The Kennedy Museum of Art

Over the Back Fence Magazine| Fall 2004

 A massive brick fortress looms like a guardian over the city of Athens, Ohio, a landmark of time. Its 137-year   vigilant  watch   has witnessed history's passage from the Civil War era to the new millennium and the  bicentennial of Ohio University (2004).

Sprawling, the towering goliath with massive wings enfolds the hillside in autumn light with labyrinths of halls flanked by sweeping staircases and mar­ble mosaic flooring.

From a somber past, the historic Athens Lunatic Asylum has been saved from the wrecking ball, to become a thing of looming beauty guarding art­work of national significance and regional importance.   It is now the Kennedy Museum of Art.

"We opened our doors in 1996 to the public," smiles James Wyman, Museum Director. "Painstaking detail has been taken to maintain the historic aspects of this building.  The Kennedy Museum was a collective vision of its donors and Ohio University.  The museum was incorporated in 1991 and some S4 million in renovations have taken place. There is a deep historical value of this building because most structures of this era no longer exist in the country and it is very distinctive.   I have a lot of respect for the renovations that have taken place here.   It is not easy to maintain a building like this and the cost of renovation in a building of this era.  It's a definite challenge."

The twin-towered structure con­sumed 18.5 million bricks and eventualy contained 544 rooms after its birth in 1867.  With various walls two feet thick, the four-story edifice ascends sky­ward like Ohio University's timely guardian with a grand 50-foot hallway that is 16 feet wide.

This reverent building was once surrounded by lush vista gardens designed by Herman Haerlin, student of the famous Frederick Olmstead who designed New York's Central Park and the Capitol grounds in Washington D.C.    In the 1950s its patient popula­tion peaked near 2,000 and the site maintained about 78 buildings with land holdings reaching more than 1000 acres. Today, some 1,984 nameless numbered gravestones are permanent reminders of the former Athens Lunatic Asylum.

After many name changes over the years, the area became known as "The Ridges."  Urban legends of ghosts at the site are fueled by the fact that it was once an asylum. But, there is nothing sinister about the numbered graves. "Back in those days there was a stigma attached to having someone at the asy­lum and you didn't want people to know you had family there," assures Joanne Prisley, Curator of the Athens County Historical Society and Museum.

The Kennedy Museum of Art is named after Edwin and Ruth Kennedy. The couple was involved with Ohio University for eight decades and donat­ed their personal collection of Southwest Native American art.   This assemblage is amongst the most exten­sive of classic and modern Native American art in the United States. Valued in the millions, it includes nearly 700 masterpieces of weavings and 3000 pieces of silverwork and jewelry.

"We have permanent collections which bring artists and historians together.  The OU School of Art has a very active visiting artist program, and from time to time we are involved with coordinating events with the school relevant to visiting artists," states Director,James Wyman.                                                                         

Some major collections of the Kennedy Museum are the Contemporary Print Collection, which includes works by artists Roy Lichtenstein and Dorothea Rockbourne. Two newer collections are the Photography Collection, featuring works by Clarence White and Herman Leonard and the Foster and Martha Harmon Collection of American Art, a multi-million dollar collection of late-modern American paintings and sculp­tures. The Kennedy Museum is quite diverse in terms of holdings, which total around 8,000 objects.

The museum currently occupies the main administrative portion of the complex, Lin Hall, which has four floors and the ability to move up. Ultimately they would like to have ded­icated floors to exhibitions.

"Education is a major part of the Kennedy Museum of Art. For many children, this is the first museum that they step foot in. So, we are what they understand about museums.  We are the region's museum, and we are quickly becoming known on a national level through traveling exhibitions and through collection sharing that we are developing with other museums in the state as well as nationally," says Wyman.

Sally Delgado, Kennedy Museum Curator of Education explains, "The museum sponsors Art Encounters and a Museums by Mail program for education. This allows schools to bor­row exhibitions for their classroom. It is a major outreach component to what we do here," stresses Delgado. "Museums by Mail is different than most programs because we send out actual originals."

The museum has approximately 3,000 children visit per year and has informal Saturday programs for families. Special events, such as gallery talks with artists are held throughout the year. Visit their website, www.ohiou.edu/museum to view the calendar of events.

Through careful renovation the building, has come back to life, making it a fascinating place to view artwork. The programs, exhibits and dedication of the people involved make this site a shining example of the benefits of finding a new, vital purpose for historic buildings. The Kennedy Museum of Art is the crown jewel of the southern Ohio region, spotlighted in the world of art on a national level.