Founded 75 years ago with a core collection of 100 works, the Georgia Museum of Art has since amassed a permanent collection of over 17,000 objects that reflect a wide range of media, cultures, time periods and perspectives. Nestled on the East Campus of the University of Georgia, the museum strives to promote the knowledge and appreciation of art, not only within the immediate community of students and scholars, but beyond to regional and global audiences. Its dual designation as both an academic museum and, since 1982, the official art museum of the state of Georgia places it in a unique position that furthers the university’s overarching mission of teaching, research and service.
GMOA began as the vision of founder Alfred Heber Holbrook, a retired lawyer from New York who, at the age of 70, set out on an inspiring new journey to explore the intriguing world of art. After taking an art appreciation course under Lamar Dodd, head of UGA’s art department, he felt moved to select the university as the site for a museum in memory of his late wife. The museum was founded in 1945 with a donation of 100 American paintings from Holbrook, who served as the museum’s director for 25 years—well past his 90th birthday—before eventually passing the torch to William D. “Bill” Paul Jr., who served until 1980. Holbrook was adamant that art should be for everyone, and the museum continues to fulfill his legacy today by offering free admission, working to remove barriers to accessibility, and fostering an educational, welcoming environment to experience the arts.
The exponential growth of the museum’s collection can be partly attributed to generous donations from art collectors who, like Holbrook, ensure their prized possessions can be seen and appreciated by generations to come. Since 2001, Carl and Marian Mullis have donated over 400 pieces ranging from American Scene prints and paintings to works by Southern self-taught artists, stoneware and decorative art. In 2002, the Pierre Daura Study Center and the museum’s first endowed position, Pierre Daura Curator of European Art, was established through a gift from Martha Randolph Daura that included over 600 paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures by her father. A decade later in 2012, Larry and Brenda Thompson donated 100 works by African-American artists and established an endowment to fund a curatorial position in African-American and African Diasporic art, significantly diversifying the collection.
As the museum’s collection has grown, so too has its facility. The museum first opened to the public in 1948 in the basement of the old library, now UGA’s Administration Building, on the university’s North Campus. When the library moved to a new building in 1958, the museum was able to take over the entire structure and add five new galleries. In 1996, the museum made its major move to a new 52,000-square-foot building in the Performing and Visual Arts Complex on East Campus, allowing for more ambitious exhibitions and an emphasis on professional practices. In 2011, the museum completed a major expansion that brought its size up to 79,000 square feet, and included new galleries to house the permanent collection, as well as the outdoor Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden to showcase works by female artists.
Beyond ringing in the museum’s diamond anniversary, 2023 has been a year of major transition as William Underwood Eiland, who became the museum’s director in 1992, retired this past March after 30 years of service. Under his leadership, the museum dramatically grew its collection, impressively won over 250 awards, expanded its reach through traveling exhibitions and further established its reputation as one of the leading university art museums in the country.
Following an extensive national search, David Odo—previously the director of academic and public programs, division head and research curator at the Harvard Art Museums—was named the new director of the Georgia Museum of Art, where he began in June. Odo, who received his D.Phil. in social and cultural anthropology from the University of Oxford and B.A. in East Asian Studies from Columbia University, is a visual and material anthropologist interested in early Japanese photography, the intersections of art and medicine, and museum pedagogy.
In addition to its monthly variety of gallery tours, curator talks and creative workshops, the museum will host multiple special events in recognition of its milestone year. The 75th Anniversary Celebration and Spotlight on the Arts Family Day will feature art activities for all ages, prizes, a photo booth and refreshments on Nov. 5 from 1–5 p.m. Held in conjunction with Third Thursday, the Georgia Museum of Art Student Association will host a Student Night with themed activities, door prizes and refreshments on Nov. 16 from 6–9 p.m.
UGA’s 12th annual Spotlight on the Arts Festival, a month-long showcase promoting the literary, visual and performing arts happening across campus, is currently underway through November with over a dozen events lined up at the museum. Highlights include the Holbrook Memorial Program: “Making the South Modern” panel discussion on Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m., Music in the Galleries: “Jazz Classics of the First Half of the 20th Century” on Nov. 16 at 5 p.m. and an Evergreen Wreath Workshop with R&R Secret Farm on Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. Visit georgiamuseum.org for a full calendar of events and to virtually explore the permanent collection.
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