Lecture | Sculpture, Space, and Vision with Curator Anne Reeve

Presented by the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan.

Join us for an evening with Anne Reeve, Curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, for a behind-the-scenes look at one of Washington DC's most anticipated cultural transformations.

Originally designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft and opened in 1974, the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden has long been a beloved — if quietly tucked away — landmark on the National Mall. Now, fifty years on, the garden is undergoing a major revitalization led by renowned Japanese architect and artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, whose recent renovation of the Hirshhorn's lobby has already welcomed nearly a million visitors. Sugimoto's design promises to open the sunken garden to greater visibility, create dynamic spaces for large-scale contemporary works and live performance, restore intimate settings for the museum's modern masterpieces, and reopen a long-closed underground passage that was central to Bunshaft's original vision.

In this lecture, Reeve will trace the history and evolution of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden, share images and details of the revitalization currently underway, and offer a preview of new acquisitions that will be unveiled when the garden reopens to the public in Fall 2026.

Anne Reeve is Curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C., where she oversees the museum’s collection of modern and contemporary sculpture.

Reeve organized the Hirshhorn’s first major collection exhibition devoted exclusively to the work of women and gender-nonconforming artists, Put It This Way: (Re)Visions of the Hirshhorn Collection (August 2022-September 2023), as well as their recent presentation of the landmark survey exhibition, Simone Leigh (November 2023-March 2024). She is currently at work on plans for the museum’s fully renovated sculpture garden on the National Mall, designed by Hiroshi Sugimoto, which is set to re-open to the public in Fall 2026. Her writing has appeared in publications including Artforum, Art in America, and Art Papers, and she is a contributor to the 2024 Phaidon volume, Great Women Sculptors.

She holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in the History of Art from University College London.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required for security purposes. Program begins at 6:30PM. Doors open 30 minutes prior. No admittance after 7:00 PM or once seating is full.

Registered guests will be seated on a first come, first served basis. Please note that seating is limited and registration does not guarantee guests a seat.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan, 1150 18th Street Northwest, Washington, United States

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