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VMFA receives more than 8,000 photos - largest donation in its history

January 14, 2020 | In the Press

From NBC12.com (https://www.nbc12.com/2020/01/14/vmfa-received-more-than-photos-largest-donation-vmfas-history/)

VMFA receives more than 8,000 photos - largest donation in its history

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) recently received its largest single donation in its history - more than 8,000 photographs from the Aaron Siskind Foundation in New York.

VMFA was awarded this major gift thanks to the museum’s commitment to photography and its outstanding fellowship program. It will now also take over the administration of the Aaron Siskind Fellowship Prize.

The foundation recently decided to dissolve its operations and transfer the collection to an American art museum that would be willing to administer the annual fellowship prize and care for, interpret and display the foundation’s core collection of Siskind’s photographs.

The foundation, which was established in 1984, has made it a mission to preserve and protect Siskind’s artistic legacy as well as foster knowledge and appreciation for photography through research, publications, exhibitions and an annual fellowship prize for individual artists.

“After a thorough search of the major art institutions across the country, the Aaron Siskind Foundation was delighted to find that the visionary leadership, ambitious plans for the future, and commitment to carrying on Aaron Siskind’s legacy made VMFA the ideal choice as the new and permanent home for the collection and administration of the Siskind Prize,” Victor Schrager, President of the Aaron Siskind Foundation said.

The transfer of the collection took place on Jan. 1.

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