Penny Cooper and Rena Rosenwasser, a Berkeley-based couple, are debuting their private collection of women artists at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). Titled "Rhapsody: Works from the Cooper Rosenwasser Collection," the exhibition features highlights from a half-century of collecting, including works by Marlene Dumas, Nicole Eisenman, and Jacqueline Humphries. The show coincides with the couple's significant donation of nearly 150 artworks to the museum, marking the first time these pieces have been displayed outside their home.
This exhibition is significant for its early and exclusive focus on women artists, a mission the couple began in the 1970s when such works were largely ignored by major institutions and the market. By acquiring pieces from then-emerging artists who have since achieved international acclaim, Cooper and Rosenwasser built a collection that serves as a historical record of feminist art movements. The donation ensures that this specialized focus will be permanently preserved and accessible to the public, addressing long-standing gender imbalances in museum holdings.