Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

An Artful Life: A Tribute to Matthew C. Strauss

March 20 – August 3, 2025

Media Preview: March 19, 11am-1pm

An Artful Life: A Tribute to Matthew C. Strauss provides a public glimpse into the private collection of Iris and Matthew Strauss, which is recognized for its exuberant and expansive holdings of contemporary art.Matthew C. Strauss (1933-2024), a passionate art advocate and generous philanthropist, built a world-class collection of contemporary art along with his wife, Iris. For over 35 years, the couple built a collection that features art world luminaries. Today, the Strauss Family Collection consists of over 300 original artworks by internationally recognized artists. The Strausses have repeatedly appeared on ARTnews Top 200 Collectors list.

An Artful Life features 22 distinguished works that highlight developments in painting from the 1970s to the current decade. Artists include Jennifer Bartlett, Cecily Brown, Damien Hirst, Alex Katz, Beatriz Milhazes, Takashi Murakami, Robert Rauschenberg, Julian Schnabel, and Mickalene Thomas, among others.

Iris and Matthew began their collecting journey through involvement with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), from viewing exhibitions in the La Jolla galleries to traveling internationally with the Museum. As the Strauss collection grew in scale and importance, so did their leadership in the arts community. Iris served on the San Diego Arts Commission. Matthew held leadership positions at MCASD, serving as a Trustee since 1991. As President from 2013-2016, he helped initiate the goal to expand the La Jolla location. This project changed the face of the Museum forever, quadrupling the size of the existing gallery space to bring MCASD’s incredible permanent collection holdings to the public.

Developed through thoughtful research and trusted intuition, Matthew Strauss felt their collection made one look at art differently, offering new perspectives and deeper understandings of the world around us.

“My parents were passionate about art,” said Steve Strauss, MCASD Board President. “Their mission to collect the best examples of contemporary art from the best artists led to the creation of one of the Top 200 collections in the world. They understood they were custodians of this art and were equally passionate about sharing and exhibiting their art collection with the community, including local art institutions, museums, colleges and universities.”

“Since 1986, Matthew and Iris Strauss’ generosity has supported our mission and vision – to connect diverse audiences to the transformative power of art,” explained Kathryn Kanjo, The David C. Copley Director and CEO. “This small slice of their impressive collection is a window into a life devoted to contemporary art at the highest level. It’s fitting that these works will be on display in the Strauss Galleries, named in their honor, in our expanded La Jolla facility. We hope it inspires the next generation of art collectors.”

Yan Pei-Ming: A Burial in Shanghai

April 17, 2025 – January 4, 2026

Media Preview: April 16, 11am-1pm

An epic cycle of paintings by Chinese-born Yan Pei-Ming (b. 1960) will be presented in the United States for the first time. Yan Pei-Ming’s commanding compositions convey psychological intensity despite their monochromatic restraint. He creates emotional portraits of renowned figures and friends that update traditional formats with contemporary resonance. The artist, who currently lives in France, alludes to Western art history and his own biography in A Burial in Shanghai. Comprised of three outsized canvases, this monumental triptych echoes Gustav Courbet’s (1819-1877) celebrated composition from two-hundred years earlier, A Burial at Ornans (1849-1850). The larger-than-life exhibition, which debuted at Paris’s Musée d’Orsay in 2019, will be on display in the Iris and Matthew Strauss West Gallery.

Dropbox for the Spring Exhibitions images.

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) is the region’s foremost forum devoted to the exploration and presentation of the art of today. Open since 1941, we welcome all audiences to reflect on their lives, communities, and the ever-changing world through the powerful prism of contemporary art. We showcase an internationally-recognized collection. MCASD’s dynamic exhibition schedule features a vast array of media in an unprecedented variety of spaces, along with a growing dedication to community experiences and public programs. As a cultural hub, MCASD seeks to catalyze conversation in our region. www.mcasd.org

VISIT: MCASD La Jolla, 700 Prospect St, La Jolla, 92037

https://mcasd.org/

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