MIAMI ART MUSEUM RENAMED AFTER BENEFACTOR

After a $15 million gift from museum benefactor Jorge Pérez, the Miami Art Museum has announced it will be renamed the Jorge M. Pérez Art Museum of Miami-Dade County, reports Robin Pogrebin of the New York Times. Pérez’s gift follows a $5 million donation he previously made to the museum’s capital campaign for its new downtown building, which is expected to open in 2013. Pérez has pledged part of his Latin American art collection, valued at an estimated $15 million, to the museum as well.

“It makes it possible to move forward with great confidence about the building,” said museum director Thomas Collins of Pérez’s donation, which brings the institution $167 million closer to its $220 million goal.

Pogrebin reports that not all reacted so favorably: Museum trustee Mary Frank recently resigned over the prospective renaming. “It’s a sad day for Miami. The name of the museum should not be sold to any private individual. The museum belongs to Miami.”