AT THE ALLEN / SPRING 2025 / 3 This spring we are delighted to present three concurrent exhibitions highlighting stunning works from the renowned collection of Driek (OC 1965) and Michael (OC 1964) Zirinsky. Both retired professors, the Zirinskys are based in Boise, Idaho and have spent decades forming an important collection of contemporary art. The dynamic selections shown here are all from an extraordinary gift to the Allen featuring a wide variety of more than 170 works from regional, national, and international artists expressing a range of processes and ideas that foster personal connections for visitors. For the last few years, the Zirinskys have focused on finding good homes for some of their holdings. In addition to Oberlin, works by British artists have gone to the Yale Center for British Art in Connecticut. TheWhatcomMuseum in Bellingham, Washington, has also received works from the Zirinskys. Their incredibly generous intention to share their artworks enriches communities across the country. In addition, the fruits of our Academic Programs department’s work can be seen in two exhibitions organized through partnerships with faculty and students taking courses in History and East Asian Studies. And, as the program calendar indicates, the activities of our Education department offer opportunities for communitywide engagement with works on view throughout the museum. This dedicated, creative team never fails to promote the experience of wonder and the power of art to transform our understanding of the world. For many years now, the Allen’s staff, the Visiting Committee, and the leadership of Oberlin College have been considering the possibility of expanding the museum’s facility. For such an undertaking, a feasibility study is often the first major step in the early museumplanning process helping to establish the conceptual parameters for design, construction, and operations. With funding generously provided by the Visiting Committee and other friends of the museum, since this past October, we have been working on such a study with Ennead Architects, a New York- based firm. Listening carefully to input from museum and college staff and stakeholders, the Ennead team has helped us define our priorities for an expansion. We look forward to receiving their report later this spring. And finally, I couldn’t be more pleased to share with you the news that, thanks to an extraordinary gift from Ted Nowick and Robert Taylor, the Allen is celebrating the creation of a new staff position: the Nowick-Taylor Deputy Director. These enlightened donors realized that with the museum’s pending expansion and its ever-increasing role at Oberlin and in the surrounding community, this position—which will be filled by the new director—is very much needed. We are truly grateful for Ted and Robert’s unwavering support. As always, we hope to welcome you to the museum in the comingmonths. Please come visit us, engage with our Oberlin-student Gallery Guides, and expand your horizons through art! Katie Solender (OC 1977) Interim John G. W. Cowles Director This early 1900s architectural rendering showcases the original plan for the Allen Memorial Art Museum, designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert and completed in 1917. Gilbert, celebrated for iconic structures like theWoolworth Building in New York and the U.S. Supreme Court building inWashington, D.C., infused the museum’s design with the grandeur of Tuscan Renaissance architecture to inspire a connection to the art of the past. In 1977, a groundbreaking addition by Robert Venturi, a pioneer of postmodern architecture, elevated the Allen as a landmark of design innovation. As the museum continues to grow and adapt, these architectural milestones underscore the ongoing need for expansion to meet the evolving needs of its visitors and collections while preserving the rich legacy of the museum and Oberlin College.
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