Anyone who reads this letter regularly understands the depth of this museum’s commitment to presenting vital, aesthetically rewarding, and socially relevant works of art at all times, even challenging ones. As members, I hope you have come to appreciate the breadth of programming that is taking place right now. Ambitious projects like Black Womanhood and Oceanic Art: A Celebration of Form have stimulated debates and drawn new audiences to our museum. The reinstallation of virtually every permanent collection space—from the Old Master paintings and American art galleries to the creation of new permanent displays of Mexican art and photography—has also received widespread praise from colleagues and occasional visitors alike. The exterior of SDMA has been restored, banners have been re-hung, and monumental sculpture has been re-sited. We are proud of the activity that is taking place throughout the museum. This will not diminish.

In early June, SDMA will mount a major exhibition celebrating the riveting photography of Richard Avedon. Following on the popular and critical success of Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life, 1990-2005 we expect that Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power will represent a similarly memorable experience for all who attend. The exhibition attracted large audiences in Washington, D.C., and San Diego is the only other U.S. venue for the show. During his lifetime Avedon produced some of the most arresting images of twentieth-century personalities, many of which will be on view here. This project performs double duty by reinforcing a growing strength of photographic collections at the museum. In fact, several hundred photographs have been added to our permanent holdings over the past four years, re-establishing a core collection in this area. Most of these works have come to us as gifts. This generosity is illustrated in Unerring Eyes, a small but elegant installation of recent donations from Drs. Joseph and Elaine Monsen, two of the top photography collectors in this country. The Monsens have become tremendous friends of SDMA, and we are all grateful to them for their uncommon support of this important collections initiative. The gifts presented in this exhibition demonstrate how the goal of creating a great encyclopedic museum at SDMA has become a reality.

Although the external environment has made it difficult to maintain the intense level of programming we have recently achieved, my colleagues and I remain focused on preserving SDMA’s role as a primary portal for meaningful art encounters. In so doing, SDMA aims to fulfill its important role in this community. We would not be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Young Art this April, for example, without a deeply shared sense of purpose about this endeavor. Having the widest conceivable variety of works on view is crucial to achieving a sense of inclusiveness and public spirit at SDMA. This museum will continue serving the broadest possible audience, and we sincerely hope that you will take advantage of the diverse offerings on view. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the hardworking staff of the museum, I thank you for your ongoing involvement--your support makes this effort possible and worthwhile. I hope to see you often in the months ahead.

Derrick R. Cartwright
The Maruja Baldwin Director

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