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A Note from Dr. Cleveland
Johnson
Morris Museum President
& CEO
As winter temperatures
have finally arrived, reality strikes home that my service at the
Morris Museum will soon end. I’ve been honored to help this
108-year-old institution examine itself on a path toward renewed
meaning and relevance, surviving these difficult pandemic years
while reaching confidently for the future.
Highlights would
certainly include:
· the
recentering of our mission around “art, sound, and motion,”
inspired by the potential of our historic Guinness Collection to
speak in creative ways to our contemporary, technology-driven,
boundary-blurring lives
· our
induction into the Smithsonian Affiliate network, as New Jersey’s
only Affiliate, allowing us to funnel Smithsonian programming to
you
· our
installation of New Jersey’s first—and America’s
tenth—Smithsonian Spark!Lab, reaffirming our century-old
commitment to elementary-age children and their parents
· our
daring introduction of graffiti and street art into a hallowed,
museum space, with the country’s first exhibition of works
painted directly on gallery walls (Aerosol, 2019)
· reintegrating
the performing arts into the unique fabric of our institution,
encouraging the cross-pollination of live performance in Bickford
Theatre with the exhibition life of our museum galleries.
As you witnessed with our
pivot to outdoor concerts on our Back Deck during the pandemic,
and with our delightful, virtual gala last spring, the Morris
Museum has the renewed vigor, energy, and creativity to tackle
whatever challenges lie ahead. Trusting that your support will
continue well after my departure—and knowing the strength of our
talented staff and committed Board—I leave the Morris Museum in
the very best of hands. I thank you, one and all, for your past
and continued support.
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