Phoenix Art Museum receives $5M gift for Asian art expansion

The Phoenix Art Museum is expanding its Asian art presence in a major way thanks to a historic $5 million gift from local physician, biotechnology executive and philanthropist Dr. Sukumar Nagendran.

The landmark donation establishes a dedicated Sri Lankan art initiative and expands the museum’s Asian art footprint to more than 9,500 square feet.

As part of the gift, PhxArt is naming the Dr. Sukumar Nagendran Wing for the Art of Asia and creating the Nagendran Gallery for the Art of Sri Lanka and South Asia. The funding will also support future acquisitions, scholarly research, exhibitions and public programming focused on South Asian artists.

Museum officials say Asian art has been a core pillar of the institution since it opened in 1959, with works from artists living in or originating from Asia making up nearly 20% of its total collection.

“Dr. Nagendran’s visionary generosity enables us to build on this strength and pair our exceptional historical holdings with robust programming focused on contemporary Sri Lankan and South Asian artists, which feels especially timely as Phoenix continues to grow as a global city with considerable Asian and Asian American populations,” Jeremy Mikolajczak, the museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO, said in a statement.

Building on a local legacy

The initiative builds on decades of partnership between the museum and Phoenix-based philanthropists Drs. Coleene and Barry Fernando and the late Dr. Quintus Fernando. Their collection of Sri Lankan masterworks, including rare Buddhist sculptures, cloth and panel paintings, illustrated palm leaf manuscripts and historical photography, established PhxArt as an internationally recognized keeper of Sri Lankan heritage.

Nagendran’s gift aims to bridge that historical foundation with contemporary voices across Sri Lanka and its global dispersion through research, artist residencies and international partnerships.

“Through this gift, I have the opportunity to build a partnership that explores and celebrates historical and contemporary Sri Lankan art on a global scale,” Nagendran said in a statement. “It is my hope that this initiative will deepen cultural understanding, inspire future generations and help preserve and elevate some of the most important artistic voices and works from my home region for decades — and centuries — to come.”

Inaugural exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum set for November

The new Nagendran Gallery will officially open to the public on Nov. 13, with its inaugural exhibition, Pala Pothupitiye: Mapping a Sri Lankan Consciousness.

Curated by Dr. Tushara Bindu Gude, the exhibition highlights contemporary cartographic paintings and traditional ritual dance aesthetics by Sri Lankan artist Pala Pothupitiye. The modern pieces will be displayed alongside historical manuscripts, sculptures and photography from the Fernando Family Collection to provide historical context.

Beyond exhibitions, museum officials plan to host international convenings and public events bringing together global scholars, artists and cultural leaders in the coming years.

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