Orlando Museum of Art Announces New Initiatives

Orlando Museum of Art Expansion Rendering
Rendering: Orlando Museum of Art

As part of an aggressive relaunch leading up to its centennial celebration in 2024, the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) announces three new initiatives: a series of six major upcoming exhibitions featuring works of noted artists: Rembrandt, Botticelli, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jackson Pollock; plans for renovation and repair of the Museum’s current Loch Haven location as well as plans for an expansion of the Museum’s footprint to include space in downtown Orlando.

“We are celebrating our 2024 centennial with a commitment to be an even greater force in our community with two locations, highly regarded and sought-after works of art, and ultimately, a new dimension of unforgettable experiences at Orlando Museum of Art,” said Cynthia Brumback, Chair of the OMA Board of Trustees.

The new Orlando Museum of Art exhibits begin late September, including: 

  • Luces y Sombras: Mexican Photography from the Bank of America Collection
  • Cathedrals of Florida: Masterworks by Clyde Butcher;
  • Connoisseurship and Collecting: European Old Master Paintings, which notably features the earliest-known Rembrandt painting and Masterworks from the Bob Jones University, Museum & Gallery, Inc.: Reading and Understanding Old Master Paintings, featuring Botticelli’s Madonna and Child.

As a further nod to the robust exhibition planning of the Museum, it will also present 25 never-before published or exhibited paintings by noted African American artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose paintings have sold for over $100 million apiece.

Following the initial rollout, the Museum will unveil a singular, never-before-published masterpiece in January 2022, a signature massive drip painting from 1949 by the greatest American artist, Jackson Pollock, Jackson Pollock and the Comstock Pollock: Newly Discovered, First Time Exhibited.

These exhibits represent a departure from the Museum’s usual contemporary offerings and demonstrate a bold new vision which incorporates attention to traditional and other highly sought-after works of art as well. 

The Museum’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to file a letter of intent to pursue a downtown expansion as part of the SDG, LLC and Summa Development Group, LLC planned 33-story, 1 million-square-foot modern glass tower at Church, Lake and Pine Streets. The development sits on a three-story glass cube and comprises penthouses, condominiums, a luxury hotel and a cutting-edge contemporary restaurant.

The potential expansion would be an extension of the current Loch Haven footprint, featuring interactive educational facilities, offices, visitor services and notably, 30,000 square feet of additional exhibition space which would house some of the new exhibits and new collections.

“The initiatives we are pursuing are transformational, representing a bold, new vision for Orlando Museum of Art while simultaneously re-positioning us to make a deeper investment into our community both culturally and economically,” said OMA Director & CEO Dr. Aaron De Groft. “We are confident our donors and constituents will appreciate and be equally motivated to help bring this vision to life and we look forward to realizing these plans while continuing our dedication to be inclusive and equitable within our community.”

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