The Foundation and this Website
THE WILLEM DE KOONING FOUNDATION is an artist-endowed, private, operating foundation which received its 501(c)(3) status in 2001. Our mission is to foster the study and appreciation of Willem de Kooning’s life and work through research, exhibitions and educational programs. Through our initiatives, we strive to encourage new discussion and a deeper understanding of de Kooning, his contemporaries, and their historical moment among scholars and the general public. As a part of this mission, the Foundation looks to de Kooning’s own practices for lessons and opportunities that can advance arts education for students of all ages.
The Foundation is managed by its executive director, Amy Schichtel, and its board of directors, president, John A. Silberman and secretary and treasurer, Donn Zaretsky. We do not issue individual grants, authenticate works of art or conduct appraisals.
THIS WEBSITE
This website is a key component of our education initiative. There are two primary sections:
The Foundation and The Artist.
The Foundation offers information about our programs, resources, policies, rights and reproductions, and newsworthy events.
The Artist provides a comprehensive overview of de Kooning’s career, with the
Artworks section as its linchpin.
Artworks provides:
An ample range of de Kooning’s artworks to browse and compare. Many works are available for download for educational usage at a size sufficient for classroom projection.
Filters with which to select and compare groups of artworks.
When available, contextual photographs of artworks in de Kooning's studio, which enhance the experience of de Kooning’s methodologies.
Additional highlights: A concise biography and illustrated chronology; a list of all public collections holding his work; full texts of some of his essential words and writings; and a chronological selection of photographs of the artist, primarily focused on his artistic career.