Pizzuti Collection
The museum was originally owned by the Pizzuti family, which made its wealth from the real estate firm the Pizzuti Companies. The family began collecting art in 1977, after a trip to Paris. The Pizzuti Collection opened in 2013, and had shown 16 temporary exhibits before its 2018 donation to the Columbus Museum of Art.
Attributes
The museum primarily exhibits the Pizzuti family's collection, estimated in 2018 at about 2,400 works of contemporary art. The three-story Pizzuti Collection building in the Short North was built in the 1920s and has 18,000 square feet (1,700 m). The museum displays temporary rotating exhibits of international artists. By the time of its donation in 2018, the museum had hosted 16 exhibitions with artists from 40 countries. No more than 10 percent of the collection has been displayed at any time.
The museum building contributes to the Near Northside Historic District, on the National Register of Historic Places.
History
The museum building was formerly the headquarters to the Order of United Commercial Travelers of America, from 1924 to 2008.
The museum was originally owned and operated by the Pizzuti family. Ron and Ann Pizzuti owed much of their wealth to their Pizzuti Companies, a real estate development company. The pair have been art collectors since about 1977. Ron Pizzuti began his interest in art during a visit to Paris, admiring a work by Frank Stella. His first purchase, for $900, was Circus People by Karel Appel, from the Pace Gallery's former Columbus location.
Around 2013, the Pizzutis renovated the Pizzuti Collection's building into the public gallery. The museum opened to the public in 2013.
In September 2018, the museum and part of its collection was donated to the Columbus Museum of Art. The Pizzuti, along with the main branch of the museum, temporarily closed beginning in March 2020 due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
References
- ^ Goldsmith, Suzanne (September 6, 2018). "Pizzuti Collection to become part of Columbus Museum of Art". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ Edwards, Karen (2017-10-07). "The Pizzuti Art Collection Showcases Visions of India | Art & Object". Artandobject.com. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- ^ Jim Fischer (2018-09-05). "Arts feature: The Pizzuti Collection five years in - Entertainment - Columbus Alive - Columbus, OH". Columbus Alive. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- ^ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Ohio, 1964 - 2013. National Park Service. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ^ "United Commercial Travelers, calling Columbus home since 1888 | the C…". Archived from the original on 2013-10-03.
- ^ "Eva Glimcher's artistic legacy". Columbus Monthly. December 23, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "Columbus libraries, art museum to close amid coronavirus pandemic". Columbus Business First. March 13, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
External links