The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled its renovated Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, featuring 1,800 objects from 663 cultures across Africa, Oceania, and the ancient Americas. The $70 million, 12-year project includes Fang masks, ceremonial dance paddles, and 15-foot funerary poles, with a multi-day celebration that featured a sunrise blessing. The wing, named after Nelson Rockefeller's son who disappeared in 1961, opened in 1982 and was revitalized as part of a master plan by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects.
The renovation matters because it revitalizes a historically underfunded area of the Met's collection, highlighting the influence of African and Oceanic art on modern masters like Picasso and Modigliani. Fundraising proved challenging, with naming rights starting at $500,000, far below the $125 million lead gift for the museum's modern wing. The project underscores ongoing efforts to diversify art historical narratives and attract new patrons, including contemporary art dealers like Per Skarstedt, who supported the wing despite not collecting the art himself.