Million Dollar Gift Makes Hunter College A Center for the Study of Latin American Art

A $1 million gift from Fundación Cisneros/Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (CPPC) has created a five-year Hunter professorship devoted to teaching and exhibiting art of Latin America and will give Hunter full access to artworks from the CPPC.

After an extensive, international search, Dr. Harper Montgomery, a leading expert in Latin American art, was named the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Professor of Latin American Art. Montgomery called the opportunity “thrilling” and said she was looking forward to mentoring students who pursue research in Latin American art at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition to developing and teaching new art history classes, she will assume the role of ambassador for Latin American art throughout the college. She will also oversee two exhibits in the Hunter art galleries, giving students first-hand curatorial experience – a career asset for future art historians.

“We welcome the opportunity to advance the study of Latin American art. With the resources of the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, our faculty and students will have an opportunity to take a leadership position in this field,” said Hunter President Jennifer J. Raab.

Joachaim Pissarro, the Bershad Professor of Art History and director of the Hunter Art Galleries, praised the Cisneros partnership and predicted it will have “a lasting impact.”

Mrs. Cisneros, who is also a board member of the Museum of Modern Art and the International Council of London’s Tate Gallery, said, “We are confident that Hunter will play a pivotal role in raising international understanding and appreciation of Latin American art and culture.

”The Hunter College/Cisneros partnership is the latest in a series of partnerships that the Fundación Cisneros and the CPPC have formed to enhance appreciation of the diversity, sophistication and range of art from Latin America.

“People who collect art have a responsibility to share their collections through lending and educational programs,” said Mrs. Cisneros.