MONROE WHEELER,
American curator, born (d: 1988); Poet and author Glenway Wescott and
Monroe Wheeler were an extraordinary couple. The two met for the first
time in 1919, and it was, it seems, a classic case of love at first
sight. At the time, Wescott was still in his teens and Wheeler just 20.
Seemingly inured to the social mores of the time and inconstancies of
youth, the two embarked on a relationship that can be called nothing
short of a marriage, for the next 68 years, until Wescott's death in
1987.
The young couple
traveled the world, stopping in on Gertrude Stein's Paris Salon and
crossing paths with Jean Cocteau on the Riviera, while Wescott developed
his poetry and later fiction (he authored The Grandmothers and The Pilgrim Hawk,
among other bestsellers of his day) and Wheeler found his path.
Eventually he would become the director of exhibitions and publications
at the Museum of Modern Art.
The two moved
with equal ease through the literary and artistic circles of London and
the continent as well as their families' Midwestern homes. That their
relationship thrived is notable enough. But 1927 brought a new challenge
to their pairing. High-school student George Platt Lynes fell
passionately in love with the strikingly good-looking Wheeler. And
Wheeler, for his part, was entranced by Lyne’s 'full, luscious mouth and
his wasp-like waist'. Instead of driving a wedge between Wescott and
Wheeler, as might be expected, Lynes soon became part of their shared
life. When, after some casting about, he hit upon photography, the two
nurtured his career and used their considerable connections to get him
both work and gallery shows.
In 1930, while
still in France, Wheeler entered into a partnership with Barbara
Harrison to establish the Harrison of Paris press, the goal of which was
to publish fine editions of new and neglected classics. Over 5 years,
they produced 13 titles, including works by Thomas Mann, Katherine Anne
Porter, and Glenway Wescott's A Calendar of Saints for Unbelievers, with illustrations by Pavel Tchelitchev.
In 1935,
following the marriage of Barbara Harrison to Glenway's younger brother,
Lloyd, Wheeler and Wescott moved back to the United States. They soon
set up households both on the farm in New Jersey bought by Barbara
Harrison and Lloyd Wescott and in New York City, where they shared a
series of apartments with George Platt Lynes.
It was at this
time that Wheeler began an association with the Museum of Modern Art
when, in 1935, he guest-curated an exhibit. His position at MOMA became
permanent in 1938 when he was hired as Membership Director, then moved
quickly into the position of Director of Exhibitions and Publications.
Wheeler's innovations in publication and exhibit design soon became
well-known. In 1951, in recognition of his work in bringing French
artists to the attention of American viewers, he was made a Chevalier of
the French Legion of Honor by the government of France.
In 1967, in
preparation for his retirement, Wheeler shifted his duties at the
museum. Having long been a trustee of the museum, he was appointed
counselor and joined the International Council in its biannual meetings.
After his official retirement in 1967, he continued to advise the
museum on exhibitions and serve with a number of civic and arts
organizations.
In 1969, Wheeler
traveled as a cultural advisor with Nelson Rockefeller on a presidential
mission to Latin America. In the 1970s, Wheeler travelled extensively
and worked on projects documenting the history of MOMA and the
collections of the Rockefeller family.
Monroe Wheeler died in Manhattan on August 14th 1988 at the age of 89, 18 months after the death of Glenway Wescott.
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