The American Folk Art Museum (AFAM) in New York has acquired a significant gift from the collection of Museum Trustee Laura Parsons and her husband, Richard Parsons. The Parsons’ gift has been made in honor of the museum’s 60th anniversary.

“This magnanimous gift is the most recent contribution that Laura and Richard have made to the American Folk Art Museum,” said Jason T. Busch, Director and CEO of AFAM. “The paintings and sculpture included in the gift are transformational additions to the Museum’s collection and enhance our commitment to presenting an inclusive, nuanced, and meaningful story of folk and self-taught art across time and place.”

Included in the gift of 40 works is The Wash (1942) by Horace Pippin, which joins Outpost Raid: Champagne Sector as the second painting by the artist to enter the Museum’s collection. The Parsons’ gift also features important works by Amos Ferguson, Ulysses Davis, Elijah Pierce, Mary Frances Whitfield, Clementine Hunter, Hugh Mulzac, Sister Gertrude Morgan, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Bill Traylor, Joe Light, Felipe Benito Archuleta, and others.

Dr. Valérie Rousseau, Senior Curator of Self-Taught Art & Art Brut at AFAM, commented: “Laura and Richard have built over the years a rich collection with a strong focus on self-taught artists. We look forward to studying these works and developing compelling interpretations for the Museum’s audience.”

Laura Parsons, a licensed psychologist and art collector, has served on the Board of Trustees of the American Folk Art Museum since 1999. She was chair of the Board from 2011 to 2019, and President from 2004 to 2010. She is also a member of the Museum’s Legacy Society. Richard Parsons is an American businessman, attorney, and philanthropist who was Chief Executive Officer of AOL/Time Warner (now WarnerMedia) and Chairman of Citigroup.