Fall 2021 Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) Newsletter

MUSEUM NEWS
GABRIELE S. HABERLAND
Patron of the Arts in Madison and Beyond
One can’t help but notice that the name Gabriele Haberland appears
often in connection with the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.
The Museum’s directorship is named for her; she is fondly remembered
as a longtime member of MMoCA’s Board of Trustees and a
spirited participant of the Permanent Collection Committee; and
Haberland, along with her husband, Willy Haeberli, often supported
Museum exhibitions. In fact, it was Haeberli, who passed away on
October 4, 2021 at the age of 96, who suggested that MMoCA highlight
the contributions that his wife made to the Museum and to the
arts in Madison, the nation, and the world. It is with great honor that
we are able to oblige him.
Haberland (1958-2017) was many things: a collector of contemporary
and modern art, a jewelry designer, and a dedicated supporter of the
arts in the Madison community, including MMoCA, the Chazen Museum of Art, and Tandem Press. She was born in Hamburg,
Germany, and went on to study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a PhD in business and an MA in Art History.
She married Haeberli in 1992, and the couple was known for hosting memorable dinners and fundraisers at their home.
Not long after marrying Haeberli, Haberland opened Galleria Nova in Ronco, Switzerland, in 1996. Her international exhibition
program showed artists from the Ticino and from all of Switzerland, as well as artists from Europe and the United States
including Julius Bissier, James Brown, Louise Nevelson, Ben Nicholson, Antoni Tàpies, and Tandem’s own Judy Pfaff. Each
exhibition was accompanied by her scholarly writing about the artists. Her personal art collection was equally deep and diverse,
including works such as Electric Chair by Andy Warhol, Let Every Nation Know...(In Memory of John F. Kennedy) by Tom
Sachs, and artworks by Jenny Holzer.
Haberland’s dedication to the mission of the Museum to exhibit, collect, and preserve modern and contemporary art was
well-known. Her support for contemporary art and the growth of the Museum’s collection for the Madison community resulted
in her purchase of Tony Cragg’s work Early Form-Meander (1997), which is currently sited in the Rooftop Sculpture Garden.
Haberland’s commitment to focusing on new artist techniques yielded another addition to the collection, Jennifer Steinkamp’s
Rapunzel 9 (2005).
The Gabriele Haberland Permanent Collection Fund was established by Professor Willy Haeberli in 2019, to continue her
legacy at MMoCA. To fully reflect the impact that this contribution would have on future audiences, the Director’s position at
MMoCA was named in her honor in perpetuity.
MMoCA is eternally grateful for the knowledge, dedication and generosity of Gabriele Haberland and Willy Haeberli. Without
them, the Museum would simply not be the same institution that inspires, educates, and transforms the community with
modern and contemporary art.
10
FAREWELL TO FRESCO
Fresco, the Museum’s rooftop restaurant and longtime catering partner,
announced in May that they would not be renewing their lease and would
be closing this autumn. MMoCA thanks Fresco for fifteen great years of
turning fine dining into an art form.
MMoCA has started the search for a new restaurant and is engaged in
some promising preliminary discussions with local chefs and restaurateurs.
MMoCA looks forward to sharing more information about a rooftop
restaurant soon, and the Museum leadership is excited about the possibilities
the new restaurant will bring to the Museum and the opportunities
that will allow clients to host private events.
MMoCA’s events team is happy to discuss options for private events and weddings during this transition period. Now is the
time to take advantage and reschedule celebrations that may have been postponed over the past year—some Saturdays remain
available for 2022 weddings but dates are filling up fast.
Find out more about hosting a wedding, corporate event, or private party at MMoCA by emailing Director of Operations
Bob Sylvester at bob@mmoca.org.