Jermayne MacAgy

A celebration of preeminent American, curator, art historian, and museum director Jermayne MacAgy’s life and work. On its fortieth anniversary, the Menil Collection honors Jermayne MacAgy (1914–1964), “one of the most brilliant exhibition directors of our time,” as described by the first director of the Museum of Modern Art, Alfred Barr. Revered for her innovative techniques and her facility for exhibition conception, design, and installation, MacAgy left behind an immense legacy in her roles at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and Houston’s University of St. Thomas, where she promoted contemporary artists and modernism, as well as historical Euro-American traditions and Indigenous art of several continents—often in dazzling theme shows.  At the heart of this in-depth survey is an illustrated compendium of MacAgy’s groundbreaking, yet underrecognized, exhibitions in San Francisco and Houston. This highly illustrated “portfolio of exhibitions” brings together original research and archival materials to highlight MacAgy’s immersive installation techniques and her sustained focus on enchanting and educating through the art object. Essays by leading scholars reflect on MacAgy’s entire career—from her intellectual background and training to her pioneering installations at midcentury, including her landmark exhibition Totems Not Taboo (1959)—and consider her vital role within twentieth-century curating and the development of the modern American art museum. Distributed for the Menil Collection