The Menil Collection Museum in Houston, Texas, is celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2012. It opened in June of 1987. The Menil Collection Museum was commissioned by Dominique de Menil and the Menil Foundation.
A Museum for their collection had long been the dream of Dominique and her late husband, John de Menil. She and her team selected Renzo Piano to be the Architect of the Menil Collection Museum. Somewhere I believe she is quoted as saying to Renzo Piano “I want it [the museum] to be small on the outside and big on the inside.” And, “No pipes!” referring to the outside exposure of the piping system in the Centre de George Pompidou (the Beaubourg) in Paris
I was a guest at the opening of the Menil Collection Museum and share these selections of my photo compositions from that opening. A brief panorama of the north face of the Menil Museum is followed by the arrival of Dominique de Menil for the opening. She is surrounded by Director Walther Hopps, Asst. Menil Director Paul Winkler, then Mayor Kathy Whitmire, and Renzo Piano (both shown sitting) as she gave her inaugural speech.
One of my favorite photos of Dominique de Menil is where she is standing with the museum in gray and white behind her and in her yellow dress with her black belt with the ribbon yet to be cut. I share this in the free slide show below. The ribbon cutting ceremony is followed by Dominique de Menil gathering up the orange ribbon and motioning to “Come on In”. Here or in her speech she exclaims Houston! This is your Museum. And so a great museum opened. The download is free but donations are welcome.
Download free pdf of selections from Kevin Cassidy’s Opening of the Menil Collection Museum June 1987 below.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD MENIL COLLECTION MUSEUM OPENING
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