40 Years of Discovery: Gifts of Clint Willour June 9–October 14, 2018

Richard Misrach, Stonehenge #6, 1976, gelatin silver print with toning, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Clinton T. Willour in honor of S. I. Morris. © Richard Misrach
Richard Gordon Stout, Untitled (D-38), 2008, etching and aquatint with gouache on wove paper, artist’s proof, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Clinton T. Willour in honor of Barry Walker in recognition of his twenty years of service to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. © Richard Gordon Stout
Graciela Iturbide, Autorretrato de Infancia (Self-Portrait of Childhood), 1984, gelatin silver print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Clinton T. Willour in honor of Elena Cusi Wortham. © Graciela Iturbide
Hilary Wilder, Glacier, 2011, acrylic on Yupo paper, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Clinton T. Willour in memory of Isabel B. Wilson. © Hilary Wilder
John Divola, Zuma #16, from the series Zuma, 1977, chromogenic print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Clinton T. Willour in celebration of twenty years. © John Divola
Dean Ruck, Untitled, 1997, carbon soot, iron oxide, yellow ochre, and chalk on wove paper, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Clinton T. Willour in honor of Sue Rowan Pittman. © Dean Ruck
The works of art collected by Clint Willour and given to the MFAH over the course of 40 years comprise a key component of the Museum’s collections. His patronage and expertise also extend to the entire Texas art community. Willour, the former curator at the Galveston Arts Center, is a regular presence at gallery openings and exhibitions throughout the state.
40 Years of Discovery celebrates the indelible mark Willour has made. Since 1976, his support and passion for the arts have resulted in the acquisition of nearly 1,300 objects for the MFAH collections, including prints, drawings, paintings, photographs, and decorative arts. He has also given more than 2,500 books to the Museum’s Hirsch Library.
The art that appeals to Willour varies in style and media but always demonstrates superior craftsmanship and unique energy. Collecting work by a range of artists, Willour is unconcerned about trends and instead relies on his own judgment and eye, living the adage “collect what you like.” Though he often chooses works with similar subjects, his widespread interests lead to compelling groupings—landscape, portraiture, still life, abstractions—that showcase a variety of artistic visions.
Among the artists represented in 40 Years of Discovery are John Divola, Graciela Iturbide, Richard Misrach, Dean Ruck, Richard Gordon Stout, and Hilary Wilder. Through his generosity, Willour has ensured that the Museum’s audiences will continue to discover talented artists and exciting work for years to come.
40 Years of Discovery: Gifts of Clint Willour | June 9–October 14, 2018
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.