MEMPHIS, TN.-The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art celebrates Art Today with an exhibition highlighting the founders and some of the important gifts they made to the museum. Art Today, a support group of the Brooks, initiated the acquisition of contemporary art for the museum's collection.

When Art Today was founded in 1953 by Nancy Glazer, Mildred Hudson, Adele Lemm, Marjorie Liebman, and Dorothy Sturm, their goal was to promote "that which is historically significant in our time." These exceptional women were guided by their experiences as accomplished artists, teachers, and arts administrators. They worked towards educating the public about contemporary art, bringing the finest examples to Memphis through exhibitions, and acquiring important works for the museum's collection.

Art Today's first acquisition was a suite of Jackson Pollock prints, purchased in 1957 just shortly after the artist's death. These were followed by a long line of extraordinary works by artists including Georgia O'Keeffe, Ansel Easton Adams, Robert Arneson, Romare Bearden, and Carrie Mae Weems, and Elizabeth Murray. The five founding women, and the Memphians who followed in their footsteps, played a vital role in bringing together a collection of art that spans many diverse media and includes works by women and artists of color.

The exhibition celebrates the founders individually and the organization they started, which was carried forward by equally dedicated enthusiasts until the group disbanded in 2003. Featured in the exhibition is a selection of work by the founders, as well as some of the superb acquisitions made by the organization over the years.

Art Today was curated by Chief Curator Marina Pacini, and is on view until December 2, 2007. The exhibition is part of regular museum admission. On Wednesday, November 7 there will be a gallery tour of the exhibition as part of the Brooks 1st Wednesday events.