, 2020; PILOT PROGRAM PLANNED FOR APRIL OR MAY 2020. THE MUSEE D'ARTS DE NANTES WAS AWARDED 13,000 , IN SUPPORT OF THE EXHIBITION, "UNITED STATES OF PARIS, AMERICAN ARTISTS IN FRANCE, 1946-1964 (WORKING TITLE)." FOR CENTURIES, FRANCE, AND IN PARTICULAR PARIS, HAS SERVED AS A MECCA FOR ARTISTS-AND BY THE 19TH CENTURY IT FUNCTIONED AS THE WORLD'S ARTISTIC CAPITAL. NOT UNTIL THE RISE OF ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM IN THE MID-20TH CENTURY DID NEW YORK CHALLENGE PARIS'S STATUS. WITH ARTISTS SUCH AS JACKSON POLLOCK AND WILLEM DE KOONING AT THE CORE, THE ESTABLISHED NARRATIVE OF POST-WORLD WAR II AMERICAN ART STILL PIVOTS ON THE NEW YORK SCHOOL'S FORMATION. PROPOSING AN ALTERNATIVE READING OF THE MIDCENTURY INTERNATIONAL ART SCENE, THE EXHIBITION WILL FEATURE WORKS BY ARTISTS WHO REJECTED THE INTENSE NATIONALISM THAT EMERGED AROUND THE NEW YORK SCHOOL. THE EXHIBITION WILL FEATURE SCULPTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND INSTALLATION-BASED WORK IN ADDITION TO PAINTINGS -A REFRESHING COUNTERPOINT TO THE PRESTIGE ALLOTTED TO THE LATTER BY ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM. THIS EXHIBITION TAKES PART IN AN AMERICAN SEASON IN FRANCE WHICH INCLUDES THE EXHIBITION PREPARED BY THE MUSEUMS OF MARSEILLE ABOUT SURREALISM IN AMERICAN ART, AS WELL.

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