The Kirk Varnedoe Collection

The Kirk Varnedoe Collection celebrates the life and legacy of Kirk Varnedoe (American, 1946–2003) through the presentation of works on paper created by contemporary artists he championed. A native of Savannah, Varnedoe was a distinguished scholar and chief curator of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art in New York from 1988–2001. The 27 works in this collection were donated as permanent gifts to Telfair Museums by 22 artists (or their representatives) in Varnedoe’s memory.

The collection can be understood as an example of the wide-range of artistic production present in New York during Varnedoe’s tenure and includes works by some of the most pivotal artists of the past 50 years such as Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Kiki Smith and many more. Varnedoe’s wide-ranging taste is reflected in the assembled pieces, largely produced within the past decade by artists diverse in age, background, and methodology. Most of the artists featured in the Varnedoe Collection are still living and continue to produce vital, compelling work.