Boston, Massachusetts – Collector and philanthropist John P. Axelrod will receive the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gala Preview of the 6th annual AD20/21: Art & Design of the 20th & 21st Centuries on Thursday evening, March 21 at The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street in Boston's South End.   The Gala Preview, from 5:30-8:30pm, benefits Boston Architectural College (BAC), New England's largest independent, accredited college of spatial design.  More than 600 people are expected at the event, which will raise over $100,000 for the BAC. The Lifetime Achievement Award presentation will take place at 6:00pm.

Since 1985, John Axelrod has given the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston nearly 700 works, including several collections of 20th-century European decorative arts, such as Schneider glass and Memphis Group design, and, in 2008, some 377 pieces of American decorative arts from the 1920s and ’30s, a selection of which can be seen in a gallery that bears his name in the Art of the Americas Wing.  In 2011, the MFA acquired his collection of 67 works by African American artists, transforming the MFA’s American holdings into one of the leading repositories for paintings and sculpture by African American artists.

Axelrod has also made generous contributions to his alma maters: The Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy in Andover, and the Yale University Art Gallery, which received his collection of more than 300 American prints from 1900-1950.  He is now building a collection of graffiti art from 1980-84 including such artists as Crash, Dondi and Keith Haring, and Lower East Side artists such as Martin Wong and others.

“It gives us great pleasure this year to present that award to John Axelrod, who, in addition to being one of the country’s pre-eminent collectors, has been such a good friend, mentor and a staunch supporter of our shows for close to 20 years,” comments Co-Producer Tony Fusco.  “Anyone who loves 20th century art and design owes a debt of gratitude to John.”

Featuring 50 exhibitors from the United States and Europe, AD20/21 combines a spectacular selection of 20th and 21st Century fine art, photography, vintage and contemporary studio furniture, jewelry and decorative arts with the 14th Annual Boston Print Fair, which offers fine prints, drawings and works on paper.    The weekend show and sale continues Friday, March 22 from 1-8pm, Saturday, March 23 from 11am-8pm, and Sunday March 24 from 11am-5pm.  Weekend admission is $15, under 12 free and includes admission to all special programs, lectures and panel discussions at the fair.  Valet and discount parking is available, and the show café is catered by Jules Catering. For information, please call 617-363-0405 or visit www.AD2021.com.

This year’s show features numerous special programs including “Art & Design in Today’s Home”, a panel discussion moderated by Design New England Editor Gail Ravgiala;  “Design After Modernism”, the latest book by with featured speaker and author Judith B. Gura;  “Modern Architecture, Art Deco to Contemporary in Manhattan”, with special guest Alfred Pommer of New York City Cultural Walking Tours; dealer booth talks throughout the weekend and a special loan exhibition of contemporary studio furniture by alumni furniture makers of North Bennet Street School.

“I am proud to say that our 6th annual show is our best offering ever,” comments Fusco.  “I can’t mention all of our outstanding modern to contemporary exhibitors here, but visitors can see our entire exhibitor list and catalog online.”  Notable exhibitors include all three of Boston’s newest contemporary galleries with us this year: Sloane Merrill Gallery, Gold Gallery and Adelson Galleries Boston; Charon Kransen Arts, the country’s leading dealer in contemporary artist-designed jewelry; three outstanding contemporary furniture makers and three contemporary print publishers.   Modern 20th century exhibitors include  Boston’s Machine Age, Martha Richardson Fine Art and Childs Gallery, as well as Glen Leroux Antiques (CT) and Bridges Over Time (NY).  Other exhibitors are joining us from as far away as California, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida and France. 

Launched in 2008, AD20/21 captured imaginations and drew large audiences from its very first year on the Boston show scene.  The only modern to contemporary art and design show and sale in New England, AD20/21 bridges the gap between historical styles and contemporary works, and deepening collectors' appreciation for both.  The Cyclorama has become a mecca in Boston for the arts, and is also the location for Fusco & Four's other annual shows, The Boston International Fine Art Show (BIFAS), now in its 17th year, and The Ellis Boston Antiques Show.  For more information on all three shows, visit www.BostonArtFairs.com or call at 617-363-0405.  

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Editor’s Note: • Interviews are available with Tony Fusco and with many of the exhibitors.

• Media coverage of the Gala and show is encouraged