When Sydney Johnson Besthoff Jr was born on 4 December 1902, in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States, his father, Sydney Johnson Besthoff Sr, was 31 and his mother, Florence Stich, was 22. I didnt want to have the museum lock the garden upnot allow access or open it only to members. Bio information provided by David M. Habben (#835): Gustave Katz and Sydney Besthoff opened their first K&B Drug Store at 732 Canal St. in 1905. Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is ranked #14 out of 29 things to do in New Orleans. Get more stories like this one delivered right to your email. Besthoff was chairman and CEO of K&B, the retail drug store chain (sold to the Rite Aid Corporation in 1997), who with Walda Besthoff have been longtime art collectors and arts supporters, among the co-founders of the Contemporary Arts Center (he eventually donated the building it is in), and initiators, sponsors and benefactors of the sculpture garden, opened in 2003. Not long after that, he began conversations with then NOMA Director John Bullard, and others, about the possibility of what was to become the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Sydney Johnson Besthoff, III, of New Orleans, Louisiana, died at his home on Saturday, February 26, 2022. The CAC emerged in the late 1970's at a time when national peers were remaking the field of Contemporary Art, and challenging where art could be created, presented, and enjoyed. Sydney and his wife Walda continued to support the CAC every year I was around. Opened to the public in 2003, and expanded in 2019, the Besthoff Sculpture Garden has received world-wide acclaim and is regularly mentioned as one of the most definitive sites for outdoor sculpture in a natural landscape. (The remaining nine were museum purchases or gifts from other donors.). the Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park. view. You have permission to edit this article. Submit your address to receive email notifications about news and activities from NOMA. Besthoff is also known in local art circles as the visionary behind the Contemporary Arts Center. Example video title will go here for this video. Whenever he set out to do something, he did it.. I clearly remember the day where he asked me to write down the artists with whom I would like to work, and then he showed me his list too. The galleries are asking more, and sometimes theyre asking a lot less than the public market. Reviews help Learn more in our Privacy Policy. It was Sydneys last outing, and so memorable. Sydney and Walda Besthoff were selected by Art & Antiques magazine in 2002 as one of 100 of Americas Top Collectors., The Besthoff Sculpture Garden opened in 2003 and doubled in size with a 2019 expansion. The CAC and the City of New Orleans are forever indebted to him and thankful for his leadership, generosity, and commitment to the community in general and the arts culture in particular. A successful New Orleans business executive and philanthropist, Sydneys vision allowed for the establishment of the Contemporary Arts Center in 1976. to see possible family members, friends, co-workers, and associates found from multiple government records, social and public sources. It's appreciated some, but there's no story about the photorealist painting that you bought for $10,000 that that's worth $100 million today. In an interview about the litigation, an acquaintance described Besthoff as brilliant, beautifully educated and tough as nails.. Photo by Camille Lenain. In the early 1970s, when he bought the John Hancock Insurance Co. building on the former Lee Circle for K&Bs headquarters, he was fascinated by Mississippi Fountain, an Isamu Noguchi sculpture topped with a fountain on the buildings plaza. Perfect in its own way. Olafur Eliasson,The Hinged View, 2017. Through my time working with him, I have been fortunate to enjoy a meaningful partnership and friendship. Sydney and Walda were always the first to arrive, warmly greeting the crane operators from American Machinery. Without his amazing generosity and support, the Contemporary Arts Center would not have been able to grow into one of the largest and most influential Artists Spaces in the country. It is a demonstration of this desire to share their passion that they wanted the Garden to be free and open to the people of the city of New Orleans. Thank you, Sydney, for everything you have done for our city. This large scale energy provider is based in New Orleans and has been led by Mr. Denault since 2013. Ugo Rondinone,The Sun, 2018. From the founding of the Contemporary Arts Center in the raw, unairconditioned K&B warehouse at 900 Camp Street, to Sydney leading the effort to renovate and transform the warehouse into a cutting-edge home for the Center, to Sydneys donation of the entire property to the CAC and most importantly to his unwavering passion for contemporary art and the Contemporary Arts Center, Sydney Besthoff helped create the vision for the CAC and then nurtured and supported this vision for almost 50 years. Susan M. Taylor After an extensive period of expansion under Mr. Besthoff's direction, with 184 stores in six states, K & B was sold to the Rite Aid Corporation in 1997. In the garden, we inherited 100-year-old pines and 200-year-old oak trees. Fax: 504.658.4199. Louisiana (3) New York (2) Refine Your Search Results. When he moved his headquarters it was with great foresight and curiosity that Sydney welcomed a group of young artists to take over his property to do nothing less than break the norms and traditions for what art could be in New Orleans and around the country. And, come back to NOLA.com/society for more New Orleans area event and party news and photos. For the next 92 years, K&B grew into a regional chain with fierce customer loyalty before being swallowed up by national chain Rite-Aid in 1997. Mr. (Josh Brasted Photo), Wayne Amedee, Penny Francis , Julie George and Ted George at Sydney Besthoff's 90th Birthday Party at the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. He was 94. We wanted to donate the works at this point in time because it would be good for the city of New Orleans, certainly good for the museum, and it would simplify my estate. to see who they are and learn about them, based on information from public records and government sources. He was a founder of the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans and past president of its board of directors. With Walda, Sydneys goal was to create a new way for NOMA to expand and broaden its audience, while creating ways for New Orleanians to experience art in a relaxed and informal setting. Sincerely, See The couple will accept the award at a gala in their honor on Saturday, October 30, 2004 at the New Orleans Museum of Art. The foundations collection began in 1977 and has grown significantly since. 900 Camp StreetNew Orleans, LA 70130-3908(Open in Google Maps), 2023 Copyright Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans, Sydney Besthoff, longtime K&B drugs executive and patron of the arts, dies at 94. NOMA is committed to preserving, interpreting, and enriching its collections and renowned sculpture garden; offering innovative experiences for learning and interpretation; and uniting, inspiring, and engaging diverse communities and cultures. Considered one of the world's top sculpture gardens, it is filled with works mainly from the Besthoffs' collection. RP:How is buying a sculpture different for you and Mrs. Besthoff now compared to the first purchases?SB:Well, of course, its much more expensive now than 30 years ago. Its not classed with professional football, but there is a surge in attendance. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA: Beautiful setting - See 1,364 traveler reviews, 1,161 candid photos, and great deals for New Orleans, LA, at Tripadvisor. Thomas Walsh is an independent radio producer and audio engineer who lives in New Orleans. To reach Sue Strachan, send an email to socialscene@nola.com or call 504.450.5904. Sydney J Besthoff, Sydney J Besthoff, Sidney J Besthoff, Sidney J Besthoff and Sydney J Besthoff are some of the alias or nicknames that Sydney has used. The Noguchi at the time was inoperativeand I had to get it to work. I cant place why exactly. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Louisiana Orleans Parish New Orleans K&Bs headquarters had been at 900 Camp St., in a building that, through Besthoffs donation, became the Contemporary Arts Center. The Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans is committed to artists, the presentation of multidisciplinary work, and advancing the value and power of the art of our time. Since the 1970s, Sydney and Walda Besthoff have specialized in collecting modern and contemporary sculpture, in addition to photorealist painting. It was Sydneys last outing, and so memorable. If it loses that, it becomes a commodity. Its not just the artists who are usually not so business-like or organized, its the dealers as well. K&B was known for its distinctive purple color. One of the things that makes the garden relatively unique is that it has all of these different concepts built in. RP:Do you think that the art world needs to be more business-like, and, if so, how?SB:I could talk for days about that. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. E. John Bullard, then the art museums director, suggested that the couple donate their holdings to the museum. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! From that point on, the Besthoffs interest in sculpture grew. Photo by Camille Lenain. In Memory Of Sydney Johnson Besthoff, III. As the years went on and on, we had a lot of stuff. Thanks to Sydney Besthoff, there are so many public examples of what is right with our city. Mr. Platt has been at the helm of this large company since 2012, a company that provides offshore service vessels to energy companies. The CAC and Sydney Besthoff were at the center of this movement.Sydney let loose a wild creativity that has not only advanced contemporary art in this community but also in the nation. to see possibly who they are and full class lists found from school records and public sources. Post or read reviews for Sydney Besthoff Did you know everyone on this list? CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. My wife thinks we can add 10. Marvel at the scale of the Besthoffs contributions to New Orleans and the arts by exploring the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden online, as part of the museums partnership with Google Arts & Culture. SYDNEY BESTHOFF III (CHAIRMAN) $0 + Show more. to see possibly who they are and full class lists found from school records and public sources. And get to know the players in the fieldthe art dealers and the museums, those who specialize in your particular field of interest.RP:I understand that the last ISC conference held in New Orleans in 1976 inspired you and Mrs. Besthoff in some way. We would stand by watching as the works soared above us, landing exactly on the proposed site. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Sydney J Besthoff (born 1927) Sydney J Besthoff 1927 Born c. 1927 Last Known Residence Orleans County, Louisiana United States Summary Sydney J Besthoff of Orleans County, Louisiana United States was born c. 1927. . There was a local outcry after all, K&B had been in New Orleans since 1905. After that, we became very interested in other forms of art. His ability to focus energy on an opportunity or problem and bring a solution to fruition remains legendary to me. By that time, Walda Besthoff said, he was in a group of local leaders who integrated their food-service counters. employees n/a He never stopped working toward his goal to establish New Orleans as an important contemporary arts city. Wednesday, October 18, 2017. Sydney Besthoff served as chairman and CEO of K & B Incorporated, a retail drugstore chain in Louisiana and the Gulf South, founded by his grandfather in 1905. If youve ever wondered who the richest people in New Orleans are, theres good reason for it. 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