(716) 759-6078 FAX (716) 759-7925 E-mail: zavrel@meaus.com
Dear artist-friends,
the Museum of European Art is making preparations for our next significant international exhibition. We expect that the opening will take place in October or Nobember, 1999.
The following is a preliminary concept, which will give you an idea of what it is all about.
History and purpose.
The Museum was founded in 1994 in Clarence, New York. It is located 15 miles east of Buffalo, the second largest city in New York State, and some 40 miles south of the world-famous Niagara Falls.
The central theme of the Museum's philosophy and art collection is the human being -- a man and a woman. For thousands of generations, it has been the goal of artists on all continents to recreate the image of man in art, in its most perfect and ideal form.
To pay homage to this ideal of the outer and inner beauty of the human being in the art of today is the main purpose of the Museum of European Art.
Collection and Museum.
Being a young cultural institution, we cannot compare with the great galleries of the world. Still, since 1994 we have acquired (entirely through donations) a fine art collection of limited edition sculptures, bronze and marble reliefs, paintings, lithographs, woodcuts and etchings by a number of prominent European artists, many of them still living and working.
The Museum has a presence on the Web: you can look us up using any good search engine. At this time, our site gets nearly 10,000 hits per months, about 30% from over 40 different countries. Last year we were honored with the PAN EUROPEAN AWARD for the design of our Web page. Do look us up!
We own the building in which the museum is located, as well as a parcel of land behind the museum, which we plan to develop into a Sculpture Garden. The first phase of the development will start this year, and continue according to the generosity of our future patrons and sponsors.
Works of art needed for our collection.
We wish to increase our art collection to $ 3,000,000 value within the next 3 years. This would make us a substantial art institution in the United States and enable us to continue to act as a bridge between the young artist generations of Europe and America.
We seek approximately 100 artists in Europe and North America to make an idealistic and generous contribution of their works of art to the Museum, to support its work into the next century.
The qualities needed in these men and women are not easy to find:
a) a high level of artistic achievement, in quality and quantity
b) financial strength to be able to make a donation of one's works of art
c) a dedication to the ideals that the Museum supports: the depiction of the human being
d) an inclination for a selfless service to others.
What shall we do with the donated works of art?
From the donated works of art we will select those which will be kept for our permanent collection. These works will be included in our exhibition EUROPE MEETS AMERICA. An exhibition catalog will picture the works included in the exhibition, together with biographical information on the artists and their addresses.
We anticipate that after Buffalo, the exhibition will be later shown in New York City, Washington, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Chicago.
In addition, an article on each of the artists will be placed on our Web site, together with illustrations of some of their works.
Which artists are invited?
At this time, we have already received donations from several European and American artists. Countries so far represented are Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the United States.
We will make a conscious effort to give artists of all countries a chance to be represented, both men and women.
For this reason, initially we will limit the number of artists to a maximum of 6 from each country.
How do you get started?
If you are interested to participate in this project, please send me the following information:
1) your CV and photo
2) list of exhibitions in which your works were shown
3) list of your works of art (including dates when produced)
4) slides of 12 - 36 of your best works
5) slides or color photographs of the works of art which you wish to donate to our collection, including description of material, size, weight, and approximate value.
Selection process.
An international committee of our Board of Advisors will make the selection and final approval. You will be notified within three months after the receipt of your materials.
Between July 15 - 31, 1998 I will be in Europe to meet with artists interested in taking part in this project. If you wish to meet with me there personally, please contact me for my itinerary which will allow for meetings in Bonn, Prague, Vienna, Berlin, and Hamburg.
Thank you for your time and consideration of our cultural initiative. We look forward to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Consul B. John Zavrel
Director