BOARD REVIEWS UPDATE ON AUGUST 2024 DENMARK TRIP

The Foundation Board met on October 13, 2024. Previously, in Copenhagen on August 13, 2024, all Directors signed the Provenance and Copyright Agreement with complete exhibits detailing every artwork in the Else Madsen Collection. A Danish attorney has verified that the agreement provides the desired legal protections under Danish law. Subsequently, Bjørn and Sten Madsen gifted one artwork to Miana and Carlos Alvarez as a wedding present, and one artwork with an inscription by Else dedicating it to her daughter Kirsten, to Kirsten Madsen Moss. Ownership transfer affidavits will be signed by all parties to document the ownership transfers of the physical artworks. Copyrights of the two artworks remain the property of the Foundation.

While in Denmark, Directors Cid Galindo and Kim Galindo, and Curating Advisor Joe Arredondo selected approximately 50 oils on canvas and 150 works on paper for high resolution digital imaging by photography or scanner. These images are to be used in the publication of the Else Madsen Artist Monograph that the Foundation hopes to publish in 2025. The monograph will be organized into three parts; a family history authored by Kim Galindo, a technical analysis authored by a Danish academic to be selected, and a section of up to 250 high resolution images of selected works. Once all cost estimates associated with publication of the monograph have been assembled, the Foundation will prepare and submit a grant application to the New Carlsberg Foundation to help finance the publication of the monograph.

BOARD REVIEWS AGREEMENT EXHIBITS AND CONSIDERS GRANT APPLICATIONS

The Foundation Board met on July 7, 2024. Cid Galindo presented the final versions of Exhibits A and B to the Provenance and Copyright Agreement, showing thumbnail images of all 1,229 physical artworks in the collection.  The Directors approved the final version of the agreement and exhibits to be signed by all the board members in Denmark next month.

The board also discussed the proposed action plan and structure for grant applications to the New Carlsberg Foundation for the publication of an Else Madsen artist monograph, and to the Danish Arts Foundation for a future exhibition in partnership with the Museum of Danish America in Elkhorn, Iowa.  In preparation for these grant applications, the board discussed tasks to be done on the trip to Denmark, including selection and sleeving of about 200 works on paper for future creation of high-quality digital images appropriate for publication.

BOARD PREPARES FOR AUGUST 2024 DENMARK TRIP

The Foundation Board met on April 7, 2024. The Directors approved the final language of the Artwork Provenance and Copyright Agreement prepared by Locke Lord LLP, the Foundation’s counsel. The final agreement will be signed when the collection detail exhibits are finalized.

The Board discussed plans for its upcoming summer trip to Denmark in August, 2024. The board’s priorities are to foster relationships with potential Danish museum and exhibition venue representatives, to develop relationships with contacts at the New Carlsberg Foundation and Danish Arts Foundation, and to establish personal contact with interested art historians and academics currently publishing academic work related to artists like Else Madsen and her contemporaries.

BOARD CONDITIONALLY APPROVES MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

The Foundation Board convened on January 14, 2024. Directors approved the language of the draft memorandum prepared by the legal firm Locke Lord, concerning the establishment of provenance and copyrights of the artworks within the Else Madsen Collection, conditioned on the addition of complete names, and completion of incorporated exhibits. The Board expects to give final approval to the Memorandum of Understanding including exhibits at its next meeting.

Additionally, the Directors assessed two narratives centered around themes related to Else Madsen’s life or works. These narratives are poised for printing into distinct brochures, featuring selected artworks, to facilitate discussions with potential exhibitors about potential exhibition themes.

Furthermore, Kirsten Madsen Moss received an invitation to a dinner hosted by the Museum of Danish America in Katy, Texas, providing an opportunity to engage with their staff and board members. It was unanimously agreed that attending this event would be beneficial in establishing valuable contacts, and Board Members Cid Galindo, Kim Galindo, and Lis Soto, as well as Executive Director Camila Pulecio committed to attend with Kirsten.

BOARD REVIEWS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING PROVENANCE AND COPYRIGHT OF ARTWORKS

The Foundation Board met on October 15, 2023. The Directors reviewed a draft memorandum of understanding that documents agreements between Else Madsen’s heirs and the Foundation related to provenance and copyrights of the artworks in the collection. The Executive Director was asked to submit the draft of the memorandum to qualified legal counsel for review, and to present a final version for signature prior to the next meeting of the board.

The Directors also discussed the need to develop narratives highlighting themes related to Else Madsen’s life or works, which would assist in the organization and selection of works for exhibitions. These narratives could be printed into separate brochures illustrated with selected art works and used in discussions with potential exhibitors. The directors recommended that one or more narratives be developed and printed prior to follow up conversations with leadership of the Øregaard Museum in Copenhagen.

Board members Cid Galindo and Kim Galindo reported that on a recent trip to Bolivia, they established a relationship with the Simon I. Patiño Foundation. Else’s works depicting Bolivian images were discussed, and the Patiño Foundation leadership expressed interest in hosting a three-city exhibition of Else’s works in Bolivia at some time in the future.

BOARD BEGINS SEARCH FOR COLLABORATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND DENMARK

The Foundation Board met on July 9, 2023. Directors approved the actions taken by the executive team during the preceding quarter, including the completion of archival photography of the 57 pieces located in Texas, and the saving of the digital images in raw and tiff formats to two hard drives, one to be kept in Texas, and another to be kept in Denmark. The Directors also heard a sampling of audio recordings made by Kirsten Moss and Kim Galindo about specific pieces in the collection. These recordings are incorporated into the collection’s digital image library.

The Directors also addressed the proposed first exhibition of Else’s artwork currently planned for the summer of 2025 at the Øregaard Museum in Copenhagen. With the concurrence of Consulting Curator Joe Arredondo, it was decided that input from the museum staff should be sought prior to any specific action being taken. Bjørn and Sten Madsen will pursue contacting the Museum staff with the assistance of Camilla Sachs Bostrup, a family friend and local public relations consultant.

The Directors also addressed the need to begin efforts to secure grants from third parties to meet the requirements of the Foundation’s status as a public charity. Executive director Camila Pulecio was tasked to research and compile a list of Danish-focused arts and culture entities in the United States that could be approached for collaboration or co-sponsorship of future exhibitions or other Foundation activities in the United States.

BOARD SETS GOAL FOR FIRST EXHIBIT IN SUMMER 2025

The Foundation Board met on April 16, 2023.  The Board reviewed the database nomenclature and the continued upgrading of digital images for the collection's image library (the database).  The Board agreed that digital images of each artwork would be created in raw and .tiff formats, and stored in two separate and duplicate hard drives. One hard drive will be kept in Denmark, and one will be kept in Texas.

Image library access credentials were distributed to begin adding individual narratives and personal anecdotes about each piece, as recalled by Else's five grandchildren (the five members of the Board of Directors), and Kirsten Madsen Moss, Else's youngest and only surviving daughter.  This work is expected to be ongoing for the remainder of 2023.

The Board also set the goal of having the first posthumous exhibit of Else Madsen's works during the summer of 2025 at the Øregaard Museum in Copenhagen. The museum is an ideal candidate, as it is located just two blocks from Else's original studio, and it takes a particular interest in artists with a connection to its environs in Copenhagen. Bjørn Madsen agreed to initiate contact with the museum through known contacts. 

Board Reviews Database of Else Madsen’s Works

The Foundation Board held its first quarterly meeting of the year on January 22, 2023. The highlight of the meeting was the review of the completed database containing digital images of every one of Else Madsen’s 1,288 known artworks. Over time contextual information and higher quality digital images will be added to each database entry. The database is available for academic research purposes upon request.

The board also discussed Director Kim Galindo’s upcoming February 2023 trip to Denmark and her goals of continuing her research for the writing and publication of an Else Madsen biography and monograph. During her visit, she and Denmark-based Directors Bjørn Madsen and Sten Madsen will seek out contacts with Danish art museums for future collaborations, with the goal of hosting an exhibition of Else Madsen’s works in Denmark in 2025.

EMF Board Announces Founding Staff Members

At the Foundation Board meeting held on October 9, 2022, the Board welcomed Camila Pulecio as the Executive Director of the Foundation. Ms. Pulecio is a graduate of Texas State University, with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in International Studies. She is also a yoga instructor and practicing artist. Ms. Pulecio will manage the business and operating functions of the Foundation, including assembling the Else Madsen archive into a database suitable for aiding in academic research and making the works of Else Madsen available to a global public.

The Board has also retained Joe Arredondo as the advising curator of the Else Madsen archive. Mr. Arredondo, one of the first persons not related to Else to recognize her talent over twenty years ago, has over 40 years of experience in art collections and exhibitions management. Most significantly he was instrumental in shepherding and installing a $20 million art collection at Texas A&M University in 1990. Additionally, Mr. Arredondo has expertise in grant writing and will begin the task of securing additional outside funding to support research into Else’s work, making high quality image files available online for researchers, and eventually organizing traveling exhibitions of selected works from the Else Madsen archive.

Both Mr. Arredondo and Ms. Pulecio will be working closely with Board members to assure that the most accurate information about Else’s work is collected and shared with the greater community of art scholars and generally interested persons around the world.

INITIAL SURVEY OF THE ELSE MADSEN ARCHIVE

Else kept and meticulously cared for her work during her lifetime. After her death, the entire archive of artworks was saved by her daughter-in-law, Emmy Madsen, and except for a few oil paintings and watercolors that adorned the homes of her children and grandchildren, has been kept in storage for over 30 years.

A recently conducted survey of the archive found over 1,000 artworks by Else including oil on canvas paintings, watercolors on paper, pencil and pen sketches and drawings, and works from the early 1920s when Else studied art at various schools. In addition to artworks the archive includes approximately 25,000 slides of Else’s and Axel’s international travel, some 8 mm films and other artifacts. The core of the artwork archive consists of nearly 100 oil on canvas paintings and over 300 watercolor drawings.

Else MADSEN FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED

The Else Madsen Foundation was founded in 2022 by Else’s five grandchildren, who serve as the Board of Directors of the Foudation. The board held its organizational meeting on August 1st in Tisvilde, Denmark.

Incorporated in Texas as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the Else Madsen Foundation is organized and operated to document, protect, preserve, and share digital images of Danish artist Else Madsen’s artworks.

Future activity will include commissioning high quality digital image files of the artwork archive, building this website with additional information as it becomes available, and eventually promoting and supporting scholarly research and publication about Else Madsen’s artistic career.