MARTIN FRIEDMAN (1925–2016)

Martin Friedman, the former director of the Walker Art Center and founder of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden—where Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s Spoonbridge and Cherry, 1985–88, famously resides, originally commissioned by Friedman—has died, writes Mary Abbe of the Star-Tribune.

Friedman directed the Walker for thirty years, retiring in 1990, and expanded it from being a regional, Midwestern museum to an exhibition space of international renown, putting on shows with the likes of David Byrne and Laurie Anderson, among countless others.

During his tenure, Friedman mentored curators and directors who’d go on to oversee major museums throughout the United States. Adam Weinberg, a former Friedman protégé and current director of the Whitney Museum, said “Martin understood that the power of a museum comes from giving voice to artists as well as showcasing their art. He was a major voice for artists and a real champion of freedom of expression.”

“I’m a conceptualist of sorts. An impresario,” said Friedman of himself during a 1988 interview. “I like dealing with artists and material in an unconventional form. I like dealing with abstract ideas and taking a chance on an artist. I like complicated issues that involve a lot of people. I like living on the edge and scaring myself.”