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Jonson Gallery Listed
on the National Register of Historic Places
The Jonson
Gallery of the UNM Art Museum has been listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, the ninth building at UNM to be so
honored. The gallery is also listed on the New Mexico Register
of Significant Cultural Properties.
The gallery
is the former home, studio and gallery of Raymond Jonson, professor
of art at UNM from 1934 to 1956, one of the key figures in establishing
New Mexico as a major center of modern art in the United States.
Jonson contracted
with long-time friend, architect John Gaw Meem, in 1948 to design
the house, the first of its kind in Albuquerque, as a reflection
of the complete life of the artist, including living space, a
studio, workshop, storage and, of course, a gallery. Then University
President Tom Popejoy agreed to build the home in trade for Jonsons
residence in Santa Fe, also designed by Meem, and the artists
entire archive, including his works and those of his colleagues.
Jonsons
archives included letters, diaries, notes and furniture; a one-of-a-kind
desk and matching chair handcrafted for Jonson by B.J.O. Nordfeldt,
a special part of the Jonson collection.
Since Jonsons
death in 1982, the gallery has been part of the UNM Art Museum
and has continued Jonsons tradition of showing the best
and most challenging contemporary works in the region.
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