What is the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation?

The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc., is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, formed by the artist in 1984 to promote and encourage knowledge and appreciation of art. It became active in 2013, on the closure of Frankenthaler’s estate, and pursues the Foundation’s educational and philanthropic mission.

Does the Foundation have a collection of Helen Frankenthaler’s work?

The Foundation holds a comprehensive selection of Frankenthaler’s work in a variety of mediums, including paintings, works on paper, prints, sculpture, ceramics, set designs, and other items spanning six decades. Works from the collection are lent to museums and educational institutions throughout the United States and internationally. For information about how to request loans from the collection, contact us at info@frankenthalerfoundation.org.

Does the Foundation have a loans program for works from its collection?

As a key part of the Foundation’s mission to make works from its collection available to the public, we have a robust program of loans to museums and exhibitions in U.S. and international contexts. See here for a list of current and recent loans to exhibitions. Long-term loans can also be considered on a case-by-case basis. For information about how to request loans from the collection, contact us at info@frankenthalerfoundation.org.

Is there a catalogue raisonné of Frankenthaler’s work?

In early 2017, the Foundation launched an important long-term project to produce a catalogue raisonné, comprising Frankenthaler’s unique paintings on canvas and paper, as well as ceramics, sculpture, tapestry, and works in mediums other than prints*. The Helen Frankenthaler Catalogue Raisonné, LLC, intends to publish this in both print and digital editions. Inquiries can be sent to info@HelenFrankenthalerCR.org.

Periodic updates will be posted on the catalogue raisonné page of this website as new information about the project becomes available.

*A catalogue raisonné of the artist’s prints, Frankenthaler: A Catalogue Raisonné, Prints 1961–1994, by Suzanne Boorsch and Pegram Harrison, was published in 1996 by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. An addendum covering Frankenthaler’s work in prints from 1994 onward is planned as a future project.

Does the Foundation authenticate works of art?

Neither the Foundation nor the Helen Frankenthaler Catalogue Raisonné, LLC, authenticates or attributes works of art. 

How do I obtain permission to reproduce a photograph or an image of an artwork?

For reproduction of works by Helen Frankenthaler, please contact Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, at info@arsny.com.

Artists Rights Society
65 Bleecker St, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10012
T: 212-420-9160
 

Please allow two weeks for a response to your request.

Are the Foundation’s archives accessible for research?

In 2015 the Foundation established the Helen Frankenthaler Archives to catalog and maintain materials from Frankenthaler's estate, including original papers and materials pertaining to the artist’s life and work. These are presently being processed and are not yet accessible for scholarly research. However, the Foundation may, at its discretion, be able to respond to questions or make selected materials available to scholars, curators, and researchers. Inquiries can be sent to archives@frankenthalerfoundation.org.

Does the Foundation make grants?

The Foundation, which makes grants on a discretionary basis, does not accept unsolicited requests.  See our Grants page on this site for a list of selected grants made since 2014.