Photo by Pixelme Studio
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, we celebrate the power of American art to represent our nation and to bring people together. As the global leader and trusted source on American art, our collections run deep and cut across centuries and media from painting to sculpture to time-based artworks and installations. Art not only tells us where we were, but also where we are at the present moment. Art can spark conversations that bridge cultures. Art can inspire us in seen and unseen ways.
Aaron Douglas, Inspiration, 1967, oil on canvas panel, 30 × 25 in. (76.2 × 63.5 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Steven L. Jones in memory of his father Dr. William M. Jones Sr., Chicago educator and a storyteller for the soul, and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2024.36
This letter features two works that recently entered SAAM’s collection: Aaron Douglas’s striking painting, Inspiration, an outstanding work by the influential African American modernist and Cecilia Vicuña’s Quipu Viscera. It is a site-specific installation of dyed and unspun wool, now turning heads in our modern and contemporary art galleries. The artworks couldn’t be more different. Although they are separated by time period and medium, each has the power to invite us in, enabling us to enter their worlds and be moved by what we experience. Each has the power to inspire.
Both the Douglas and the Vicuña got me thinking about my time as acting director at SAAM and how I’ve come to see first-hand the power of art to enrich our lives. I was honored to watch Cecilia Vicuña install her piece in our historic Lincoln gallery. For the Douglas, I was fascinated to hear Head Curator Randy Griffey explain the deep significance of the painting and intrigued to watch Head Conservator Amber Kerr perform her initial assessment when the work first entered our Lunder conservation lab. Those were moments of inspiration for me.
Cecilia Vicuña, Quipu Viscera, 2017, version 2025, site-specific installation of dyed and unspun wool, dimensions variable, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the American Women's History Initiative Acquisitions Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative, 2023.28A-B, © 2023, Cecilia Vicuña
I’m inspired not only by our collections and the creativity of the artists, but also by the great work that SAAM staff does each day, often behind the scenes, creating sensitive yet empowering exhibitions and installations. Our visitors are a source of inspiration as well, participating with us in a glorious loop of give and take. Watching people in the galleries spending time with a work of art is a constant reminder of why we do what we do.
As we look to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States next year, we kick off our programming with the highly anticipated exhibition State Fairs: Growing American Craft, which will occupy both floors of SAAM’s Renwick Gallery. It represents the first time a museum is showcasing artists’ contributions to the great US tradition of state fairs. The exhibition is the latest in a series at the Renwick that reassess and uplift craft’s relevance to our everyday lives and to American culture.
When was the last time you visited SAAM and our Renwick Gallery? We invite you to get inspired by visiting us and experiencing all of our groundbreaking exhibitions, whether at the museum or online. See you at the fair!
Jane Carpenter-Rock
The Margaret and Terry Stent Acting Director
