The Grunwald Gallery of Art, formerly the School of Fine Arts (SoFA) Gallery, presents contemporary works by both professional and student artists in a special exhibition format. The SoFA Gallery began in 1983 when the IU Art Museum moved to its new building and vacated over 5,200 square feet of exhibit space. The first few years of the Gallery featured intermittent shows curated by faculty in studio and art history until 1987, when the University established a part-time gallery director position.
In 2011, the SoFA Gallery was renamed the Grunwald Gallery of Art in honor of John A. Grunwald, thanks to a significant endowed gift from his widow, Rita Grunwald. John A. Grunwald (1935-2006) was born in Budapest, Hungary, to Jewish parents. He survived the Holocaust in Europe, and came to New York in 1950. Grunwald graduated with a degree in Economics from Indiana University in 1956, and met his wife Rita during that time. Both Mr. and Mrs. Grunwald were deeply interested in art, and frequently attended SoFA Gallery openings, exhibitions, and discussions. Rita Grunwald worked in the Fine Arts building for about 25 years, both in the Bookshop, and also as a Friend of the Art member.
Today, the mission of the Grunwald Gallery is to present contemporary art by significant regional and nationally known artists, as well as by faculty and students within the school. Exhibits incorporate art from a variety of contemporary genres and approaches, and can be experimental or traditional. The Gallery is conceived as a visual arts laboratory with artists participating in the installation of their works and interaction with students and the public is encouraged.
As the Grunwald Gallery frequently collaborates with artists, scientists and scholars, this results in the production of exhibits that interpret visual art in a broader scientific or humanities context. The temporary exhibit format provides the Gallery with flexibility to respond to opportunities and directions in the contemporary art world, allowing programming to evolve based on current trends and directions. The Gallery hosts over thirty exhibits annually of students from Indiana University’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, focusing on work by advanced undergraduate, BFA and MFA students.
The Grunwald Gallery collection contains exhibition publicity materials like calendars, oversize posters, and pamphlets, slides, and audio/visual materials like audio-cassettes, video-cassettes, and DVDs of lectures, exhibitions, and interviews, all of which can be accessed in the University Archives. Contact an Archivist for more information!
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