Collection

The Daum collection was established by Dr. Harold F. Daum, who offered his personal collection of roughly 200 paintings and ceramics to State Fair Community College in 1999 to form the nucleus of a museum of contemporary art.

This thoughtful grouping of paintings by renowned artists such as Robert Motherwell, Helen Frankenthaler, Larry Poons, and Gene Davis, and abstract sculptural ceramics by the likes of Peter Voulkos, Jim Leedy, Jun Kaneko, and Ken Ferguson still constitute the museum’s core holdings.

Through ongoing, generous donations from Dr. Daum and other patrons, and judicious purchases with funds from an endowment for acquisitions, the museum’s permanent collection has grown to encompass more than 1,500 artworks by some of the most highly regarded artists of the past 50 years, including Pop art practitioners, Color Field painters, Neo-Expressionists of the 1980s and 1990s, and artists of diverse practices who have emerged during the last 20 years.

View Full Collection


Membership in the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art provides unique opportunities and sustains a lasting artistic legacy for future generations. Members receive exclusive invitations to exhibition previews and social events with featured artists to learn firsthand about their art and discuss art-making processes. Special discounts on museum publications and participation fees are also a benefit for members.



Join & Give

Carol Fleming, United Forest, 2001