Breaking It Down
Conversations from the Vault
The Phillips Collection, from its inception, has focused on creating what founder Duncan Phillips called “units”: groups of works of art that represent key aspects of an artist’s vision or spirit. Leaders in championing the independent-minded artist, Duncan and Marjorie Phillips gave many their first museum exhibitions and acquisitions. This presentation offers a deep dive and new take on several artists who are cornerstones of the collection, including Georges Braque, Richard Diebenkorn, Arthur Dove, Sam Gilliam, Paul Klee, and Georgia O’Keeffe, alongside a growing collection of works by trailblazers of our time, including Sean Scully, Sylvia Snowden, Renée Stout, Joyce Wellman, and more.
This exhibition is organized by The Phillips Collection.
IMAGE: Sam Gilliam, April, 1971, Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 60 x 2 1/2 in., The Phillips Collection, Bequest of Mercedes H. Eichholz, 2013