Moving Beyond Art Displays



The Heard Museum of Phoenix will initiate a new chapter in museum facilities on Nov. 17 when it hosts the public opening of a new space—the Berlin Gallery—created specifically for sale of fine works of art.

The attractive addition—with a central dome providing high ceilings, natural light from skylights, poured and polished brown concrete floors, state-of-the-art lighting and handsome shelving—will be used primarily for sale of paintings, prints, drawings and photography by major artists. Flanking the gallery on two sides outdoors are sculpture gardens. Audiovisual and computer infrastructure will also allow for public gatherings and presentations on various topics. In addition to storage space for the museum’s existing shop and bookstore, the $1 million addition spans 2,400 square feet.

The Berlin Gallery will open with a group show of 13 artists, but in 2007 it will launch a series of shows highlighting single artists. In addition, in the summer months, gallery manager Andrea Hanley (Navajo) expects they will mount shows with less-expensive works. “We will try to offer something for everyone,” she notes. Adds Bruce McGee, the museum’s longstanding director of sales, “This is a dream come true, in that it allows us to showcase contemporary fine art in a true gallery setting.”