Portland Art Museum to Unveil 100,000 Sq. Ft.Expansion, Including Dedicated Rothko Pavilion, on Nov. 20
Portland, OR – The Portland Art Museum (PAM) is set to debut a major expansion on November 20, adding over 100,000 square feet of space and culminating in the opening of the Rothko Pavilion. The new pavilion will physically connect the museum’s existing Pietro Belluschi and Mark Buildings, which have operated as separate structures for the past two decades.
The expansion aims to enhance connectivity-both within the museum’s architecture and between visitors and art-according to Museum Director Brian Ferriso. “So it’ll add a sense of connectivity, literally and figuratively. It will connect art from different periods and connect people to art,” Ferriso told OPB. The project coincides with Ferriso’s departure; he will begin leading the Dallas museum of Art on december 1.
The Rothko Pavilion will be dedicated to the work of Mark Rothko,the acclaimed 20th-century abstract expressionist who was born and raised in Portland. The new space will feature major works by the artist, known for his vibrant oil paintings.
The renovation marks the end of a critically important chapter for PAM and its outgoing director. A successor to Ferriso has not yet been named.
(Hennebery Eddy Architects and Vinci Hamp Architects / Courtesy of Portland Art Museum)
