COURTESY TOM FORD
Aspen‘s Anderson Ranch Arts Center, which is celebrating 50 years this year, will honor Carrie Mae Weems and collectors Domenico and Eleanore De Sole at its anniversary gala in July. Weems will receive its National Artist Award, which recognizes artists “whose careers have set an example and a direction for other artists.” Weems was the subject of a major traveling retrospective in 2013 and 2014, which made stops at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Guggenheim in New York, among other places. In a statement, Weems said, “I am a working girl who is so consumed and engaged with my work that I’m often surprised when anyone takes note. It’s therefore humbling and an honor to be given this award from Anderson Ranch.”
The De Soles, who have a home nearby the Anderson Ranch, will receive the Service to the Arts Award, given to arts advocates “who have made contributions to the cultural and social life of our country.” The De Soles were in the news recently for their lawsuit against the Knoedler gallery, which sold them a fake Mark Rothko painting for $8.3 million in 2004. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Nancy Willhelms, the executive director of Anderson Ranch, said in a statement, “There is no better way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Anderson Ranch than by recognizing an artist like Carrie Mae Weems, whose work speaks so clearly to the human experience. We are delighted to honor her as our 2016 National Artist Award honoree. In such a special year, we are particularly pleased to recognize world-class collectors and passionate patrons of the arts, Eleanore and Domenico De Sole, with our Service to the Arts Award in honor of their tireless commitment to the advancement of art.”