Story and images provided by OSU Museum of Art
The Oklahoma State University Museum of Art has received more than 600 works of fine art and design from the George R. Kravis II collection. The collection ranges from video art to pop art, and 1930s to 21st-century design with an international representation of artists. It includes works from Roy Lichtenstein, Brian Bress, Henry Moore, Charles and Ray Eames, Philippe Starck and Oklahoman Otto Duecker.
The OSU Museum of Art exhibition Oklahoma and Beyond, held in 2017, featured a selection from the Kravis fine art and design collection. Through the dissemination of Kravis’ estate, the OSU Museum of Art was selected to receive a majority of his fine arts collection, as well as a selection of design objects, including a Frank Lloyd Wright armchair and Norman Bel Geddes Soda King Siphon Bottle.
“This gift is a game-changer for OSU,” said Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis. “Thanks to the generosity of George Kravis, we are now home to fine art and design objects more commonly found in prominent, metropolitan museums. It is an honor to be selected from among several institutions considered for this unique and diverse collection.”
Selections from the Kravis collection will be on view in the OSU Museum of Art lobby starting in April. In January, the museum will debut the George R. Kravis II Gallery that will display an ongoing series of exhibitions featuring the Kravis collection.
“The Kravis collection will greatly enrich the museum’s exhibitions and programs in modern and contemporary art,” said Arlette Klaric, OSU Museum of Art associate chief curator and curator of collections. “This extraordinary gift will support his aspirations of advancing public art education, and help continue his remarkable legacy.”
Kravis, a lifetime resident of Tulsa, supported many local initiatives through the Raymond and Bessie Kravis Foundation. Kravis contributed to several Oklahoma cultural institutions and was honored with the Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Award in 2010 as a leader and significant contributor to the arts.
Learn more about the George R. Kravis II collection at https://bit.ly/2FpyGaC
About the OSU Museum of Art
For more information about the OSU Museum of Art, visit museum.okstate.edu or call 405-744-2780. The museum is located at 720 S. Husband Street in downtown Stillwater. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours are extended on Wednesdays and Thursdays until 7 p.m. Admission is free, thanks to generous support from the OSU Museum of Art Advocates.
Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. OSU is America’s Brightest Orange. Through leadership and service, OSU is preparing students for a bright future and building a brighter world for all. As Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research, and outreach. As America’s Healthiest Campus, OSU is committed to the health and well-being of its students, employees and the community. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated around 255,000 students to serve the state of Oklahoma, the nation and the world.
