(New York, July 23, 2024)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Genesis announced today a five-year partnership to sponsor the annual contemporary art commission series for the Museum’s Fifth Avenue facade niches. Each year , The Met invites an artist to create new works of art, establishing a dialogue between the artist's practice, The Met collection, the physical Museum, and The Met's audiences. The series will now be called the Genesis Facade Commission, and this year it will feature new works by Lee Bul (September 12, 2024–May 27, 2025).
"The Met’s Fifth Avenue facade is a powerfully prominent and accessible platform for the display of art that now regularly features new sculptures by the most innovative artists working today,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful to Genesis for their incredible generosity and support, which ensures the opportunity for visitors and passersby alike to be surprised, delighted, and inspired by dynamic commissions for years to come.”
“As a long-time supporter of the arts, we are thrilled to embark on a new journey of Genesis Art Initiatives with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the world’s most highly respected arts institutions,” said Euisun Chung, Executive Chair, Hyundai Motor Group. “With our aspiration and ambition for this impactful partnership, we hope to become part of The Met’s inspiring community and hope to amplify the voices of renowned cultural visionaries.”
The Museum's Beaux-Arts Fifth Avenue facade was designed by the architect and founding Museum Trustee Richard Morris Hunt and opened to the public in December 1902. Since 2019, the facade has featured work by contemporary artists Wangechi Mutu (2019), Carol Bove (2021), Hew Locke (2022), and, most recently, Nairy Baghramian (2023). The Genesis Facade Commission: Lee Bul, Long Tail Halo will be the fifth in the series, and the 2025 Genesis Facade Commission will feature new works by Jeffrey Gibson.
About The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens—businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day—who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects covering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.
About Genesis And Genesis Art Initiatives
Genesis is a global automotive brand that aims to deliver highest standards of performance, design, safety, and innovation while looking towards a more sustainable future. With deep commitment to realizing original experiences, Genesis celebrates art as an avenue to discover the truly meaningful and valuable. Genesis Art Initiatives collaborate with institutions shaping cultural legacy around the world, and visionaries whose profound understanding of our times uncovers enduring values that resonate across generations. The initiatives include The Genesis Facade Commission at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a global artist commission featuring new art pieces on the niches of The Met’s main entrance facade; and The Genesis Exhibition at Tate Modern, which will present a major survey of a world-renowned artist. Through these shared endeavors, Genesis aspires to enrich today’s vibrant cultural dialogue by amplifying timeless insights that permeate the world around us and the ever-unfolding landscape of the years to come. Visit www.genesis.com/art or follow @genesis_worldwide #GenesisArtInitiatives to learn more about our partnerships and programs.
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July 23, 2024
Contact: Matthew Tom
Communications@metmuseum.org
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