Founded in 1981 by the artist Robert Motherwell (1915–1991), the Dedalus Foundation fosters public understanding of modern art and modernism through its programs in arts education, research and publications, archives and conservation, and exhibitions, as well as in the guardianship and study of Robert Motherwell’s art. As we work to inform and educate the public, we strive to maintain the high standards of our founder, who in addition to being a great artist was also active as a writer, lecturer, and teacher.
The Dedalus Foundation has established a prominent presence among art foundations. We have organized and hosted meetings and seminars on topics such as oral history, the creation of catalogues raisonnés, the treatment of archival materials, copyright issues, and numerous other subjects. We have opened our archives to scholars doing research on a wide variety of subjects and we are frequently consulted by our peers on a wide variety of topics, including educational programs, archives, collection management, and catalogues raisonnés.