Sam Gilliam, Ellsworth Kelly, Julie Mehretu, Martin Puryear, and Carrie Mae Weems among Featured Artists in D.C. Exhibition Exploring American Art as Cultural Diplomacy

Artistic Generosity and the American Artist Abroad Presents Works from the Collection of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies at the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center

Washington, D.C. (February 24, 2026)—This spring, Sam Gilliam, Ellsworth Kelly, Julie Mehretu, Martin Puryear, Carrie Mae Weems, and other leading artists who have played a vital role in our nation’s cultural diplomacy efforts are among the artists represented in Artistic Generosity and the American Artist Abroad at the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. On view from April 7–June 13, 2026, the exhibition reflects four decades of artistic exchange through the efforts of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE), a nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation providing permanent works of American art for U.S. embassies around the world.

Artistic Generosity and the American Artist Abroad features site-specific commissions, original prints, and photographs from FAPE’s collection, bringing together nearly 25 preeminent American artists across generations. The exhibition will present never-before-seen maquettes of Don Gummer’s Frontier for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia; and Frank Stella’s Hanoi Star for the new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, which was the last public work the artist made before his death; as well as photographs of Roy Lichtenstein’s original installation of the Greene Street Mural from the Leo Castelli Gallery records at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Additionally, the exhibition will feature Sam Gilliam’s Cerebral (2022), a tondo on loan from the Sam Gilliam Foundation from the same period and in the same style as the large-scale painting Beautiful Man, acquired by FAPE for the lobby of the U.S. Department of State in 2022. The loan furthers the Center’s partnership with the Gilliam Foundation, which includes the commission of a site-specific work by the artist for the building’s atrium and an ongoing, sponsored artist lecture series.

“As we mark FAPE’s 40th year of operations and our country’s 250th anniversary this year, we are pleased to open the doors to our program beyond diplomatic spaces and into classrooms, museums, and communities throughout the United States,” said Jack Shear, curator, FAPE board member, and president of the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation. “We are proud to celebrate the visionary artists whose generosity and talent are at the heart of our mission. Thanks to their exceptional support, thousands of major works of American art enhance U.S. embassies around the world, serving as silent ambassadors, bridging cultures, and fostering mutual understanding.”

Other artists in FAPE’s collection include Stephen Antonakos, John Baldessari, Dawoud Bey, Ron Gorchov, Carmen Herrera, Rashid Johnson, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, Sol LeWitt, Glenn Ligon, Elizabeth Murray, Odili Donald Odita, Robert Rauschenberg, Avis Collins Robinson, James Rosenquist, Ed Ruscha, Joel Shapiro, Cindy Sherman, Sarah Sze, Stanley Whitney, and Elyn Zimmerman.

“Artists play a significant role in international dialogue,” said Caitlin Berry, director of the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery. “The exhibition considers how these works communicate meaning abroad, bringing together artists with a broad range of perspectives and means of expression. Collaborating with FAPE allows Frary Gallery visitors to experience American art as it is encountered beyond U.S. borders and reflects Johns Hopkins’ commitment to promoting global exchange of ideas and research.”

Drawing upon FAPE’s three core collections—Site-Specific, Original Print, and Photography—the exhibition traces FAPE’s history from its earliest site-specific projects, such as Joel Shapiro’s 40-foothigh Conjunction at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, to landmark installations like Martin Puryear’s Connecting at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China. The selection also highlights artists whose biographies reflect the global dimensions of American art, from Ellsworth Kelly, a World War II veteran who studied in Paris under the GI Bill, to first-generation American artists, such as Sarah Sze, and artists born abroad who now call the United States home, including Julie Mehretu.

Additionally, in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the United States, a replica of the 1823 William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, a gift from David M. Rubenstein, one for each embassy, will also be on view.

“This exhibition highlights our efforts to explore art’s role in shaping society here and abroad,” said Cybele Bjorklund, executive director of the Hopkins Bloomberg Center. “At a moment when the United States marks its 250th anniversary and Johns Hopkins celebrates its sesquicentennial, the FAPE show underscores the importance of cultural diplomacy as an essential tool and calls out the critical role that art and artists play in advancing a dynamic, democratic, and open society.”

Artistic Generosity and the American Artist Abroad is the fourth exhibition at the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery, which was inaugurated in October 2024. Reservations are requested, and admission to the gallery is free and open to the public.

About the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies

The Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE) is a nonprofit, non-partisan foundation dedicated to providing permanent works of American art for U.S. embassies around the world. For 40 years, FAPE has partnered with American artists whose works encourage cross-cultural understanding within the diplomatic community and the international public. All artworks commissioned or placed by FAPE are gifts, representing the generosity and patriotism of some of the United States’ greatest artists and donors. FAPE has raised more than $215 million in art and monetary contributions and works by more than 280 preeminent artists have been placed in over 140 countries. Bank of America has been FAPE’s official sponsor since 2011. For more information, visit https://www.fapeculturaldiplomacy.org.

About the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery

The Irene and Richard Frary Gallery presents free, rotating exhibitions drawn from the University’s collections and special exhibitions in partnership with leading museums and collections. Under the leadership of Inaugural Director Caitlin Berry, the jewel box gallery’s exhibitions and programs provide a platform for creative expression across a broad range of viewpoints, artistic traditions, and disciplines, showcasing the work of both contemporary and historically significant artists. Complementing the Hopkins Bloomberg Center’s mission to bring together the brightest minds in policy, business, academia, and nonprofits to find solutions to global challenges, the gallery illuminates the integral role that the arts and artists play in shaping global conversations by responding to and reflecting the world around them.

For more information about the Hopkins Bloomberg Center and for a full list of upcoming events, visit https://washingtondc.jhu.edu/. For more information about the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery, including timed entry, visit https://washingtondc.jhu.edu/arts-culture/irene-and-richard-frary-gallery/.