Massachusetts College Of Art And Design Announces 35th Annual Massart Auction
- Press Release
Boston, MA – March 11, 2024 – Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is
delighted to announce its 35th MassArt Auction, will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
MassArt will welcome guests to the Design and Media Center on campus for the Live Auction,
which will be conducted by auctioneer Karen Keane, MassArt Board of Trustees Chair and
Chairman Emerita at Bonhams Skinner, simultaneously in-person and virtually on the auction
platform Bidsquare. The 35th MassArt Auction will feature over 300 lots in a variety of media,
offering the opportunity to purchase works by emerging, rising stars as well as internationally
renowned artists. Both the Live and Silent Auctions will be posted on Bidsquare and open for a
two-week period of bidding, starting April 1, 2024. All artwork will be exhibited on campus from
April 1 – 11, 2024, viewable by appointment.
As the nation’s only independent public college of art and design, MassArt is dedicated to
providing an exceptional and affordable education for the next generation of artists, designers,
and educators. The proceeds of the MassArt Auction provide vital scholarship aid and academic
program support for deserving students, which make continued access to a renowned art and
design education possible. The MassArt Auction is the College’s largest fundraising event of the
year, raising over $1 million dollars each year for the last nine consecutive years.
A special fundraising component of the Auction called “Raise Your Paddle” benefits MassArt’s
Mastodon Emergency Fund, established to support students facing unexpected financial
hardships that may impact their ability to continue their education.
Among the lots in the Live Auction is an iconic William Wegman (‘65) photograph titled Basic
Wood; produced in the artist’s signature portrait style, the work features one of his beloved
Weimaraners standing alongside a modernist wooden chair. Another highlight includes
internationally renowned artist, Louise Nevelson’s innovative Night Tree, lead. This
three-dimensional work is from the artist’s Lead Intaglio series and features thin, embossed lead
plates set on paper. Paul Briggs (M’16) emotive ceramic sculpture Mythologies (Knot Story)
uses the form of the rectangle and tubes to demonstrate containment and boundaries, as well
as notions of penetrations and escape.
Buyers will also have the chance to purchase an impressive array of designed objects, including
a brilliantly colorful necklace by Eunseok Han, composed of recycled cans, black pearl, and
silver. In the Silent Auction, Gideon Holdgate’s black walnut and sapele Console Table forges
the style of traditional Japanese woodworking with Mid-Century Modern design.
The 35th Auction Committee is co-chaired by Daren Bascome, ‘93 BFA Graphic Design,
MassArt Trustee, and Founder of Proverb brand agency, as well as Elizabeth Lowrey, ‘19
Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, MassArt Foundation Board Member, and Principal and Director of
Interior Architecture at Elkus Manfredi Architects. The twenty-five-person volunteer Auction
Committee selected the artwork last fall through a jury process from over 1,500 submissions.
Auction artists have the choice of contributing 50% or 100% of the sale to MassArt.
FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
LIVE AUCTION | DESIGN AND MEDIA CENTER, MASSART
SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2024 AT 6:30 PM
Live Auction with Auctioneer Karen M. Keane, MassArt Board of Trustees Chair and Chairman
Emerita at Bonhams Skinner. The event begins at 6:30 PM, and the Live Auction begins at 8:00
PM both in-person and online on Bidsquare.
AUCTION PUBLIC PREVIEW DAYS | DESIGN AND MEDIA CENTER, MASSART
MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2024 – THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2024
Both the Live and Silent Auctions will be posted on Bidsquare and open for a two-week period
of bidding, starting on April 1. All of the Auction artwork will be installed and the exhibition
available to view on campus. On-campus viewings are available by appointment.
Viewing Schedule:
Monday, April 1 (3 pm – 7 pm)
Tuesday, April 2 (3 pm – 7 pm)
Thursday, April 4 (10 am – 2 pm)
Friday, April 5 (10 am – 2 pm)
Saturday, April 6 (2 pm – 6 pm)
Sunday, April 7 (2 pm – 6 pm)
Monday, April 8 (3 pm – 7 pm)
Tuesday, April 9 (3 pm – 7 pm)
Thursday, April 11 (10 am – 2 pm)
For additional information, visit massartauction.org or contact auction@massart.edu.
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ABOUT MASSART
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is a public, independent institution that
prepares artists, designers, and educators to shape communities, economies, and cultures for
the common good. Since 1873, MassArt has built a legacy of leadership as the first freestanding
public college of art and design in the country, and the nation’s first art school to grant a degree.
MassArt offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in art, design,
and art education, taught by world-class faculty.
PRESS CONTACT
Thomas Brown, Thomas Brown Communications
thomas@thomas-brown.info | +1 917 968 3351
