New Mort and Marcy Friedman Director & CEO Agustín Arteaga shares his first reflections on joining the Crocker Art Museum, his vision for the future, and an exciting announcement about an upcoming international exhibition.
Dear Crocker Community,
With enthusiasm and excitement, I compose my first letter as the Mort and Marcy Friedman Director & CEO of the Crocker Art Museum. Though my hire was announced in April, I will have been in place for just under two months as you read this. Time flew, and as my husband and I have had the chance to experience more of Sacramento we have truly fallen in love with its welcoming spirit and cosmopolitan community. We are thrilled to now call this city our home.
I am incredibly grateful to follow in the footsteps of my colleague Lial Jones, whose remarkable 25-year tenure saw the Museum transformed in profound ways. The opening of the Teel Family Pavilion—the most significant achievement since the Museum was founded—set the stage to make the Crocker more prominent, vibrant, and connected with the community. The Museum now holds a fantastic reputation in the field as a leader in shaping engaging programs and exceptional exhibitions. I credit Lial for her dedication and leadership, and it is thanks to her work that I step into a thriving museum that is full of possibility—an open canvas for creative transformation.
Since accepting this role, I’ve learned even more about the Crocker, its talented staff, dedicated Board, and dynamic community, affirming that this is a place where I can engage with what I am most passionate about: working closely with curators, supporting outreach and education, activating an incredibly diverse collection, and collaborating with artists. That hands-on involvement is what drives me and inspires me.
Not to waste a moment, I am jumping in right away to bring something new to the Museum. Thanks to some lucky timing, my network of colleagues, and our team’s ability to embrace an exciting opportunity, I’m pleased to announce that the exhibition The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce will come to the Crocker in January. This traveling exhibition from one of my former museums presents significant paintings from many Old Masters, including El Greco, Francisco Goya, Peter Paul Rubens, and Anthony van Dyck, and will showcase Sir Frederick Leighton’s master painting Flaming June. The Sense of Beauty has many connections to the Crocker’s collection and has drawn thousands of visitors on its North American tour. I look forward to sharing more in the next issue of ArtLetter. This new exhibition, coupled with the long-planned Rebels with La Causa: Royal Chicano Airforce Art and Activism, 1970-1990, offers an exceptional start to the new year for our visitors. I hope you find this news as exciting as we do!
Over the upcoming weeks and events, I am looking forward to meeting you all, our gracious supporters—please say hello when we cross paths.
Warm regards,
Agustín Arteaga
Mort and Marcy Friedman Director & CEO
This letter was originally published in ArtLetter, a tri-annual publication mailed to Museum members. Want to be the first to receive exciting Crocker news? Become a member today!