Saul Dennison, a prominent arts patron, died on September 11 at age 96. Dennison’s family announced in an obituary published last week but did not state a cause.
Dennison and his wife, Ellyn—who died in May—were longtime art collectors. In 1993, the Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey, presented an exhibition of their collection, which ranged from new media and photography to classical sculpture, as well as conceptual works such as Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s iconic installation, consisting of a string of 24 light bulbs. Writing at the time, New York Times critic William Zimmer described the holdings as a “clear picture” of the “recent history of art.”
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The Dennisons were also major supporters of the New Museum in New York, where Saul served as president of the board of trustees from 1999 to 2013. He became chairman in 2013, and held the title of chairman emeritus until his death.
In a 2017 oral history with New Museum director Lisa Phillips, Dennison recalled becoming involved with the New Museum in 1990 after telling his friend Richard Ekstract, the publishing magnate, that he wanted to give back to the art world. In the early ’90s, Dennison helped the museum bridge a financial gap during a recession. The museum had been up for a challenge grant from philanthropist Vera List—namesake of the New School’s Vera List Center for Art and Politics—but was unable to raise the required funds. Dennison suggested that the museum accept artworks as donations and apply their fair value toward the goal. List agreed, and Dennison donated six paintings; many other trustees followed suit.
“It was very easy to reach the goal through the value of those paintings,” Dennison said. “[List] wrote a little check, you know, just out of her checkbook. I couldn’t get over it. She handwrote, for New Year’s Eve, five hundred thousand dollars on this little, tiny check as her contribution. And I said to myself, ‘I really have to get to know these people.’”
Dennison’s tenure as president and chairman coincided with the New Museum’s opening of its permanent home in 2007, at 235 Bowery: a $50 million, seven-story, 58,700-square-foot building. (The museum has been closed since last year for construction on an expansion of that space and is scheduled to reopen this fall.)
In a statement on Instagram, the New Museum said Dennison, who was born on January 21, 1929, led the institution with “wisdom, openness, and integrity.” It added, “He embraced all forms of artistic experimentation and encouraged creative risk-taking. Together with his wife Ellyn, he encountered hundreds of artists across the globe on many New Museum trips. They were wonderful patrons of the Museum and Saul helped spearhead the construction of our first flagship building on the Bowery. We are forever grateful for Saul’s leadership, generosity, and friendship. We extend our condolences to his family who meant everything to him.”
Dennison’s daughter, Lisa Dennison, is Sotheby’s executive vice president and chairman of the Americas. She previously worked at the Guggenheim Museum in New York for 29 years, serving as director from 2005 to 2007.
In her own statement on Instagram, she wrote: “Dad, I taught you about art, but you taught me about everything else that I know. Rest in peace with Mom and know that your legacy and values live on in your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.”