ASU Art Museum Collections
The ASU Art Museum is the cultural anchor of ASU and beyond to Arizona communities. One of the first in the state, the museum’s collection was founded in the early 1950s with a generous donation of 150 American and Mexican artworks from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection now numbers over 13,000 objects primarily acquired through generous gifts from supporters and artists. We strive to make the collection available for discovery and learning through dynamic and engaging exhibitions and programs. The ASU Art Museum is an integral part of a public research university. The university has a culture of innovation that is embedded in all aspects of its community. From curriculum innovation, prominent faculty, a diverse student community, and state-of-the-art technology, ASU embodies a forward-thinking mindset. Reflecting ASU’s commitment to higher education access, statistics include: 23% of the student body are first-generation college students; more Native students graduate from ASU than any other university in the United States; ASU is one of the largest universities per capita in the US for students earning their degrees with G.I. Bill and Department of Defense tuition assistance benefits; and, ASU proudly serves 150,000 learners on its many campuses and online
As museums endeavor to become more inclusive and open spaces, permanent collections are coming under scrutiny for the roles they play in communities as repositories of shared human history. How and why did these works come to be in the collection; what do these works say about our place; whose stories are reflected and whose are not? The collection charts the past, present and future challenges and possibilities of our striking context and environment. One of the largest cities in the country, Phoenix is a desert city in a border state with a diverse population.
The collection is organized around the five following, interconnected areas:
Art from Latin America and Latinx Art
The Art from Latin America and Latinx Art collections showcase significant works by artists, focusing on contemporary Mexican modernism and late 20th-century to contemporary art from Cuba, along with pieces by Latinx and Chicanx artists. The collection comprises over 1,000 objects, including modern and contemporary examples. It is anchored by historic works from the renowned Mexican muralists Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros. These works were part of the museum’s founding “Art of the Americas” collection, which was gifted in 1950 by Oliver B. James.
Highlights from the contemporary collection feature artists such as Iván Argote, Margarita Cabrera, Tania Candiani, Alejandro Almanza Pereda, Gabriel Rico, and Eduardo Sarabia. The Cuban collection, assembled in the 1990s, includes sculptures and large-scale installations by iconic artists from that era, such as Belkis Ayón, Kcho, Los Carpinteros, Arturo Cuenca, René Francisco, Sandra Ramos, Tonel, and Toirac. Additionally, the print collection features works on paper by artists from across the Americas, including Brazil, Nicaragua, Chile, Guatemala, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico.
Rufino Tamayo (Mexico, 1899–1991), “Fumador,” 1949. Oil on canvas, 30 x 38 in. (76.2 x 96.52 cm). Gift of Oliver B. James, 1951.066.000 © 2022 Tamayo Heirs / Mexico / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Historic and Contemporary Prints
The collection of historic and contemporary prints, photographs, and works on paper includes nearly 6,000 objects with a broad historical scope, ranging from an early Bible page to contemporary artwork. It features artists from Europe, Asia, Cuba, and the Americas. The collection has significant strengths in the Renaissance, Ukiyo-e, Post-Impressionism, German Expressionism, American Regionalism, and Pop Art. Notable artists represented include Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, Honoré Daumier, and Leopoldo Méndez. Additionally, several artists within the collection address social and political issues in their work, including William Hogarth, José Guadalupe Posada, Roberto Huezo, William Kentridge, Lorna Simpson, Los Carpinteros, and José Ángel Toirac.
These collections are housed within the Jules Heller Print Study Room, which provides a secure environment for care and storage and an accessible resource for research and viewing by students, scholars, and the general public. Prints are available for viewing by appointment, offering a unique opportunity to see these objects without the obstruction of glass frames.
Carlos Mérida (Mexico, b. Guatemala 1891–1984),”Huixquilucan, State of Mexico Plate #6,” 1940. Color lithograph on paper, 17 x 12 1/2 in. (43.18 x 31.75 cm). Gift of Melvin Hellwitz, 976.101.007 © 2022 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SOMAAP, Mexico City
20th Century and Contemporary Craft
The 20th century and contemporary craft collections feature a diverse range of materials, including ceramics, baskets, fibers and wood. These collections are primarily housed within the museum’s Ceramics Research Center (CRC). The CRC is home to one of the country’s most significant collections of contemporary craft and ceramics, showcasing essential artists, movements and innovations from this period. Notable works by artists such as Rudy Autio, Hans Coper, Ruth Duckworth, Shoji Hamada, Karen Karnes, Bernard Leach, Maria Martinez, Otto and Gertrud Natzler, Lucie Rie, Edwin and Mary Scheier, Angus Suttie, Akio Takamori, Peter Voulkos, Kurt Weiser and Betty Woodman, can be found.
The CRC’s archives are also among the most important in the field. They include the archives of Susan Peterson, a renowned ceramicist, scholar, and educator, as well as the archives of The Studio Potter magazine, which document 30 years of creative activities in the field. Additionally, the CRC Library houses over 3,000 rare exhibition catalogs, books, periodicals, and media.
Akio Takamori (United States, b. Japan, 1950–2017) “Flower,” 1989. Stoneware, 21 x 21 in. (53.34 x 53.34 cm).Museum purchase through a gift from the Stéphane Janssen Art Foundation, 2001.034.017
Contemporary Art
The contemporary art collection showcases innovative works by living artists, spanning from the mid-20th century to the present. It includes new media and pieces by regional and emerging artists addressing social, political and environmental themes.
This collection aligns with the museum’s broader collecting priorities, focusing on art from Latin America and Latinx artists and local and international creators. It features a variety of mediums, including ceramics, crafts, and works on paper. Notable artists in the collection include Belkis Ayon, Tania Candiani, Los Carpinteros, Carmen Lomas Garza, Luis Jimenez, Kcho, Maria Martinez, Adam McEwan, Gabriel Rico, Leo Villareal, Peter Voulkos and Beatrice Wood. Additionally, the collection reflects the museum’s diverse exhibition history, particularly through its artist residency program, which has informed its acquisitions.
Leo Villareal (United States, b 1967), “Point Cloud (ASU),” 2020. LEDs, Custom Software, Electrical Hardware, Steel, 12′ 10″ x 3’3″ x 1’1″. Museum Purchase, made possible with a gift from Robert and Avery Moric, father and son ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts alumni (Architecture Class of 1991 and Architecture and Barrett, the Honors Club Class of 2023) and the ASU President’s Club. Commissioned by Arizona State University Art Museum with funding by The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation with additional funding by the Herberger Institute Dean’s Creativity Council, 2024.004.001 Credit: © 2022 Leo Villareal
19th and 20th Century Art of the Americas
The 19th and 20th Century Art of the Americas collection, significantly enhanced by the Oliver B. James gift, features a diverse array of notable artworks. This collection includes iconic pieces by acclaimed artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Diego Rivera, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Reginald Marsh, Irene Rice Pereira and Charles Demuth. Together, these artists reflect the rich evolution of art in the Americas during this transformative period.
Yasuo Kuniyoshi (United States, b. Japan 1889–1953), “Girl on Sofa,” 1925. Oil on linen, 36 3/4 x 43 in. (93.35 x 109.22 cm). Gift of Oliver B. James, 1951.044.000 © 2022 Estate of Yasuo Kuniyoshi / Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
Collections Stewardship
The ASU Art Museum collection is a living entity, constantly being refined and recontextualized. Acquisitions are actively and thoughtfully pursued to build on historic strengths and address deficiencies and equity. We strive to acquire works from exhibitions and commissioned through residencies at the museum. Our guiding principles for new acquisitions include innovation, risk-taking, bold vision, and merit with a primary focus on work that explores social, political and environmental concerns in our regional and global contexts.
Deaccessioning is a legitimate part of the formation and care of collections and, if practiced, should be done to refine and improve the quality and appropriateness of the collections to better serve the museum’s mission. Deaccessioning is both a logical and responsible practice when a museum determines that there are no legal constraints to removing the item from its collections and when it follows field-wide standards and ethical principles and adheres to its own collections policies that have been approved by its governing authority.
Have questions?
If you have questions about a specific work of art from the museum’s collection, contact us at 480-965-2787.
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Arte para todos. Art for all.