JOHNSTON MARKLEE/NEPHEW
The Menil Collection in Houston has rescheduled the opening of its Menil Drawing Institute, a new home for shows of contemporary works on paper. The museum did not give a new opening date for the institute, which was initially expected to welcome its first visitors on October 7.
In a release, the museum explained that “the need for ongoing construction work and a revised estimate for building completion” prevented the institute from opening on time. Major shows of work by Jasper Johns, Brice Marden, and Roni Horn had been planned for the institute; these, too, will be rescheduled.
In a statement, the Menil’s director, Rebecca Rabinow, said, “Over the past few weeks, it has become clear that we will need more time to complete the Menil Drawing Institute and the other exciting projects on our campus, such as the new public greenspaces, in a manner that meets our exacting standards. Rather than rush to open the Menil Drawing Institute in early October, the trustees and I have decided to delay the festivities, to ensure that everything is perfect. We apologize for any inconvenience this change of date may cause, especially for those who have factored an early October celebration into their fall plans.”
Since its initial announcement in 2012, the Menil Drawing Institute has been widely anticipated. (Architects Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee are responsible for the 30,000-square-foot building’s design.) Ground was broken for the institute in 2015, and, in 2016, the museum acquired 110 works, among them drawings by Philip Guston, Johns, and Agnes Martin.