A History of the Carnegie International

1896–1919 | 1920–1949 | 1950–1959 | 1960–1979 | 1980–2000

While Saint-Gaudens established important conventions for organizing and managing an exhibition of international scope, it was his successor, Gordon Bailey Washburn, who transformed the Carnegie International into the cutting-edge event that it is today.

Washburn transformed the International through two innovations. First, rather than show a sample of current work giving each artistic tendency proportional representation, Washburn focused on what was strictly new. Second, instead of organizing the exhibition by country, works were installed by visual connections without regard to nationality. Washburn's modernist principles reoriented the show toward abstraction and art considered radical by both the traditional and advanced art press. The appetite for modern art exploded during the 1950s and sales of works from the International increased each year of Washburn's tenure. Every instance of record sales was used to rebuke critics who complained that "Abstractionism" was being "pushed down our throats." Carnegie Institute purchased the greatest number of works from the exhibitions, and one of Washburn's first actions as Director of Fine Arts was to create a gallery of contemporary art to house these new works separate from the museum's collection of earlier artwork.

Unfortunately, the International faced problems that hadn't plagued earlier events. Funding an exhibit of such scope became more difficult, so exhibitions became less frequent—becoming biennials and triennials.

In addition, Washburn's innovations and the art community's quick adoption of them came at a price. Although the Carnegie International made its mark among the vanguard art institutions of the day, during the next 10 years, the kind of work that had been considered radical in 1952 became accepted by the art world, and Washburn's ideals became part of the establishment.

Recognized in the early 1950s for its innovation and daring, the International gradually fell behind an art world that was moving ahead at great speed.