Press Release

CONTACT
Jim Mulvihill
504-658-4106
jmulvihill@noma.org

Diego Cortez
504-658-4143
dcortez@noma.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On March 1, 2008

New Orleans Museum of Art Announces
Magnificent Gift of Photographs from Diego Cortez

Eighty works featured in new exhibition

NEW ORLEANS - On March 1, 2008, the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) opens an exhibition, A Curators Gift: Contemporary Photography from Diego Cortez, featuring eighty contemporary photographs, part of a recent gift from Diego Cortez, NOMA s newly appointed Freeman Family Curator of Photography. The exhibition, featuring works by many of the leading contemporary photographers in the United States, Europe and Asia, will remain on view until May 25.

In accepting the new position of The Freeman Family Curator of Photography at NOMA in late 2007, Diego Cortez made a donation to the Museum of more than 250 photographs from his personal collection. Cortez told NOMA Director E. John Bullard that he intended this gift to strengthen the Museum's foundation in contemporary photography, as well as to facilitate the solicitation of further important donations to the collection from artists and collectors.

Diego Cortez, based in New York City, has maintained a home in New Orleans since 1997. He has been an independent curator and art advisor and discoverer of important talent. He was the first to recognize and exhibit Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Nan Goldin. From 1998 to 2000 he co-directed the Partobject Gallery in Carrboro, NC, with his sister Kathy Hudson. During this period they presented 15 exhibitions of major international photographers, many of whom are represented in this gift.

The Cortez donation includes multiple works by Catherine Opie, Collier Schorr, Phyllis Galembo, Slater Bradley, John Waters and Bernard Faucon, as well as works by African photographers Seydou Keita, Malick Sidibe and Nabil Boutros. New Orleans artists include Dawn Dedeaux and Elizabeth Shannon.

Other American photographers represented in this gift are Dean Samashima, Dawoud Bey, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Larry Clark, Wendy Ewald, Nan Goldin, Allen Ginsberg, Cindy Sherman and Danny Lyons.

European photographers include Joan Fontcuberta, Pierre Verger, Jean Baudrillard, Joseph Beuys, Wolfgang Tillmans, Rineke Dijkstra, Helen Van Meene, Nick Wapplington and Boris Mikhailov.

Japanese photographers include Yasumasa Morimura, Nobuyoshi Araki, Takashi Homma, Daido Moriyama, Enlightenment, Yoshitomo Nara, Katsumi Watanabe, Yurie Nagashima and Shomei Tomatsu. Also included is Chinese photographer, Rong Rong.

In announcing the gift, NOMA Director E. John Bullard said that, "The Cortez donation elevates the Museum's holdings of contemporary photography to a new level of quality and comprehensiveness."

IMPORTANT MUSEUM & SCULPTURE GARDEN INFORMATION

CURRENT INFORMATION is available on our website, www.noma.org
GENERAL INFORMATION: (504) 658-4100
HOURS OF OPERATION: Wednesday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
SYDNEY AND WALDA BESTHOFF SCULPTURE GARDEN ADMISSION: Admission is FREE to all visitors. Dogs, bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards and picnicking are not allowed in the Garden. You may touch, but do not climb on sculptures. Please walk on the grass.

SPECIAL POLICIES: Backpacks, umbrellas, cameras, video devices must be checked. Baby strollers are not permitted during peak times. Photographing, sketching, lecturing require special permission. Please do not touch the works of art.

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: NOMA is fully handicapped accessible. Wheelchairs are available at the front desk. Additional special accommodations are happily made with adequate notice.

THE MUSEUM SHOP offers great collectibles, books, jewelry, gifts and art-related items.

THE COURTYARD CAFÉ is closed until further notice.

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