Carlos Museum to Honor Contributions of Michael Graves in Spring Fundraiser, 3/16

The Michael C. Carlos Museum celebrates the 20th anniversary of the 1993 expansion designed by Michael Graves, paying tribute to his direct and lasting contribution to Emory University. Graves will serve as honorary chair of the museum's signature annual fundraiser, Veneralia, to be held on Saturday, March 16, 2013.

Michael Graves and the Carlos Museum
When famed architect Michael Graves agreed to come to Emory in the early 1980's to design the renovation of a historic campus building, it was considered an architectural coup. One of the "New York Five," Graves was a rising superstar in architecture and design. What followed was a long and fruitful relationship between Graves and the Carlos Museum, leading to a 1993 addition, several gallery renovations, and multiple visits and creative conversations about the museum's facility and future. Winner of a National AIA Honor Award, Graves' projects for the Carlos Museum involved historic preservation and adaptive re-use of a landmark law school designed by Henry Hornbostel in 1916. Graves' first project in 1985 provided classrooms for the Departments of Art History and Anthropology and galleries for the newly formed museum.

The museum's extraordinary success led to a 40,000-square-foot expansion with additional galleries, gift shop, and a reception hall in 1993. Located on Emory's main quadrangle, the building recalls its historic context in massing, scale, articulation and materials, including marble detailing similar to that of the original building. Internally, through figurative forms and coloration, the galleries reinforce the cultural artifacts on display. Subsequent projects included two gallery renovations. His renovations continue to offer rich teaching resources for students, visitors and scholars in Atlanta and across the world studying the history of art and architecture.

"Veneralia: Experiencing Art in Architecture" will honor his vision for the character of the building, while enhancing user experience and access. Graves notes, "I am pleased to return to Emory University and the Carlos Museum. It's a joy to see firsthand how this institution continues to play an important role within the University and the larger Atlanta community in the same way that the building contributes to the character of Hornbostel's historic quadrangle."