By Scott Allen
The Scene staff
The St. Louis Art Museum opened its new wing last month as part of a $162 million expansion.
The East Building covers more than 200,000 square feet, housing nearly 300 works of postwar art in 21 galleries, a restaurant and cafe with seating for 160 people, a 300-car parking garage and three classrooms.
“Great cities are characterized by their quality of life, and the St. Louis Art Museum is fundamental to the cultural vibrancy of St. Louis,” said Barbara Taylor, president of the museum’s board of commissioners.
“This expansion project has raised the collective bar.”
The East Building was designed by British architect Sir David Chipperfield, with help from the St. Louis-based design firm HOK. Chipperfield’s work can be seen around the globe in museums, galleries, infrastructure, offices and retail spaces.
The wing increased the museum’s gallery space by 30 percent, allowing it to reinstall 1,550 works. Of those, 478 had not been on display in more than 20 years.
The East Building’s facade features floor to-ceiling windows and 23 huge, dark, polished concrete panels, with highlights of Missouri river aggregate.
Inside, coffered ceilings of light concrete provide plenty of controlled natural light. Artificial lighting is managed by a computerized system that automatically adjusts throughout the day.
Designers hope the neutral white-oak floors will provide a distraction-free setting for the artwork.
The East Building was awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold status by the U.S. Green Building Council, mainly because of its innovative designs.
The museum raised about $130 million in private donations for construction and another $32 million for increased operating costs. Officials said it was the largest capital campaign for a cultural institution in St. Louis history.
The first exhibit in the East Building’s main gallery is “Postwar German Art in the Collection.” It features the work of artists such as Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke and Anselm Kiefer. Richter’s “Betty,” Beuy’s “Felt Suit” and Polke’s “Why Can’t I Stop Smoking?” are among the highlights.
Secondary galleries include postwar American art, from such renowned artists as Jackson Pollack, Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly, Anne Truitt, Donald Judd and Richard Serra.
Art isn’t restricted to the wing’s interior. Twenty-five arches made of Missouri limestone stand in a courtyard. Future landscaping will include a sculpture garden, with timing dependent on funding.
“We are delighted to invite the St. Louis community, and the world, to visit the St. Louis Art Museum, to experience the new East Building, and to rediscover our comprehensive collection in every gallery in the museum,” said museum director Brent R. Benjamin in a press release.
“The museum has long been regarded as one of our nation’s leading civic visual art institutions, and we are honored to continue this legacy as we enter a new era.”
Despite the many millions invested in the museum’s expansion, the cost to enter — as it has been since 1906 — is free. Parking in the new garage costs $15, but two public lots and street parking still are available.