BY ROBERTA GRAFF
With all the excitement of a
birthday, anniversary or
a new baby, something
wonderful has happened in West
Palm Beach, Florida. After eight
years of planning and a cost of l00
million dollars, the Norton Museum
of Art has opened. It was worth
waiting for.
The original l941 Art Deco
building has grown considerably.
There are now more than 37,000
feet of gardens, with new spaces
for outdoor programing and
events, two garden rooms, a garden
walk, as well as a picnic area. The
magnificent 85-year-old, 5-foot
tall Banyan tree at the entrance
welcomes people into the shadefilled
plaza, where a rich layering
of mature trees, flowering plants
and bird song create a backdrop
for displaying sculptural works. The
setting is gorgeous.
The museum’s holdings include
art by Bellows, Chagall, Hopper,
Monet, Gauguin, Picasso, Braque
and other outstanding artists, which
were donated by Ralph Norton and
first wife Elizabeth. Norton was an
industrialist, who headed the Acme
Steel Company in Chicago. He and
his wife began collecting to decorate
their home, but then he became
interested in art for its own sake
and formed a sizable collection
of paintings and sculpture. They
built the museum to house their
collection and provide education
and enjoyment for the public.
Norton continued to add to his
collection until his death in 1953.
But since 1954, many distinguished
additions have been made thanks
to the endowment the industrialist
created for the purchase of works
of art. They include masterpieces,
such as Stuart Davis’s “New York
Mural” (acquired in 1964), and
Jackson Pollock’s “Night Mist”
(acquired in 1971). The Museum’s
permanent collection now consists
of more than 7,600 works in five
curatorial departments: European,
American, Chinese, Contemporary
and Photography.
The new Norton now has 35%
more gallery space. This has
allowed it to open with eight new
special exhibitions and a reinstallation
of the permanent collection.
There is a 40-foot long tapestry by
Pae White, which explores reflection
and illusion; a site-specific
work by Paul Morrison, which was
inspired by the new garden; and
a new exhibition, “Neon,” which
promotes the work of living female
artists, among others. In addition,
there is a fabulous collection of
photography and a wonderful
collection of watercolors, which
includes works by Winslow Homer,
Charles Burchfield and Leger.
The Norton is known for its
outstanding Asian art collection
and is justifiably proud of its new
restaurant and Education Center.
Visitors to Southern Florida will
be delighted to visit this fabulous
new museum.
Norton Museum of Art is located
at 1450 S Dixie Highway, West
Palm Beach, Florida, 33401. For
more information, call (561) 832-
5196 or go to www.info@norton.org
Norton Museum of Art
42 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ April 2019
/www.info@norton.org
/www.info@norton.org
