The M.T. Abraham Foundation (MTA Foundation) is a non-profit cultural institution, which is part of the Israeli M.T. Abraham Group. Its headquarters are in Tel Aviv, Israel, and its part of the collection is on permanent display in Mostar. Its stated intent is to promote public appreciation of the most important styles of Modernism: Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Cubo-Futurism, Futurism, Constructivism and Suprematism by collecting pieces that can be loaned "for the sole purpose of display and study by public institutions," and to present most effectively the first half of the 20th century, a period that saw revolutionary tendencies shape the art scene.
Through its publishing department, the Foundation promotes, publishes and facilitates research related to its collection. It also supports discussions on the artistic trends that shaped fine art from the 19th to the 21st century.
In June 2019 the foundation pledged a donation from its collection to the State Hermitage Museum in Russia valued at 7 million (USD). This donation consisted of paintings and sculptures by the Russian artist Vladimir Sterligov, and the French impressionist, Edgar Degas.
History
The Foundation was founded by the M.T. Abraham Group in 2004 as a non-profit organization. Its President in Amir Gross Kabiri. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland, with head offices in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Mission
Exhibitions
The Foundation's stated mission is promoting public appreciation of European, Russian and American Modernism. It has a loan program which makes works available for public exhibition at accredited institutions.
In May 2022, The Hub of Fine Arts was opened in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of the M.T. Abraham Group, where a part of the MTA Foundation's collection is on permanent display.
Education
The Foundation’s educational mission is fostering "exhibitions that will encourage an appreciation and understanding of art, its history, context and meaning." Exhibitions sponsored by the foundation are accompanied by educational programs for children and young adults, which are held by artists, educators, and other art professionals. Special emphasis is placed on various educational programs, which besides encouraging creativity and freedom of expression, also foster an understanding of the characteristics of stylistic movements and familiarization with the works of the artists whose artworks are part of the Foundation’s collection.
The Foundation also provides support for young artists and students in Judaic studies.
Publishing
Through its publishing department, the Foundation publicizes and facilitates research related to its permanent collection.
In 2013, the Foundation's publishing department published “Selling Russia’s Treasures”, the story of the sale of Russian national art treasures confiscated from the tsarist royal family, the church, private individuals, and museums in the Soviet Union.
As part of "Tel Aviv Days in St. Petersburg," a cultural event under the auspices of the Israeli General Consulate in St. Petersburg and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foundation helped organize an international exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum titled "White City - Bauhaus Architecture in Tel Aviv," which portrays the city's urban and architectural heritage.
The Foundation subsequently published White City – Bauhaus Architecture in Tel Aviv. The same year they published Lissitzky – Kabakov, Utopia and Reality at the Hermitage Museum and at the Multimedia Art Museum in Moscow.
Collections
A large part of the Foundation’s collection consists of paintings by European artists. The core of the collection focuses on European and Russian Modernism of the late 19th and 20th centuries: Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Constructivism, Cubism, Cubo-Futurism, Neo-Primitivism, Rayonism, Suprematism, and Futurism.
The collection contains artworks by artists such as Edgar Degas, Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Matisse, Henri Rousseau, Kees van Dongen, Tamara de Lempicka, Maurice de Vlaminck, Natalia Goncharova, Aleksandra Ekster, Lyubov Popova, Roberto Matta, Gabriele Münter, Jean Puy, Jean Duffy, Alexander Rodchenko, Auguste Chabaud, Andres Gleizes, Jean Metzinger, Henry Manguin, Andre Lhote, Suzanne Valadon, Louis Valtat, Auguste Herbin, Leon de Smet, Maximillian Luce, and Georges Folmer. Many artworks in the collection are listed in the respective artist’s Catalogue Raisonné.