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Contemporary art museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The
Mattress Factory
is a
contemporary art
museum located in
Pittsburgh
,
Pennsylvania
. It was a pioneer of
site-specific
installation art
and features permanent installations by artists
Yayoi Kusama
,
[3]
James Turrell
,
[4]
and
Greer Lankton
.
[5]
The museum's roof itself is a
light art
installation and part of
Pittsburgh's Northside
evening skyline.
[6]
[7]
Barbara Luderowski
purchased a derelict
Stearns & Foster
mattress warehouse in 1975. The museum achieved non-profit status in 1977.
[8]
Over the next forty years, Luderowski would attract upcoming installation artists to fill its walls. The Mattress Factory along with its neighbors
City of Asylum
and
Randyland
are credited with playing a role in Pittsburgh's revitalization.
[9]
History
[
edit
]
In 1975, artist and Mattress Factory founder
Barbara Luderowski
purchased a former
Stearns & Foster
mattress warehouse at 500 Sampsonia Way in Pittsburgh's
Central Northside
. Originally, she used the warehouse as a space to live, work and build a community of artists and intellectuals. The community grew and in 1977?after two years of hosting art exhibits and a small food co-op?the Mattress Factory was established as a legal non-profit educational and cultural corporation. Its first exhibition of installation art opened five years later on May 8, 1982, and the museum has since grown to be an integral part of the Pittsburgh arts community, known for its artist residency program, educational programming, and unique exhibitions. In 2008 then-Curator of Exhibitions Michael Olijnyk joined Luderowski in leading the museum as co-director.
Over the years the Mattress Factory has acquired more properties for various purposes, including:
- 1414 Monterey Street, which became a new gallery space
- Two buildings on North Taylor Street that became artist residences
- 505 Jacksonia Street, which is now used as a parking lot for museum visitors, and the adjacent lot, which now houses Winifred Lutz's
Garden Installation
, 1993
- 516 Sampsonia Way, which opened as gallery space in Fall 2013
Sexual Misconduct Allegations
[
edit
]
In September 2018, a report published in Pittsburgh's
WESA
detailed five employees' allegations of sexual misconduct and the mishandling of the situation by the Mattress Factory and its director, Michael Olijnyk.
[10]
The complaint was filed with the National Labor Relations Board, and in early January 2019, a settlement was reached and the investigation was closed.
[11]
Permanent exhibitions
[
edit
]
As of 2017
[update]
, the Mattress Factory hosts 17 continuous, permanent installations. The following is a short list of artists who have permanent displays at the Mattress Factory:
Gallery
[
edit
]
-
Repetitive Vision
installation by
Yayoi Kusama
-
Mattress Factory building
-
The Mattress Factory Annex Gallery
-
Garden Installation
by Winifred Lutz
References
[
edit
]
- ^
O'Driscoll, Bill (May 31, 2018).
"Visionary Mattress Factory Founder Barbara Luderowski Dies At 88"
.
WESA
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
"David Oresick to Lead Mattress Factory"
.
Artforum
. 14 April 2022
. Retrieved
10 August
2022
.
- ^
Carey, Meredith (July 27, 2018).
"Where to See Yayoi Kusama's Art Across the U.S."
Conde Naste Traveler
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
Girdish, Jen (September 10, 2013).
"Cool Colors"
.
The Morning News
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
Mondello, Bob (July 21, 2015).
"Find Unforgettable Art In A Most Unlikely Place: A Pittsburgh Mattress Factory"
.
NPR
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
Henry, Maya (July 25, 2016).
"New Mattress Factory sculpture "Acupuncture" pierces the Pittsburgh skyline with light"
.
NEXTPittsburgh
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
Wasserman, Nadine (August 10, 2016).
"A New Public Artwork Lights Up the North Side"
.
Pittsburgh City Paper
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
Sewald, Jeff.
"Barbara Luderowski: A life's recounting in the subject's own word"
.
Pittsburgh Quarterly
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
Peterson, Lucas (April 12, 2017).
"Built on Steel, Pittsburgh Now Thrives on Culture"
.
New York Times
. Retrieved
October 20,
2018
.
- ^
O'Driscoll, Bill (September 25, 2018).
"Mattress Factory Staff Say Museum Downplayed Sexual Assault Allegations, Retaliated Against Critics"
.
WESA
. Retrieved
January 3,
2019
.
- ^
Greenberger, Alex (January 3, 2019).
"National Labor Relations Board Closes Investigation of Mattress Factory After Claims of Sexual Misconduct"
.
ArtNews
. Retrieved
January 3,
2019
.
External links
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]
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