Most of the time, Fargo, ND, isn’t even on the art-world’s map, but this week an anonymous donor put it there, with help from James Rosenquist (see him at work below).
Rosenquist hails from Grand Forks, ND, and in 2005, when he visited Fargo, the Plains Art Museum there commissioned a mural by him to “celebrate the plains region.” But, last April, his work on it was lost in the fire that raged through his home, studio and storerooms in Aripeka, Fl, destroying 30 years of work. Rosenquist was away, and unharmed physically. (Refresh your memory of what happened in an article in the St. Petersburg Times.)
Still, he had to start again to create the mural. Meanwhile, the Plains museum had to find funds to pay for the $1.2 million work, which is to measure 13 by 21 ft.
This week, that nameless donor pledged $600,000 to pay for the mural, and Rosenquist “matched” it by giving the materials and labor and lowering his fee, according to the Forum of Moorhead-Fargo.
Win-win for the museum.
Kudos to Rosenquist for remembering his roots.
If you go to the museum’s website, take a look at its collection and current exhibitions, which include a Warhol show and Individual to Icon: Portraits of the Famous and Almost Famous from Folk Art to Facebook, including this work by Alec Soth:
Photos: Courtesy Plains Art Museum