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Lot Essay
Christie's is honored to present a selection of paintings and sculpture from the Gihon Foundation Collection.
The Gihon Foundation was established in 1978 as a private operating foundation by Bette C. Graham, the inventor of Liquid Paper correction fluid. The Foundation, named for the Gihon River mentioned in the Old Testament (Genesis 2:10-14), is headed by Ms. Graham's son, Michael Nesmith. The pursuit of entrepreneurial philanthropy (taking an idea and developing it for the public good) has been the purpose of the Gihon Foundation since its inception. Ms. Graham's desire to contribute to the cultural, spiritual and intellectual development of society while simultaneously recognizing the important role women play in that development, also led to the establishment of the Bette Clair McMurray Foundation, which awarded grants to other nonprofit organizations for programs that shared the same mission. The focus on both Foundations centered on programing to assist women in business, arts and politics while addressing the social welfare of women everywhere.
The Gihon Foundation housed a permanent art collection for many years that encompassed a wide range of styles and media represented by almost a century of development in American art, from the Impressionist influence in the work of Mary Cassatt's Sketch of Mother Looking Down at Thomas to the contemporary art of today as illustrated in the works of both well-known and mid-career artists. After Ms. Graham's death in 1980, Mr. Nesmith focused the collection on showcasing the strength of women artists in America. The "Works by Women" collection featured extraordinary art by some of America's premier Modern, Post-War and Contemporary artists including Georgia O'Keeffe, Janet Fish, Helen Frankenthaler, Lynda Benglis, Grandma Moses and Louise Nevelson. From 1980 through 1989 the collection maintained an active touring schedule throughout the United States, exposing the broader public to the Gihon Foundation Collection and the work of women artists.
The Gihon Foundation was established in 1978 as a private operating foundation by Bette C. Graham, the inventor of Liquid Paper correction fluid. The Foundation, named for the Gihon River mentioned in the Old Testament (Genesis 2:10-14), is headed by Ms. Graham's son, Michael Nesmith. The pursuit of entrepreneurial philanthropy (taking an idea and developing it for the public good) has been the purpose of the Gihon Foundation since its inception. Ms. Graham's desire to contribute to the cultural, spiritual and intellectual development of society while simultaneously recognizing the important role women play in that development, also led to the establishment of the Bette Clair McMurray Foundation, which awarded grants to other nonprofit organizations for programs that shared the same mission. The focus on both Foundations centered on programing to assist women in business, arts and politics while addressing the social welfare of women everywhere.
The Gihon Foundation housed a permanent art collection for many years that encompassed a wide range of styles and media represented by almost a century of development in American art, from the Impressionist influence in the work of Mary Cassatt's Sketch of Mother Looking Down at Thomas to the contemporary art of today as illustrated in the works of both well-known and mid-career artists. After Ms. Graham's death in 1980, Mr. Nesmith focused the collection on showcasing the strength of women artists in America. The "Works by Women" collection featured extraordinary art by some of America's premier Modern, Post-War and Contemporary artists including Georgia O'Keeffe, Janet Fish, Helen Frankenthaler, Lynda Benglis, Grandma Moses and Louise Nevelson. From 1980 through 1989 the collection maintained an active touring schedule throughout the United States, exposing the broader public to the Gihon Foundation Collection and the work of women artists.