Art in Embassies
A dream come true...
We all harbor secret dreams, and recently, one of mine has come true. Not long ago, I opened an email from the Chief Curator of the Art in Embassies Program, inviting me to loan a piece of my artwork to the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan.
A dedicated team of five curators, supported by numerous registrars, manages approximately 60 exhibitions each year. Participants include artists, museums, galleries, universities, and private collectors.
In a collaborative effort, based on my portfolio and the space available. We chose Redwing.
To facilitate transport, I divided the mural into nine interlocking sections. The entire piece, which measures 60 X 110 X 2″, can be shipped in a single box that meets the 80 running inches limit for oversized air packages.
The mural was assembled, photographed, and packed in my art studio in Mexico, then transported as oversized luggage to my studio in Durham, North Carolina, in preparation for pickup by the Art in Embassies team. I met a truck from Atelier 7, the art shipping company based in Charlotte, NC, for the final leg of the journey. You can see photos of the packing, shipping, and pickup process.
Let me take a moment to share more about this incredible program. For the past 60 years, the United States has fostered cultural exchange through the State Department, allowing artists to lend and sometimes sell their artwork to decorate embassies around the globe.
Currently, the U.S. maintains diplomatic relations with 180 out of 195 countries, and President John F. Kennedy formalized this initiative in 1963, a concept originally developed by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Interestingly, the Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Elizabeth Rood, is originally from Durham, NC, and has a strong passion for birds and environmental issues. This connection makes it even more meaningful, as my “Redwing” mural will greet diplomats from around the world as they step off the elevators.
I feel deeply honored to have my artwork recognized in this way, and I am filled with joy that one of my dreams has finally come to fruition.
