Courtesy The Hyde
Construction of a new 1,500-square-foot gallery at the Hyde Museum devoted to modern and contemporary art has begun.
The Hyde was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Charles R. Wood Foundation toward the transformation campaign, which supports the museum’s development of the new gallery.
The Foundation has also challenged The Hyde, agreeing to award an additional $50,000 toward the project if the museum raises $50,000 from the community by June 30.
Work is underway at The Hyde, 161 Warren St., Glens Falls, for the new Feibes & Schmitt Gallery, which is expected to be open to the public in June.
“We are honored to receive a grant from the Charles R. Wood Foundation,” said Hyde Director Erin Coe. “Supporting The Hyde’s new gallery devoted to modern and contemporary art is an investment in the museum, in Glens Falls, and in the region,” she said.
In August, The Hyde Collection announced it had received a major gift of art from collector, architect, and Schenectady resident Werner Feibes. Mr. Feibes also made a $1 million cash donation to kick off a $1.5 million campaign.
Karl Seitz, chairman of the museum’s board of trustees, said he believed the donation would inspire others to give to the museum and its bright future.
“When an arts organization like The Hyde grows and succeeds, the entire community benefits,” Seitz said.
Officials said the Feibes & Schmitt Gallery will significantly expand the museum’s exhibitions, programming, and educational opportunities, making it a regional hub for modern art. The Feibes & Schmitt Gift includes works by Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley, Sol LeWitt, David Smith, Ellsworth Kelly, and Josef Albers, among many others. The donation more than doubles the museum’s collection of modern and contemporary art.
“The Feibes & Schmitt Gift makes it possible for The Hyde to build on the legacy of our founder, Charlotte Hyde, and major donors along the way, including Charles Wood,” Coe said. “The grant from the Wood Foundation gift strengthens the momentum of the campaign, and connects the legacies of the Hyde and Wood families to philanthropists Werner Feibes and the late James Schmitt.”
The Charles R. Wood Foundation honors the legacy of local businessman and philanthropist Charles R. Wood, donating to groups that promote health care, the arts, and children’s programming. Charles Wood has a long history with The Hyde. He served on the museum’s board of trustees and was named a trustee emeritus in 1985.
In 1987, he donated Greta Garbo’s custom 1933 Duesenberg automobile for auction. The sale of the car raised $1.4 million for The Hyde and supported construction of the museum’s education wing. The Charles R. Wood Gallery was named in his honor.
The 2,400-square-foot gallery is the largest temporary exhibition space at The Hyde. As of today, the museum has hosted 120 exhibitions in the Wood Gallery, presenting art to hundreds of thousands of visitors in the region, museum officials said.
In 2004, Charles Wood bequeathed to the museum a stunning pair of Russian imperial porcelain vases as an unrestricted gift. The objects were sold in 2005 for $3.5 million. The Hyde honored Wood by using the gift to designate two funds: the Charles R. Wood Fund for Exhibitions and the Charles R. Wood Fund for Acquisitions. These funds continue to extend his legacy by allowing the museum to enhance the quality of its exhibition program and the scope and depth of the permanent collection.
The Charles R. Wood Foundation was founded in 1978 with a mission to provide assistance to areas of special need in the Lake George region and surrounding areas. Nonprofit organizations with an emphasis on programs for children, health care, and the arts are the beneficiaries of his generosity.
For more information visit charlesrwoodfoundation.com.