New Danforth chief looks to elevate museum
Yesterday, Framingham’s Danforth Art Museum, which has served the MetroWest community with exhibitions and art education programs for the last 40 years, announced it’s the recipient of a $40,000 grant to fund research and preservation of Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller, a renowned artist who lived in Framingham before her death in 1968.
In the art world, Fuller is renowned for her status as a sculptor in the international art community, especially as an African-American artist and a female — both oddities in her time. Fuller’s near-complete collection was gifted to the Danforth several years ago, and the grant from the Henry Luce Foundation’s American Art Program to help the museum safeguard and document it is further evidence of Fuller’s contribution.
Grant could lead to national prominence
Debra Petke, who joined the Danforth as its executive director only two months ago, said the work museum staffers will do on the Fuller collection will help boost the museum’s profile as the Danforth looks to move to a new level or prominence.
“It will most certainly draw people nationally,” Petke said, adding that she even expects the Danforth will eventually receive international requests to borrow pieces Fuller’s collection for exhibition. Meanwhile, she expects scholarly interest in the areas of women’s studies and African-American studies as the Fuller exhibit becomes a more prominent fixture. Work to preserve and document the collection will allow the Danforth to put more pieces on permanent display, Petke explained.
Petke, who most recently served as president and CEO of the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, Conn., succeeded Katherine French, who retired in January. She described the Danforth as a still-young museum at 40 years old and its identity isn’t yet fully defined. But Petke said the museum has the potential to grow from a small, community museum to a medium-sized organization with broader prominence in the next several years.
“I’ve been here two months, but we’ve already been fast and furious in the planning,” Petke said.
This includes plans to move to a larger space, for starters. The Danforth purchased the Jonathan Maynard Building on the Town Green, about a mile up the road across Route 9 from the museum’s current downtown location. Originally, the plan was to move in 2016, but Petke said there’s no way that will happen — a move is still a few years away as the Danforth raises money to renovate the building to suit its needs, Petke said.
‘Dazzled’ by local business
Meanwhile, the plan is to expand the Danforth’s permanent exhibits and educational offerings; Petke noted that the Danforth is unique because it operates an art school in addition to the gallery. She said the community will likely notice more robust operations on both sides of the business by early next year. That’s important, as town leaders work on downtown revitalization plans. But Petke said it’s also important for the larger business community, which is increasingly looking to lure young talent from the city to the town— particularly within the region’s vibrant tech sector. Having an active local art museum is a good selling point, said Petke, who looks forward to strengthening the connection with local business.
“The depth of the business community here is really extraordinary,” Petke said. “I was really sort of dazzled by it.”
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