gifts and bequests

Diana Thater, The best animals are the flat animals, 1998, 5 video monitors; 5 laserdisc players; 5 CAV.

As collectors, we believe we are caretakers of art. We primarily support museums with works of art—in all media—that build or further expand their collections. Without exception, our gifts and bequests are made without restrictions or limitations. We entrust museums to access, manage, and deaccess works of art according to their interests, needs, and resources.

As advisors, we have helped collectors gift works of art to various institutions and have enabled them to become benefactors at major museums.

2024/25 The Art Institute of Chicago

  • Diana Thater, The best animals are the flat animals, 1998, 5 video monitors; 5 laserdisc players; 5 CAV, 1998.

2023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

  • Rosen, Kay. "Sisyphus," video, 7-1/2 minutes. 1991.

2022 Mead Art Museum, Amherst College, Amherst

  • Seleznev, Nikita. Non-Unique Forms. Pencil lithograph, 2021.

2022 The Museum of Russian Art, Minneapolis

  • Seleznev, Nikita. Non-Unique Forms. Pencil lithograph, 2021.

2022 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

  • Seleznev, Nikita. Non-Unique Forms. Pencil lithograph, 2021.

  • Thater, Diana. Scarlet Macaw Crayons, 1995. 1 laser disc, installation for 1 projector and 1 laser. Edition 2/2.

  • Thater, Diana. Moluccan Cockatoo Molly #1 (from the series #1-10), 1995. 1 laser disc, installation for 1 video cube, and 1 laser disc player. Edition 1/10.

2019 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

  • Weiner, Lawrence. Twixt One (&) The Other. 1992.

2018 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

  • Jankowski, Christian. Point of Sale, 2002. Three-channel video installation (1 Digital Betacam, 3 DVD), 14:17 min, PAL, 4:3, color, sound. Edition of 5, II. Given in honor of the 150th anniversary of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

  • Leckey, Mark. Are You Waiting, 1996. VHS tape, edition 1/5.

2016 The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

  • Wilcox, T.J. Twenty-two films stills from: The Escape (of Marie Antoinette) (1995), The Death and Burial of the First Emperor of China (1997), Stephen Tennant Homage (1998), R-print from single 16mm film, sizes variable.

2014 The Art Institute of Chicago

  • Peterman, Dan. Ground Cover, 1995. Post-consumer plastic tiles and nylon straps. Dimensions variable; pallets: 55.8 x 40.64 x 50.8 cm (22 x 16 x 20 in.)

2013 The Art Institute of Chicago

  • Rosen, Kay. The River, 1989. enamel sign paint on canvas. 16x 10 in.

  • Wilcox, T. J. The Escape (of Marie Antoinette), 1996. 16mm color film, sound, 11:30 min. loop; edition number 4/5.

  • Wilcox, T. J. The Death and Burial of the First Emperor of China, 1997. 16mm color film, sound, 11:40 min. loop; edition 3/5.

  • Wilcox, T. J. Stephen Tennant Homage, 1997, 16mm color film, sound; 13 min. loop; edition number 1/5.

  • Wilcox, T. J. Das Begräbnis der Marlene Deitrich (The Funeral of Marlene Dietrich), 1999. 16mm color film, sound; 5:55 min. (in German), 5:55 min. (in English), loop, edition 2/5.

2004 The Art Institute of Chicago (in honor of Francis and Clayton Press)

  • Misrach, Richard. Flooded Snack Bar, Salton Sea, 1984. Dye coupler print. 18.25 x 23.12 in. (46.4 x 58.7 cm.)

2003 Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

  • Rhoades, Jason. Swedish Erotica & Fiero Parts, #2, 1994. Vinyl table, F.O.G. Useless Ottoman, recovered bucket seat with sheepskin cover, Tyvek pants, paper carpet, cardboard re-surfaced coat rack, Tyvek jacket, 2 Sheetrock Furniture Kits (half-empty), Styrofoam model shelf (Judd), model builder's bench and more. The Escape (of Marie Antoinette), 1996. 16mm color film, sound, 11:30 min. loop; edition number 4/5.

2001 The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (Parkes), Australia.

  • Frank, Dale. The falls from memory, 1984. Synthetic polymer paint on canvas. 188.0 h x 132.0 w cm.

  • Frank, Dale. Self portrait as the whimsical Dutch jug, 1982. Drawing in black pencil, sheet 110.5 h x 173.0 w cm. image 101.0 h x 167.0 w cm.

  • Frank, Dale. Self portrait as floating prisims (sic), 1982. drawing in black pencil and color pencils on paper, sheet 70.2 h x 101.0 w cm; image 65.0 h x 96.0 w cm188.0 h x 132.0 w cm.

2000 Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Chicago

  • In 2000, Clayton Press and Gregory Linn gave the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Chicago an unrequested gift of 64 works of art, which they had acquired between 1980 and 1986. The gift also included a comprehensive archive personal papers; invoices, invitations and ephemera; publications and books, documenting the careers of artists who were active in Chicago between 1980 and 1985 and whose work was shown at Nancy Lurie Gallery, Marian Deson Gallery, Sonia Zaks Gallery, Peter Miller Gallery, Phyllis Kind Gallery, and Zolla/Lieberman Gallery.

1999 The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

  • Majore, Frank. Beyond the Reef, 1984. Silver dye bleach print, Sheet (Sight): 19 1/8 × 23 1/4 in. (48.6 × 59.1 cm) Frame: 21 7/16 × 25 1/4 × 1 3/8 in. (54.5 × 64.1 × 3.5 cm).

1996 Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

  • Bernard, Cindy. Security Envelope (Mrs. Prina), 1987. Black and white photograph with mat and black painted frame. Frame (Black painted wood): 14 x 12 1/8 x 1 3/4 in. (35.56 x 30.8 x 4.45 cm)Image: 9 3/8 x 7 1/2 in. (23.81 x 19.05 cm); unique.

  • Bernard, Cindy. Security Envelope (untitled), 1987. Black and white photograph with mat and black painted frame. Frame (Black painted wood): 14 x 12 1/8 x 1 3/4 in. (35.56 x 30.8 x 4.45 cm)Image: 9 3/8 x 7 1/2 in. (23.81 x 19.05 cm); unique.

  • Syrop, Mitchell. Lift and Separate, 1994. Black and white photographs mounted on board. Each (9 panels): 23 3/8 x 19 1/2 x 1 in. (59.37 x 49.53 x 2.54 cm); unique.

1996 Philadelphia Museum of Art

  • Tuymans, Luc. Untitled drawing. 1995.

1994 Philadelphia Museum of Art

  • Becher, Bernd and Hilla. Silo for Lime, Duisburg, Ruhr District, 1972 (negative); printed later. Offset lithograph (4). Image (each): 15 11/16 × 11 13/16 inches (39.8 × 30 cm) Sheet: 20 × 69 inches (50.8 × 175.3 cm).

In addition to art, we are benefactors to:

  • Elmer Bobst Library, New York University

  • R. Barbara Gitenstein Library, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, New Jersey

  • Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology, Princeton University

  • Rush Rhees Library, The University of Rochester

  • Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York