The 1072 Society is composed of friends of the museum who contribute funds annually for the express purpose of acquiring new art for JCSM’s permanent collection. Each year we assemble and exhibit a selection of art for consideration of purchase with funds generated by this group, so-named in honor of the dollar amount paid in 1948 for 36 modernist paintings to establish a university collection. That initial vision to collect important art at Auburn is carried forward today by patrons in the 1072 Society.

This year we turn our attention to sculpture created in ceramic and glass. This is an exciting collections area for the museum that has been growing in recent years, due in large part to the generosity of our benefactors. We hold numerous functional ceramic objects ranging from antique Belleek porcelain ware in the Dwight and Helen Carlisle Collection to the many Asian, European, and American teapots in our Dana King Gatchell Collection. These are joined by other ceramic vessels and objets d’art, from historical to contemporary, which have been acquired more recently. With a new and continuing series of gifts from Ronald C. Porter ’71 and Joe Price, the museum is now firmly underway in building a collection of distinctive, contemporary figural ceramic art and fine craft. The selection of objects assembled here affirms and advances that goal.

Previous 1072 exhibitions have resulted in meaningful additions to the museum collection including paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, and sculpture by artists ranging from John Buck to John Sloan, Beverly Pepper to Giambattista Piranesi, and William Christenberry to Willie Cole, among many others. We hope you will consider becoming a 1072 Society patron and help shape the direction of Auburn’s collection.