During the Collectors Circle event, held on July 14, 2021, four new artworks were acquired for the National Museum of Wildlife Art. In addition, funding for conservation of permanent collection artwork was secured.

Works acquired:

• Ai Weiwei, Tiger, 2018
• Harriet Frishmuth, Diana (The Hunt), 1921-22
• Scott Kelley, The Sacred White Buffalo of Pojoaque, 2020
• Scott Fraser, Wasp Nest, 2021

Collectors Circle is a group of members whose mission is to support acquisitions for the permanent collection of the Museum. Part of their membership dues fund art acquisitions and during a festive dinner event, members vote on new acquisitions to benefit the overall collection. 

As the Museum was unable to hold the event last year, two years of contributions were combined in this year’s fund. For the selection process, the Museum’s Curatorial team searched for artworks that fit NMWA’s mission and criteria for enhancing the collection. After reviewing nearly  20 artworks by 15 different artists, the Collections Committee narrowed the selection down to nine final artworks. Those artworks were presented at the Collectors Circle dinner and voted on by the members. 

“Once we have the votes counted, we announce a winner and subtract each winning amount from the total until we have exhausted the fund,” explains Tammi Hanawalt, Curator of Art. “This year it was particularly exciting that we added Ai Weiwei to the permanent collection. He is such an important artist!”