There are many layers to the design: the architecture, the paths, the integration with water, the greenery, and the various kinds of staging. Uniquely, the Besthoff Sculpture Garden presents masterworks of the 20th and 21st century within a mature landscape of local plantings, including pines, magnolias, and live oaks surrounding two lagoons. There are no words to express how much he will be missed and how much I will miss him. A successful New Orleans business executive and philanthropist, Sydneys vision allowed for the establishment of the Contemporary Arts Center in 1976. Sydney Besthoff, longtime K&B drugs executive and patron of the arts, dies at 94, Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Perhaps Mr. Besthoff is being modest: at the time of the sale K&B was doing about $700 million in business. Occupying eleven acres in City Park surrounding the New Orleans Museum of Art, The Besthoff Sculpture Garden opened to the public in 2003 with . Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete. In addition to his wife, survivors include three daughters, Virginia Besthoff, of New Orleans and Charlotte, Vermont, and Valerie Besthoff and Jane Steiner, both of New Orleans; a sister, Jon Strauss of New Orleans; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. 7) Tom Benson, Networth: 2.2 Billion Wikicommons / Andricka Hammonds This interview was conducted by historian Mark Cave for The New Orleans Life Story Project at the Historic New Orleans Collection. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. I got really interested, and that started me off. He was 94. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Elyn Zimmerman, Mississippi Meanders, 2019. Over the course of the next 20 years, Sydney worked in every aspect of the business and became general manager. It is a demonstration of this desire to share their passion that they wanted the Garden to be free and open to the people of the city of New Orleans," said Susan Taylor of the New Orleans Museum of Art. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. His twin legacies of the CAC and the NOMA sculpture garden are gifts to New Orleans that are unmatched. "Michael J. Siegel, Trustee, served as Board Chair Director (1997-1999)"To say that the CAC would not exist without Sydney Besthoff is far from an overstatement. NOMA is committed to preserving, interpreting, and enriching its collections and renowned sculpture garden; offering innovative experiences for learning and interpretation; and uniting, inspiring, and engaging diverse communities and cultures. In another 25 years, theyll be gorgeous. "Barbara Motley, Trustee and served as Director (1993-1994)"Its hard to imagine the New Orleans art scene without the legacy that Sydney leaves behind: wed have no Contemporary Arts Center, which was the seed for the contemporary gallery and restaurant scene, which revitalized the Warehouse District, which encouraged our now nationally recognized artists to put down roots here. Previously, most of the Besthoffs sculpture collection was on view at K&B Plaza, a seven-story office building in downtown New Orleans, which Sydney Besthoff purchased in 1973. Photo by Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee, K&B Drug Building, now the CAC, ca. Now we think we know what we are interested in. One Collins C. Diboll Circle, City Park Through my time working with him, I have been fortunate to enjoy a meaningful partnership and friendship. The hue described as not quite lavender, not quite violet eventually pervaded the stores and everything in them, from paper bags to packaging to employee vests. In 1978, he and his wife established the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to cultivating public interest in the arts, particularly contemporary sculpture. On Oct. 18, the New Orleans Museum of Art chose that spot -- now the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden -- to celebrate the 90th birthday of Sydney Besthoff. Among the key things not talked about in the art world are the pricing arrangements, which are always confused. When not writing about all the amazing things to be found in her state, her central passion is dreams and the wisdom they can offer, which you can learn more about by visiting KeziaVida.com. We took out about 60 trees that were diseased and put in 125. SB:I think art right now is having a real renaissance, in that more people are interested in it, theyre talking about it, and museums are still doing very well in terms of attendance. In the early years of the Center, Sydney led the first fundraising campaign securing major donations from national corporations. It was Sydneys last outing, and so memorable. Denham Springs police department investigates vandalized cemetery, New Orleans councilmembers hear from emotional crowd in crime meeting, Councilmembers hear from emotional crowd in New Orleans crime meeting, NOMA to double Besthoff sculpture garden with $15 million expansion, Morning Call serves up its last orders of beignets and caf au lait. 1960s, Walda and Sydney Besthoff. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. He's practically glued to his headphones. For example, the architect sometimes wanted one thing, and we were looking for another, and the museum was looking for another concept as well. In Memory Of Sydney Johnson Besthoff, III. MyLife aggregates publicly available information from government, social, and other sources, plus personal reviews written by others. So itll be hidden from exterior viewsexcept for certain cut-throughs in the shrubbery. RP:What do you think needs to be done to more effectively encourage patronage of modern/contemporary art in the U.S.? He was 94. It features 50 sculptures, 41 of them donated by the Besthoffs foundation, including works by Arman, Botero, Bourgeois, Burton, Chadwick, Chia, Hepworth, Lipchitz, McCollum, Moore, Pomodoro, Rickey, Segal, Shapiro, and Zadkine. Without his amazing generosity and support, the Contemporary Arts Center would not have been able to grow into one of the largest and most influential Artists Spaces in the country. If you have used our data or site in your research or reporting, add credit and a link to Nonprofit Explorer in your story or publication and let us know. Considered one of the world's top sculpture gardens, it is filled with works mainly from the Besthoffs' collection. It was a perfect day, with the sun shining in a cloudless, blue sky. He pursued the collecting of sculptures just as eagerly as he had pursued the acquisition of drugstores, Walda Besthoff said. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Sydney and Walda Besthoff are the recipients of the International Sculpture Centers 2004 Patrons Recognition Award. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window). Sydney Besthoff, former CEO of K&B, art connoisseur dies at 94 WWL Staff 2/28/2022 Sydney Besthoff, the man who was the third generation leader of the iconic K&B Drug Stores, who also. Wednesday, October 18, 2017. By Rebekajean And there are no keep off the grass signs. SB:Thats because youre looking at the sides of the lagoon, which is really only nine inches deep. besthoff was chairman and ceo of k&b, the retail drug store chain (sold to the rite aid corporation in 1997), who with walda besthoff have been longtime art collectors and arts supporters,. I loved running into him both in New Orleans and New York. It features 50 sculptures, 41 of them donated by the Besthoffs' foundation . We would stand by watching as the works soared above us, landing exactly on the proposed site. Get more stories like this one delivered right to your email. I cant place why exactly. Today we mourn the loss of Sydney Besthoff, NOMAs most generous philanthropist who, with his beloved wife Walda, created the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. With our exposure via the Contemporary Art Center, years ago, we became well aware of that situation. the Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden occupies approximately eleven acres in City Park adjacent to the museum. The architectural concept has no straight lines, everything is curved. Visit her on Facebook. The work artists create today would not happen without institutions like the CAC and without Sydney, a benefactor with business sense, creative vision, who cared deeply for the artists in his community, and who understood the transformational power of art.In my brief time, I knew Sydney to be genuinely thrilled by art and the artworks in his collection, deeply generous and accessible, humorous and proud of the CAC. He still owns the building though, and, even after the donation, it still contains a sizable art collection. In 1978, Mr. and Mrs. Besthoff established the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to cultivating public interest in the arts, particularly contemporary sculpture. He loved to pull out blueprints of buildings and the neighborhood and walk me through them. The foundation is located in New Orleans, LA. As with all nonprofit entities, everything had to be done by consensus, and it took a long time to work out the details.RP:I understand that you were intimately involved in the practical aspects of installing the sculptures in the garden. DOWNLOAD, See highlights of the Sculpture Garden in a virtual tour produced in partnership with the Google Arts & Culture Initiative. "The CAC was once the headquarters of K&B, Katz & Besthoff, which grew to become the largest privately-held drugstore chain in America. We all shared a joy for seeing art in public, outdoor spaces. He was a trustee of the art museum and the chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the Boy Scouts in New Orleans and the United Fund (now the United Way). SB:No. But, of course, the New York galleries are notorious for this. You dont think of it as an elitist thing.SB:Thats true. Sydney Besthoff served as chairman and CEO of K&B Incorporated, a retail drugstore chain in Louisiana and the Gulf South founded by his grandfather in 1905. Mr. Besthoff and the CAC entered my life in 1984. How to get through the artspeak. "The Sydney" honors individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the visual arts - the original Sydney being the first recipient this night. We stood and watched as Crocodylus swung over the fence and gently landed on the site near the pavilion. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Sydney Besthoff and Walda Besthoff at Sydney Besthoff's 90th Birthday Party at the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. RP:Do you think that the art world needs to be more business-like, and, if so, how?SB:I could talk for days about that. The art world is definitely not the business world. When he moved his headquarters it was with great foresight and curiosity that Sydney welcomed a group of young artists to take over his property to do nothing less than break the norms and traditions for what art could be in New Orleans and around the country. Who's Searching for You, Relatives, Associates, Neighbors & Classmates. A distinguished collector who celebrated a distinguished artist with not one, but two works for the garden. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. We were not as knowledgeable before. to see possible family members, friends, co-workers, and associates found from multiple government records, social and public sources. Sydney Besthoff served as chairman and CEO of K & B Incorporated, a retail drugstore chain in Louisiana and the Gulf South, founded by his grandfather in 1905. Then we placed the sculptures. He was 94. The New Orleans Museum of . Check all background information that MyLife has gathered. For that to happen, there were only two art collectorsin town who could pull it off: Walda and Sydney Besthoff. 76 times Because MyLife only collects this data and does not create it, we cannot fully guarantee its accuracy. Last Saturday, the CAC's Founder, Emeritus, and Champion, Sydney Besthoff III passed away peacefully at his home. From that point on, the Besthoffs interest in sculpture grew. Were it not for his generosity and ongoing commitment, we would not be here today. I dont, but people do. Our love and warmth go to his family and friends as they grieve this loss, and we offer deep condolences to his wife and daughters who, for so many years, shared him and his love for art with this community. Links are provided for reference only and MyLife.com does not imply any connection or relationship between MyLife.com and these companies. The sculptures are among them. Theres lots of shrubbery, and the fence will be covered in five years. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Foundation primarily provides general support. His ability to focus energy on an opportunity or problem and bring a solution to fruition remains legendary to me. I clearly remember the day where he asked me to write down the artists with whom I would like to work, and then he showed me his list too. Since the 1970s, Sydney and Walda Besthoff have specialized in collecting modern and contemporary sculpture, in addition to photorealist painting. It was more on a coincidental basis. Private dealers, auctions, and galleries were all part of the hunt. I provided input about the paths and spaces for the garden design. He and his wife Walda Besthoff created the sculpture garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art that bears their names. (Josh Brasted Photo). Sydney and Walda were always the first to arrive, warmly greeting the crane operators from American Machinery. And we zero in on particular artists. Learn more in our Privacy Policy. Could you explain how this worked?SB:First, for the general garden design, Lee Ledbetter, the architect, and the landscape architect, based in New York, laid out the overall site. Sydney was a giant in supplying visual art to New Orleans. We were talking about artspeak earlier today. Jeppe Hein, Mirror Labyrinth, 2017. swung over the fence and gently landed on the site near the pavilion. Known as The Sydney, the lifetime achievement award honors outstanding contributions and distinguished philanthropy in the arts. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. When I was the Director of the CAC, I asked if I could just hang around and watch how he worked, he said yes - and I did on occasion. We can honor and thank him by keeping this goal alive. Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is ranked #14 out of 29 things to do in New Orleans. Get our updates delivered directly to your inbox! Sydney Besthoff in the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, 2003 (Photo by Kathy Anderson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)(Kathy Anderson), The K&B Drugs Store at the Magnolia Shopping Center on Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Metairie, as photographed in 1979. Opened to the public in 2003, and expanded in 2019, the Besthoff Sculpture Garden has received world-wide acclaim and is regularly mentioned as one of the most definitive sites for outdoor sculpture in a natural landscape. New Orleans Museum of Art Since then Sydneys focused on philanthropy; among his donations is the Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park. You'll see him around town recording music, podcasts, short films, live events and radio features. For example, the only national art market is the auction house system, and that is the only way that anybody who is interested can know what art is truly worth on a public basis. Photo by 2nd Story Creative/Cat Landrum. SB:Everyone has been ignored in galleries.RP: We actually like it sometimes, maybe.SB:Thats true. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Sydney J Besthoff. Photo by Camille Lenain. He loved going to Chelsea to check out the most current art exhibitions. By using our site, you agree to our use of cookies. Another well known real estate developer in New Orleans, Mr. Kabacoff was involved in countless apartment, condo, and hotel operations throughout New Orleans and the greater gulf coast area, and has now expanded across the country. Thank you, Sydney, for everything you have done for our city. Valerie Besthoff, Sydney Besthoff and Walda Besthoff at Sydney Besthoff's 90th Birthday Party at the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. You are already missed. In art, as in business, he was always highly motivated, and he was goal-oriented, she said. Sydney Besthoff 90th birthday soiree a milestone occasion. below. He came here to install the piece. By that time, Walda Besthoff said, he was in a group of local leaders who integrated their food-service counters. (Josh Brasted Photo), Wayne Amedee, Penny Francis , Julie George and Ted George at Sydney Besthoff's 90th Birthday Party at the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA 5 1,375 #7 of 454 things to do in New Orleans Art Museums Visit website Call Write a review What people are saying By Viktoriya R " Pleasant beautiful garden " Oct 2022 The garden is so beautiful and peaceful with many great sculptures nicely melted into the surrounding nature. 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