Agnes Gund, Pioneering Art Patron, Dies at 87

Lead Agnes Gund, renowned art collector and former president of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, died Friday at her Manhattan home at age 87, leaving a lasting imprint on contemporary art and philanthropy.

Nut Graf A driving force behind MoMA’s 2004 expansion and founder of the Art for Justice Fund, Gund reshaped the American art world through visionary leadership and groundbreaking philanthropy.

Legacy at MoMA

Served on MoMA’s International Council beginning in 1967 and as president from 1991 to 2002, guiding a transformative $858 million expansion designed by Yoshio Taniguchi in 2004.
Instrumental in integrating MoMA PS1 under MoMA’s umbrella in 1999 and continued as president emerita and trustee until her passing.

Art for Justice Fund

In 2017, sold Roy Lichtenstein’s Masterpiece for $165 million, allocating $100 million to launch the Art for Justice Fund aimed at criminal justice reform.
The fund awarded grants nationwide to support alternatives to mass incarceration until its conclusion in 2023.

Philanthropic Endeavors

Founded Studio in a School in 1977 to restore visual arts education in New York City public schools; the program has served over one million students.
Served on boards of the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Morgan Library & Museum, YoungArts, and numerous cultural institutions, championing arts education, women’s issues, and environmental causes.

Reactions and Tributes

MoMA Director Glenn D. Lowry praised Gund as “a courageous visionary whose generosity knew no bounds.”
Artists and curators across the globe lauded her unwavering commitment to underrecognized voices and social justice.
On social media, fellow arts advocates honored her as a “true champion of artists and equity.”

Agnes Gund’s death marks the end of an era for American arts philanthropy, but her initiatives-from MoMA’s growth to the Art for Justice Fund-ensure her influence will endure.