PARIS.- The Centre Pompidou is presenting an entirely new hang of its contemporary collection in the refurbished areas of the musée national d’art moderne. This presentation puts the spotlight on the donors whose generosity, passion and commitment have contributed to enriching the Centre Pompidou collection. The hang focuses on contemporary works that have entered the collection during the last five years, by artists from all over the world and every generation. Thanks to these « Dear Friends », the Centre Pompidou can provide insight into the art of today.

Ever since it opened in 1947, the musée national d’art moderne has always been able to rely on the generosity of patrons and donors. Owing to this, all artistic disciplines are represented, now as in the past, from the visual arts to video, film, photography, drawing, architecture and design. This year, the Centre Pompidou has decided to pay a special tribute to these donors by showing how the collection remains vibrantly alive through their generous gifts, operated in constant dialogue with the curators. Donors come from every background, and include private citizens, artists, gallery owners, foundations and friends’ associations. The « Contemporary Art Project », the Association of Friends to musée national d’art moderne, the « Perspectives » group made up of younger collectors, the « Cercle International » – with collectors from all over the world, including a group dedicated to the Middle East –, the Group of Japanese Friends, the Centre Pompidou Foundation, together with philanthropic foundations and numerous private collectors, all bear witness to the collective achievements on behalf of the Centre Pompidou collection, both within and outside France.

This dynamic is illustrated by exceptional gifts.

Several major works recently joined the Centre Pompidou in this way, such as Anri Sala’s moving film installation Unravel (2013), and the striking installation by the Chinese artist Xu Zhen, Corporate (Four Knives Group).

The museum also benefits from the generosity of artists themselves, who include Adel Abdessemed, Saâdane Afif, Isabelle Cornaro, Mireille Kassar and Navid Nuur, to name just some of those with works in this initial presentation. Several young artists whose pieces would never have entered the collection without this support will also feature, such as Farah Atassi, Karla Black, Alex Israel and Ciprian Muresan.

Other gifts have consolidated the presence of major artists in the collection, including François Morellet and Tadashi Kawamata, Joseph Kosuth, Louise Lawler, Sean Scully and Haim Steinbach. Still more are opening up new horizons, like the remarkable environment by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami or those brought together in a room dedicated to 1990s design containing, among others, works by Marcel Wanders, who imbued design with fresh energy through a transgressive and playful approach that eliminated the barriers between craft and industry.

A selection of video works is also presented in the Video/Film/Sound collection area inside the gallery spaces of the museum.

This presentation has provided a chance to interview the donors, artists and patrons whose personal stories and passion for art have so enriched the national collections.

The first of a series of many tributes, « Cher(e)s Ami(e)s » will continue throughout 2016, offering audiences a living collection that illustrates the vast variety of contemporary creation.