Gertrude Vanderbilt was born into extreme wealth,
and later added to her fortune when, at 21, she married Harry Whitney.
In the early 1900s she was forever impacted by the burgeoning art scene in France.
She began to study and pursue her interest in sculpture.
Neither her family nor her husband supported her desire to work seriously as an artist.
Undeterred she went on to produce some important and impressive works.
Her great wealth afforded her the opportunity to become a patron of the
arts.
She devoted herself to the advancement of women, supporting an exhibiting in women-only shows and ensuring that women
were included in mixed shows.
In 1908,
Gertrude opened the Whitney Studio Gallery, a place to exhibit the work of artists she admired.
In 1931, Whitney decided to create her own museum after the MET turned down her offer to give it her twenty-five-year collection of nearly 700 works of modern art.
This week the art world is buzzing about one of the biggest events to rock the city in decades;
The opening of the Whitney's new museum in the meatpacking district.
The inaugural exhibition in Renzo Piano's building
is the largest show of works from its permanent collection.
The museum officially opens on May 1st, but my cousin scored me a ticket to an event tonight.
It may take some time for me to warm up to the exterior, but the interior galleries are spectacular.
Each floor has an outside deck offering dramatic views along the Hudson Bay.
Cheers to Gertrude, and her amazing legacy.
Looking forward to many more visits to The New Whitney.
