MIAMI, FL.- Miami Art Museum has elected Charles Cowles to its board of trustees. Cowles, a retired art dealer and contemporary art collector, has been one of MAM’s most generous donors of art.

“Charlie has been a great supporter of Miami Art Museum for many years, and we couldn’t be more pleased to welcome him to the board,” said Aaron Podhurst, chairman of Miami Art Museum’s board of trustees. “As an avid collector and experienced art dealer, Charlie will be a great asset to the museum’s ongoing efforts to acquire new artworks and further build the Permanent Collection.”

Cowles was curator of Modern Art at the Seattle Art Museum from 1975 through 1979. In 1980, he opened his contemporary art gallery at 420 West Broadway in Manhattan, mounting the first public exhibition there in April 1980. After 30 years as a successful art dealer, Cowles announced his retirement and closed the gallery in June 2009. He was publisher of Artforum magazine from the mid-1960s through 1979 while it quickly became one of America's leading contemporary art magazines.

In 2007, Cowles helped MAM celebrate its 10th anniversary with a gift of 101 photographs featured in the exhibition Modern Photographs: The Machine, the Body and the City—Selections from the Charles Cowles Collection.

"Miami Art Museum board members provide a vital link between the museum and its community, serving as ambassadors for the organization and collecting valuable feedback from local residents and stakeholders," said Mr. Cowles. "I am honored to join this board and excited about where this museum is headed over the coming years."