Wealthy patrons have been bankrolling artists for centuries and slapping their names on exhibit halls and museums for years (we see you, Guggenheim). Now they’re going one further, financing private institutions like Glenstone, 15 miles outside Washington, D.C. Co-founders Mitchell Rales and Emily Wei Rales will unveil a massive expansion this October that integrates landscape architecture (by the firm that designed the National 9/11 Memorial), monumental sculpture (Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Ellsworth Kelly), and modern and contemporary works drawn from the museum’s collection (Charles Ray, Cy Twombly) to create what Wei Rales calls “unhurried contemplative engagement.” And who doesn’t want more of that these days? Read more
