Robert G. Workman Named Crystal Bridges Executive Director
January 31, 2006 – 1:48 pm
BENTONVILLE, Ark., Jan. 31, 2006 – Robert G. Workman, a 30-year museum professional with a comprehensive background in all aspects of museum management, has been named executive director of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The appointment was effective Jan. 1.
Intimately involved with the project since its inception, Workman previously held the title of project director for the museum. He began his association with Crystal Bridges in December 2003, working as a consultant to assist with early-stage planning, acquisitions, building and pre-construction processes. This promotion formalizes the leadership role Workman has played with Crystal Bridges for the past two years.
“As this unique project moves forward, we are pleased to have an accomplished professional like Bob Workman lead our efforts to build a premier national art institution dedicated to American art and artists,” said Alice Walton, founder of Crystal Bridges. “Bob will help us achieve our goal of bringing to life America’s heritage through the eyes of artists for years to come.”
In his role as executive director, Workman will be responsible for the planning, organization, construction and implementation of the entire museum project. Specifically, he will have job responsibilities and staff oversight of the key areas of governance, building design and construction implementation, development of the museum’s collections and programs, and operations and outreach activities once the museum is open.
Prior to joining the Crystal Bridges project, Workman was deputy director of the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth. In this role, he oversaw all museum outreach including development and membership, special events, public relations and marketing, education, the library and archives and publications. All together, Workman spent eight years (1995 – 2003) at the Amon Carter holding various museum management positions. Most notably he led the museum’s $39 million renovation project and expansion.
Workman has extensive exhibition management experience including a seven-year tenure with the American Federation of Arts in New York (1988 – 1995). During this time, Workman was responsible for directing the programmatic component of the AFA, supervising a staff of 18 to identify, develop and implement as many as 20 simultaneously traveling national and international circulation exhibitions with an additional 50 exhibitions under development. Through his work at the AFA, Workman enjoyed significant success in establishing collaborations with other art museums. Several exhibitions designed by Workman – particularly those highlighting American art – traveled extensively including: American Originals: Selections from Reynolda House, Museum of American Art, which traveled to seven museums from 1990-92; American Prints in Black and White: Selections from the Reba and Dave Williams Collections, with P. Andrew Spahr, AFA circulating exhibition to nine museums, 1990-93.
Prior to joining the AFA, Workman gained curatorial experience as curator of 19th century art with The Hudson River Museum in Yonkers and assistant curator of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence.
Workman has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, graduating magna cum laude from Wichita State University in 1978. He holds a master of arts in art history, graduating with honors from Boston University in 1983. He also holds a certificate of museum studies from Boston University and attended the Museum Management Institute in Berkeley, Calif., in 1991.
About Crystal Bridges
Crystal Bridges is envisioned as a premier national art institution dedicated to American art and artists, learning and community gatherings. The museum takes its name from the unique glass-and-wood building design, created for the natural setting by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. The entire complex will encompass approximately 100,000 square feet of gallery, library, meeting, and office space, a 250-seat indoor auditorium, areas for outdoor concerts and public events, gallery rooms suitable for large receptions, as well as sculpture gardens and walking trails.
The museum will house a permanent collection of masterworks from American artists along with galleries dedicated to Native American and regional art and artists. The growing permanent collection is composed of paintings and sculptures by American artists from the Colonial period through the modern era and will consist of numerous notable paintings, including: Gilbert Stuart’s George Washington (The Constable-Hamilton Portrait); portraitist Charles Willson Peale’s 18th century painting of a confident George Washington completed near the end of the Revolutionary War; and Hudson River School masterwork Kindred Spirits by Asher B. Durand. Other artists and works represented include Charles Bird King’s early 19th century portraits of American Indian leaders; and Winslow Homer’s depictions of the interplay between man and nature.
In addition to the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions drawn from national institutions will be displayed in the museum.
The 100-acre site of the museum complex and cultural center is located in Bentonville, Ark. The project is scheduled to open in 2009. For more information about Crystal Bridges, visit www.crystalbridges.org.
