Edward F. Fry
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Edward F. Fry (May 06, 1935 April17, 1992) was a prominent art historian, curator, critic and educator whose specialty was Cubism and art of the late 20th century. He was a curator at the
Guggenheim Museum The Guggenheim Museums are a group of museums in different parts of the world established (or proposed to be established) by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Museums in this group include: * The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Ne ...
, New York in 1967 and organized an exhibition of
Hans Haacke Hans Haacke (born August 12, 1936) is a German-born artist who lives and works in New York City. Haacke is considered a "leading exponent" of institutional critique, and is considered to be the most harsh and consistent critic of museums among t ...
, which was famously cancelled and resulted in his being fired in 1971.Hill, W. (2020). Revealing Revelation: Hans Haacke’s "All Connected". M/C Journal, 23(4). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.1669 He then acted as a curator at large and critic, and taught, co-directing documenta 8 (1986) and helping organize a show for the
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...
in New York (1989) as well as consulting on other shows and participating in conferences. He taught at several of the
Big Three (colleges) The Big Three, also known as HYP (Harvard, Yale, Princeton), is a historical term used in the United States to refer to Harvard University, Yale University, and Princeton University. The phrase Big Three originated in the 1880s, when these thr ...
in the United States, at the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
, in Canada and elsewhere. Of the 14 books on art which he authored, co-authored or to which he contributed, his book on
Cubism Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement which began in Paris. It revolutionized painting and the visual arts, and sparked artistic innovations in music, ballet, literature, and architecture. Cubist subjects are analyzed, broke ...
with 13 editions, published in 1966, is best known.


Biography

Fry was born in
Ardmore, Pennsylvania Ardmore is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) spanning the border between Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Montgomery counties in the U.S. ...
and after study at
Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...
University (BA, 1953),
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
(MA, 1961), and in France on a
Fulbright Fellowship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
(1961-1963), taught for three years, publishing his book on
Cubism Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement which began in Paris. It revolutionized painting and the visual arts, and sparked artistic innovations in music, ballet, literature, and architecture. Cubist subjects are analyzed, broke ...
in 1966, then in 1967 was hired by the
Solomon R. Guggenheim Solomon Robert Guggenheim (February 2, 1861 – November 3, 1949) was an American businessman in needlework, gold, silver, copper, and lead and an art collector. He is best known for establishing the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the Sol ...
Museum in New York where he organized late 20th-century exhibitions, such as a
retrospective A retrospective (from Latin ', "look back"), generally, is a look back at events that took place, or works that were produced, in the past. As a noun, ''retrospective'' has specific meanings in software development, popular culture, and the arts. ...
of David Smith. His
Hans Haacke Hans Haacke (born August 12, 1936) is a German-born artist who lives and works in New York City. Haacke is considered a "leading exponent" of institutional critique, and is considered to be the most harsh and consistent critic of museums among t ...
show, canceled by
Thomas Messer Thomas Maria Messer (February 9, 1920 – May 15, 2013) was the director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy, for 27 years, long ...
in 1971, brought press and art world reaction. After being fired, Fry returned to teaching and worked as a curator at large. In 1972-1973 he became a professor and chairman of Visual Arts at
York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...
in Toronto (he resigned in 1973). In 1973, he received a
Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...
for Humanities, US & Canada. Among the shows on which he worked is documenta 8 which he co-directed (1986) and a show at the
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...
in New York (1989). He died of a heart attack in 1992 in Pennsylvania at the age of 56. His fonds is at the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.


Controversy

Haacke's ''Shapolsky et al. Manhattan Real Estate Holdings, A Real Time Social System as of May 1, 1971'' (1971), a work intended for the Guggenheim show in 1971, involved New York real estate dealings.
Thomas Messer Thomas Maria Messer (February 9, 1920 – May 15, 2013) was the director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy, for 27 years, long ...
viewed the piece as too political for the museum, cancelled the exhibition and fired Fry who was firm in defending the artist's right to freedom of expression. This controversy inspired later contemporary artists such as
Doris Salcedo Doris Salcedo (born 1958) is a Colombian-born visual artist and sculpture, sculptor."Doris Salcedo"
Art 21 ...
to dedicate a work evoking the
Guggenheim Museum The Guggenheim Museums are a group of museums in different parts of the world established (or proposed to be established) by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Museums in this group include: * The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Ne ...
to
Hans Haacke Hans Haacke (born August 12, 1936) is a German-born artist who lives and works in New York City. Haacke is considered a "leading exponent" of institutional critique, and is considered to be the most harsh and consistent critic of museums among t ...
and Fry.


Awards and hoours

*1961-1963:
Fulbright Fellowship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
; *First president of the New York chapter of the New Art Association, formed at a College Art Association meeting to address art education; *1972-1973:
Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...
for Humanities, US & Canada; *1981:
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
medal, Paris;


Selected publications

Of the 14 art history books which he wrote, co-authored or contributed, two have numerous reprints. "Cubism" has been translated into other languages. *"Cubism" (1966); *"David Smith: Painter, Sculptor, Draftsman" (1982); Fry also wrote features for
Art Forum ''Artforum'' is an international monthly magazine specializing in contemporary art. The magazine is distinguished from other magazines by its unique 10½ × 10½ inch square format, with each cover often devoted to the work of an artist. Notably ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fry, Edward F. 1935 births 1992 deaths Art museum people American art curators American art historians 20th-century American non-fiction writers Princeton University alumni Harvard University alumni Academic staff of York University Writers from Philadelphia 20th-century American educators