Want to see a building that’s a work of art itself? That’s the Institute of Contemporary Art. This museum is a glass structure. It cantilevers over a waterside plaza. It has transformed Boston into a focal point for contemporary art in the 21st century.
Founded in 1936 as the Boston Museum of Modern Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art has moved and changed names many times. Its current location was built in 2006. The architects Diller Scofidio and Renfro designed it.
The museum planned itself as a renegade offspring of the Museum of Modern Art. Its first president was a 26-year-old architect named Nathaniel Saltonstall. The first exhibit was the first survey show of Paul Gauguin in the Boston area. The institution’s first fundraiser was the Modern Art Ball. Gala and Salvador Dalí attended. They dressed as sharks.
In 1937, the Boston Museum of Modern Art moved to its first self-administered gallery. It was located at 14 Newbury Street. Admission was 25 cents. The museum displayed the first survey of dada and surrealist art this year. On exhibit was the now famous work Object. Mèret Oppenheim created it.
In 1939, the museum officially cut ties with the Museum of Modern Art. It changed its name to the Institute of Modern Art. After changing its name, the museum held a show of German degenerate art. Hitler himself labeled it as such. Artists included Max Beckmann and Paul Klee.
In 1948, the Institute of Modern Art changed its name again. It became the Institute of Contemporary Art. The name distanced itself from the ideological inflections. That term is modern. The ICA exhibited works by Le Corbusier in his first show in a United States museum.
In 1966, the museum organized an Andy Warhol exhibition. It included selections from Campbell’s Soup Cans. It also featured portraits of Jackie Kennedy.
In 2006, the Institute of Contemporary Art moved to its new building on Fan Pier. That same year, the museum began to build a permanent collection.
The Institute of Contemporary Art’s building echoes nearby waterfront gantry cranes. Many critics celebrated its openness. The ICA received the 2007 Harleston Parker Medal. It is awarded to the most beautiful piece of architecture in Boston.
In 2018, the Institute of Contemporary Art transformed a condemned building in East Boston. It became the ICA Watershed. Admission to the Watershed is free. The ICA offers ferry service from its main building to the Watershed.
Inside the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Founders Gallery spans the building’s width. A glass wall eliminates any barrier between viewer and seascape. So, come explore the Institute of Contemporary Art. Experience the innovative spirit. See art that challenges and inspires. It is a place where contemporary art meets civic life.