MIA kicks off centennial with surprise announcement: Major long-term modernist loan

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts kicks off its centennial year this morning with an announcement of a major long-term loan of modernist painting.

The 400 paintings, drawings and prints collected by the late Myron Kunin, founder of the Regis Corporation, is believed to be one of the foremost collections of modernist painting in private hands.

"It's a rather important way to kick off the anniversary year," said MIA curator of painting Patrick Noon.

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Noon says while the MIA collection is extensive, there are a few holes — and the Kunin loan fills one of the major gaps. In fact, Noon says, the loan raises the profile of the museum's entire collection.

"The infusion of this many important American modernist paintings, and there is also a very fine group of 19th century pictures, really makes us a very important collection of Western painting," he said.

Selections from the Kunin collection, which includes works by Georgia O'Keefe, Marsden Harley and Paul Cadmus, will be on exhibit starting today.

"It covers, really, art in America from the late 19th century up until the '50s," Noon said. "And it's quite remarkable that it does so in a very comprehensive and fascinatingly individual way, because this is one person's vision and one person's collection, and represents 30 years of working in this area, which Myron did."

The show reflects Kunin's interest in social realism and circus and theatrical illustration. There are also selections of nudes, landscapes, abstractions and self-portraits by artists.

The exhibition displays 80 pieces from the Kunin collection. Another 20 or so are spread through the rest of the MIA. Other pieces in the collection will be inserted into the displays around the museum in coming months and years.

As the show is a surprise, Noon and the MIA staff had to hang the exhibit in secret.

"We literally put walls up," Noon said, "what we call 'plugs' in gallery doors so that the work could go on without being seen."

The show, "The Myron Kunin Collection of American Art," is the first of 52 weekly surprises planned to celebrate the MIA's centennial. The museum is describing the surprises as birthday presents to the community. They will include surprise appearances of major works from other museums, reproductions of MIA treasures placed in unusual places in the community — such as gas stations — and impromptu musical performances in the MIA galleries.

There are also major exhibitions in the works: a show built round Leonardo da Vinci's notebook of scientific drawing, known as the Codex Leicester; a display of the treasures of the Habsburg Empire from Vienna; an exhibition examining Eugene Delacroix's influence on French painting, which will include works from dozens of 19th century artists; and "Myopia," a show including a thousand pieces by musician and prolific visual artist Mark Mothersbaugh.

Noon says it's going to be a great year, but launching it with this long-term loan makes it very special:

"It's very rare when an institution is given this kind of largesse and responsibility, and having it happen in a year when we are celebrating our birthday and the anniversary and the many legacies of the Twin Cities area ... it is a rather important way to kick off this anniversary year."

If you go: MIA's centennial celebration

• When: All year
• Begins: Jan. 1, 2014, with a 100th Birthday Kickoff
• Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Mondays
• Location: 2400 Third Ave. South, Minneapolis
• Cost: Free admission; some exhibits and events include a fee
• More information: artsmia.org