TULSA, OK.- Philbrook Museum of Art today announced recent acquisitions of works by an interdisciplinary and intergenerational group of artists, allowing the Museum to tell an ever-deepening story of art’s past, present, and future. Spanning over 150 years of artistic production, the acquisitions include a significant painting by French artist, Édouard Vuillard, a soul-stirring work of video art by Jeffrey Gibson ((Mississippi Band Choctaw/Cherokee), and a powerful sculptural statement by Vietnamese-American artist, Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn, a recent recipient of the heralded MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant.”
"I am excited to bring these works into our collection, the core of how we connect with the community," said Philbrook President and CEO Megan Nesbit. "We want our guests to visit often, spend time with favorite works, and be constantly surprised and inspired by new artists, perspectives, and ideas."
Additionally, a selection of contemporary acquisitions introduces new and emerging voices to the Philbrook painting, sculpture, textile, design, and works on paper collections, with works by artists such as Louisiana Pettway Bendolph, Daisy Patton, and Lorrie Garcia, joining the Museum’s collection for the first time.
Acquisition Highlights:
Édouard Vuillard (French, 1868-1940). Yvonne Printemps on the Sofa (Yvonne Printemps dans le canapé), 1919-21. Distemper on board, 47 1/4 x 31 5/8 inches. Acquisition candidate, Taber Art Fund. 2025.18
“I don't paint portraits,” Vuillard said. “I paint people in their homes.” Such is clearly the case here, as Vuillard has depicted Yvonne Printemps, a famous singer and actress in early 20th-century France. Vuillard was close friends with her husband and painted her at least three times around 1919, in each case focusing great attention on the interior around her.
Women in interiors like this one and in gardens were Vuillard’s favorite subjects and are now his most sought-after work. In both interiors and garden settings, he found rich inspiration in the mix of colors and textures. While from a late period, the work is characteristic of his earlier work, with its riotous colors, highly visible brushstrokes, and focus on pattern over naturalism. Former director of the Musée d’Orsay Guy Cogeval called this work “A stunning masterpiece."
Jeffrey Gibson (Mississippi Band Choctaw / Cherokee, b. 1972), She Never Dances Alone, 2019. Variable-channel video installation with color and sound, 2:50 min. Museum purchase, Taber Art Fund. 2025.9
The multi-channel video She Never Dances Alone is Jeffrey Gibson’s homage to the strength and resiliency of Indigenous matriarchs. Centering the jingle dress dance, which originated from the Ojibwe tribes and is performed by women at pow wows and ceremonies, the colorful regalia is ornamented with rows of jingles. These were traditionally made from rolled metal lids and produce a unique sound when danced, as they flutter and ring out against each other. The jingle dress dance is used as an opportunity to call for healing and spiritual power.
Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn (Vietnamese-American, b. 1976), Blast, 2024. 155mm artillery shells, brass from artillery shells, pounded brass from artillery shells, powder coat, and concrete, 72 x 94 ½”. Museum purchase, Taber Art Fund. 2025.1 a-cc
This striking sculptural form, Blast, is comprised of remnants of unexploded weapons remaining in Việt Nam more than 50 years after the end of the Vietnam War. The center section is comprised of unexploded 155mm shells that have been deactivated, cleaned, and transformed into an object that supports, the hazard removed. Reclaimed brass from additional cleaned shells are cut, shaped, and pounded to create elements that extend out from the center piece. A larger, solid leaf shape extends down and serves as a balance for the extended wing, which flies out from the dark, rough center. Here, the shining and brightly colored brass explodes out of the dead artillery shell with grace, light, and joy.
“Our goal is for the Philbrook collection to reflect the beauty and complexity of the human experience through a range of voices,” said Philbrook Trustee and Collections Committee Chair Stephen J. Heyman. “The works we’ve acquired over the past year mark significant progress toward that aim and continue to raise the overall excellence of the permanent collection.”
As Philbrook prepares for its centennial celebration in 2027, the curators and Collections Committee are working diligently to secure even more significant works over the coming year to further broaden the Museum’s offerings.
