Opening fall 2013, the Indianapolis Museum of Art will host a major exhibition of masterworks by the great French artist, Henri Matisse - one of the most influential artists of the 20^th century, whose stylistic innovations forever changed the course of modern art. Drawn almost entirely from the Cone Collection - one of the most renowned collections of Matisse's art in the world - this must-see exhibition features nearly 80 works of art from The Baltimore Museum of Art’s permanent collection, including an extraordinary array of paintings, sculptures, prints, and artist books. Matisse, Life in Color is organized by The Baltimore Museum of Art, in association with the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Exhibition Programs

In conjunction with the exhibition, the IMA will host a series of programs and activities to complement the visitors’ gallery experience. One of the most compelling stories around this exhibition is how Etta and Claribel Cone, two sisters from Baltimore, built this singular collection. Among these events will be a lecture by a member of the BMA’s curatorial staff, who will come to Indianapolis to share his knowledge of how the works in Matisse, Life in Color illuminate this extraordinary relationship between artist and patron. Additional programming will include a series of musical performances in the galleries inspired by Matisse’s Jazz portfolio. Designed to engage families and children, art-making activities will occur on weekends in Star Studio. The centerpiece of these activities will be a special community-based program and exhibition, Inspired by Matisse, which will feature works of art by visitors and students from throughout Indianapolis.

Exhibition tickets, group tours, and school tours

IMA members can reserve their free tickets beginning March 11, 2013, and October 11 and 12 are members-only preview days. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning September 1, 2013. Tickets are $18 for adults, $10 for students with a student ID and youth ages 7 to 17, and free for children 6 and younger.

Group tour rates are available for groups of 15 or more. Groups can make reservations by calling 317-920-2679.

Educational tours are available for school groups, and teachers can make reservations by calling 317-920-2679. Customized activities and individualized curriculum packets, which link to the National Visual Arts Standards as well as Indiana’s Common Core Standards, will be available for this exhibition.

About the Cone Collection at The Baltimore Museum of Art

With the guidance of their famous friends and fellow art collectors, Gertrude and Leo Stein, the Cone sisters often made trips to Paris where they visited the studios of Matisse and Picasso, and purchased the most contemporary art by the then-emerging artists. The sisters assembled their collection at a time when there were few patrons of the avant-garde and altogether acquired approximately 3,000 works between 1898 and 1949. Thanks to the donations of the Cone sisters, The Baltimore Museum of Art has one of the most comprehensive collections of Henri Matisse's art in the world. More than 1,000 objects, representing all the mediums in which the artist worked, including the most significant collection of Matisse's prints and drawings in North America, are now at The Baltimore Museum of Art.