Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
Featured Stories
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Humans and Animals Have the Same Taste in Animal Mating Calls
PANAMA CITY, Panama, March 20 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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Sounds attractive!
Humans and animals have the same taste in animal mating calls
In a gamified citizen science experiment, humans showed preferences for calls animals find the most attractive
By Ben Marcus
The bright colors of butterfly wings, the sweet aromas of flowers and the euphonious melodies of songbirds all evolved as signals that help individuals propagate, yet humans also find these very same signals pleasing to their own senses. In a study published today, March
... Show Full Article
PANAMA CITY, Panama, March 20 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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Sounds attractive!
Humans and animals have the same taste in animal mating calls
In a gamified citizen science experiment, humans showed preferences for calls animals find the most attractive
By Ben Marcus
The bright colors of butterfly wings, the sweet aromas of flowers and the euphonious melodies of songbirds all evolved as signals that help individuals propagate, yet humans also find these very same signals pleasing to their own senses. In a study published today, March19th, in Science, scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) collaborated with researchers in U.S., Canada, and New Zealand to show that humans and animals express the same subjective preferences for particular animal mating calls. In addition, across the range in the complexity of the animal sounds found in nature, humans and animals show overlapping preferences for certain qualities of an animal's call. These findings indicate that preferences for some animal sounds are more universal than previously known.
In the early 1980s, STRI staff scientist A. Stanley Rand and STRI research associate Michael J. Ryan demonstrated for the first time that in the tropical rainforests of Central America, a female tungara frog's preference for a mate depends on the complexity of the male's call. In this new paper, Ryan, now also a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and his colleagues wanted to know whether human preferences for certain animal calls, including those from male tungara frogs, correlate with the preferences of female animals.
"After witnessing those female preferences Stan and Mike discovered when I got to measure them myself, I became fascinated with the question of where these preferences come from," said Logan James, a STRI research associate and the study's lead author. "Plus, since that team released their initial findings, we've found that other animals, including eavesdroppers such as blood-sucking flies and frog-eating bats, also prefer complex calls. This got us wondering how common acoustic preferences may be."
The team tested humans' preferences for different animal sounds using an online computer game. More than 4,000 human participants from around the world were presented with pairs of animal sounds from 16 different species across the animal kingdom and were asked to express their preference for one or the other. The animal sounds were all recorded in previous research studies, and within each pair, the animal from which the sounds came is known to display a preference for one of the two. The researchers tested whether humans showed a preference for the same sounds the animals preferred.
"In gamified citizen science, people volunteer for experiments simply because they're fun and interesting," said Samuel Mehr, an associate professor at Yale University's Child Study Center and the senior author of the study. "The method is perfect for answering questions from evolutionary biology where we aim to study phenomena across many species as opposed to just a few. Our game enabled us to test lots of humans' preferences for lots of different sounds."
The research team found broad overlap between human and animal sound preferences. They discovered that the stronger an animals' preference for a particular sound, the more likely it was that a human was to select that sound as their favorite. And the human participants were quicker to select the more attractive sound. Agreement between animals and humans was strongest for lower-frequency (lower pitch) sounds and those with acoustic adornments, such as "trills," "clicks" and "chucks."
"Darwin noted that animals seem to have a 'taste for the beautiful' that sometimes parallels our own preferences," Ryan said. "We show that Darwin's observation seems to be true in a general sense, probably due to the many sensory system properties we share with other animals."
Reference: James, L. S., Woolley, S. C., Sakata, J. T., Hilton, C. B., Ryan, M. J., & Mehr, S. A. (2026). Humans share acoustic preferences with other animals. Science: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aea1202
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Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/sounds-attractive
EPA Releases Proposal to Help Cleanup of Millions of Abandoned Tires, Promote Energy Dominance
WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Releases Proposal to Help Cleanup of Millions of Abandoned Tires, Promote Energy Dominance
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WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposal to help clean up millions of abandoned tires throughout the U.S., addressing health and safety concerns related to tire piles in American communities. In addition, the proposal would allow the use of abandoned scrap tires as fuel, clearing the path for faster cleanup of tire piles. Together, these changes will make communities
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WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Releases Proposal to Help Cleanup of Millions of Abandoned Tires, Promote Energy Dominance
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WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposal to help clean up millions of abandoned tires throughout the U.S., addressing health and safety concerns related to tire piles in American communities. In addition, the proposal would allow the use of abandoned scrap tires as fuel, clearing the path for faster cleanup of tire piles. Together, these changes will make communitiessafer and healthier by reducing risks from tire pile fires and the breeding grounds they become for disease-carrying animals. At the same time, we are removing the visual blight on our beautiful American landscapes.
"Abandoned tire piles across the U.S. pose a threat to the health and safety of Americans, but this waste stream can be and should be responsibly and carefully addressed to make America both healthy and energy dominant again. Our latest proposal provides a commonsense approach to better clean up scrap tires and realize their full potential as fuel," said Office of Land and Emergency Management Acting Assistant Administrator Thomas Croci.
Approximately 48 million abandoned scrap tires remain in at least 23 states and Tribal lands. The proposal would allow whole abandoned scrap tires to be used in cement kilns as non-waste fuel and allow established tire collection programs to manage all scrap tires used as fuel in the same way. These changes would help reduce risks from scrap tire piles and enhance the recovery of valuable energy resources.
EPA will accept comments on this proposal for 60 days, until May 22, 2026.
To read the proposal, visit the rulemaking page.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-proposal-help-cleanup-millions-abandoned-tires-promote-energy-dominance
Social Security IG: Single Audit of the State of Oklahoma for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 772609) on January 27, 2026, entitled "Single Audit of the State of Oklahoma for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023."
Here are excerpts:
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BACKGROUND
A single audit is an organization-wide financial statement and Federal awards audit of a nonFederal entity that expends $1 million or more in Federal funds in 1 year. It is intended to assure the Government that the non-Federal entity has adequate internal controls in place and is generally complying with program requirements.
... Show Full Article
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 772609) on January 27, 2026, entitled "Single Audit of the State of Oklahoma for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023."
Here are excerpts:
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BACKGROUND
A single audit is an organization-wide financial statement and Federal awards audit of a nonFederal entity that expends $1 million or more in Federal funds in 1 year. It is intended to assure the Government that the non-Federal entity has adequate internal controls in place and is generally complying with program requirements.Non-Federal entities typically include state and local governments, Indian tribes, universities, and nonprofit organizations.
For single audit purposes, the General Services Administration maintains a list of all Federal programs in the Federal Assistance Listing. SSA's Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs are identified under listing number 96. SSA is responsible for resolving single audit findings reported under this listing number.
The Oklahoma Disability Determination Services (DDS) performs disability determinations under SSA's Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs in accordance with Federal regulations. SSA reimburses the DDS for 100 percent of allowable costs.
RESULTS
The single audit reported OKDRS did not maintain the verification date, name of the verifying employee, and verification source in the master listing of consultative examination providers. In addition, OKDRS did not document its verification of medical and psychological consultant providers via the System of Award Management website (SAM.gov). Finally, OKDRS did not meet SSA's requirement for maintaining provider records for 6 years.2
Without maintaining documentation of consultative examination providers' and medical and psychological consultants' licensure, SSA is at risk of using a provider that is not currently licensed to practice in the state or barred from providing services for Federal programs. In response to the single audit, OKDRS plans to work with the DDS to update the master list of consultative examination providers and establish an official process for documenting license verifications.
In addition, the single audit reported the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) did not have adequate controls, including policies and procedures, to ensure the state properly executed Federal grants, which could affect multiple Federal agencies.3 Starting in state Fiscal Year (SFY) 2019, OMES initiated a pilot program that placed vendors on a state-wide contract and no longer required that they competitively bid their services.
In SFYs 2022 and 2023, the state added vendors to the pilot program that were receiving Federal funds. OMES did not have written policies and procedures for any state-wide contracting pilot programs to describe how these contracts would be executed to meet both Federal and state laws. Because there were no written policies, there was no way to ensure the state properly vetted vendors and determined how OMES conducted its evaluation process relevant to the scope of services and contract price.
In response to the single audit, OMES stated it provided state agencies with procedures and guidance related to the pilot program to assist agencies in ordering off state-wide contracts and understanding the requirements of spending Federal funds. Further, OMES reiterated that recipients of Federal funds are ultimately charged with ensuring and documenting compliance with specific requirements under the Federal award.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend SSA:
1. Ensure the DDS established appropriate procedures to verify and document medical providers' licensing status.
2. Work with OKDRS to ensure any contracts paid with Federal funds to support the services the DDS provides SSA adhere to Federal requirements.
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The report is posted at: xxx
Social Security IG: Single Audit of the State of Illinois for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 772608) on January 22, 2026, entitled "Single Audit of the State of Illinois for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023."
Here are excerpts:
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BACKGROUND
A single audit is an organization-wide financial statement and Federal awards audit of a non-Federal entity that expends $1 million or more in Federal funds in 1 year. It is intended to assure the Government that a non-Federal entity has adequate internal controls in place and is generally in compliance with program requirements.
... Show Full Article
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 772608) on January 22, 2026, entitled "Single Audit of the State of Illinois for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023."
Here are excerpts:
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BACKGROUND
A single audit is an organization-wide financial statement and Federal awards audit of a non-Federal entity that expends $1 million or more in Federal funds in 1 year. It is intended to assure the Government that a non-Federal entity has adequate internal controls in place and is generally in compliance with program requirements.Non-Federal entities typically include state and local governments, Indian tribes, universities, and nonprofit organizations.
For single audit purposes, the General Services Administration maintains a list of all Federal programs in the Federal Assistance Listing. SSA's Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs are identified under listing number 96. SSA is responsible for resolving single audit findings reported under this listing number.
The Illinois Disability Determination Services (DDS) performs disability determinations under SSA's Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs in accordance with Federal regulations. SSA reimburses the DDS for 100 percent of allowable costs. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is the Illinois DDS' parent agency.
RESULTS
The single audit found IDHS did not accurately report Federal expenditures under multiple Federal programs, including SSA's. Specifically, expenditures in IDHS financial records did not agree with amounts reported to the Illinois Office of Comptroller on the Schedule of Expenditure of Federal Awards (SEFA).
For SSA's programs, IDHS reported approximately $939,000 more on the SEFA than reported in its financial records. This occurred because IDHS used different reporting methodologies for its financial records and the SEFA. While the single audit did not identify incorrect expenditures, inaccurate reporting may result in the suspension of IDHS' Federal funding. To address the finding, IDHS created a spreadsheet with expenditure data that compared Illinois Office of Comptroller to the IDHS expenditure data. IDHS will identify and research any discrepancies.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that SSA work with IDHS to ensure it accurately charges expenditures related to SSA programs.
The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards requires that Federal awarding agencies issue a management decision letter on single audit findings within 6 months of acceptance of the audit report by the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. The Federal Audit Clearinghouse accepted the single audit of the State of Illinois on September 22, 2025.
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The report is posted at: xxx
Social Security IG: Single Audit of the State of Idaho for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2024
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 772614) on January 23, 2026, entitled "Single Audit of the State of Idaho for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2024."
Here are excerpts:
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BACKGROUND
A single audit is an organization-wide financial statement and Federal awards audit of a non-Federal entity that expends $1 million or more in Federal funds in 1 year. It is intended to assure the Government that a non-Federal entity has adequate internal controls in place and is generally in compliance with program requirements.
... Show Full Article
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 772614) on January 23, 2026, entitled "Single Audit of the State of Idaho for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2024."
Here are excerpts:
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BACKGROUND
A single audit is an organization-wide financial statement and Federal awards audit of a non-Federal entity that expends $1 million or more in Federal funds in 1 year. It is intended to assure the Government that a non-Federal entity has adequate internal controls in place and is generally in compliance with program requirements.Non-Federal entities typically include state and local governments, Indian tribes, universities, and nonprofit organizations.
For single audit purposes, the General Services Administration maintains a list of all Federal programs in the Federal Assistance Listing. SSA's Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs are identified under listing number 96. SSA is responsible for resolving single audit findings reported under this listing number.
The Idaho Disability Determination Services (DDS) conducts disability determinations under SSA's Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs in accordance with Federal regulations. SSA reimburses the DDS for 100 percent of allowable costs. The Idaho Department of Labor (ID-DOL) is the Idaho DDS' parent agency.
RESULTS
The single audit reported, for 2 quarters the auditor reviewed, the ID-DOL submitted the State Agency Report of Obligations for SSA Disability Programs (Form SSA-4513) and Time Report of Personnel Services for Disability Determination Services (Form SSA-4514) 17 and 23 days (respectively) after the deadline SSA's regional office established.
ID-DOL submitted the reports late because of delays obtaining payroll data. Payroll is processed biweekly for the prior timesheet period, which creates a delay in the availability of the previous month's data. ID-DOL prioritized using actual payroll data to improve accuracy, even if it resulted in late report submissions. Late report submissions may hinder timely oversight and delay identification of potential financial or compliance issues. In response to the single audit, ID-DOL stated it is taking several steps to provide for a faster month-end close to file reports in time.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend SSA work with ID-DOL to ensure timely reporting of the Forms SSA-4513 and SSA-4514.
The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards requires that Federal awarding agencies issue a management decision letter on single audit findings within 6 months of the Federal Audit Clearinghouse accepting the audit report.
The Federal Audit Clearinghouse accepted the single audit of the State of Idaho on December 18, 2025. If you have questions, contact OIG.Audit.Division.7@ssa.gov.
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The report is posted at: https://oig.ssa.gov/assets/uploads/772614.pdf
Social Security IG: Office of the Inspector General Audit Recommendations That Had Not Been Implemented as of February 29, 2026
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 002612) on February 19, 2026, entitled "Office of the Inspector General Audit Recommendations that Had Not Been Implemented as of January 29, 2026."
Here are excerpts:
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Office of the Inspector General Audit Recommendations that Had Not Been Implemented as of January 29, 2026
This document presents a compilation of Office of Audit (OA) recommendations the Social Security Administration (SSA) had not implemented as of January 29, 2026. We acknowledge SSA's ongoing efforts
... Show Full Article
WOODLAWN, Maryland, March 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 002612) on February 19, 2026, entitled "Office of the Inspector General Audit Recommendations that Had Not Been Implemented as of January 29, 2026."
Here are excerpts:
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Office of the Inspector General Audit Recommendations that Had Not Been Implemented as of January 29, 2026
This document presents a compilation of Office of Audit (OA) recommendations the Social Security Administration (SSA) had not implemented as of January 29, 2026. We acknowledge SSA's ongoing effortsto implement the unimplemented recommendations, and OA continues monitoring these efforts and determine whether recent actions satisfy our recommendations.
Therefore, a recommendation identified as not having been closed as of January 29, 2026 may now be closed as a result of actions taken after that date.
In our March 3, 2025 report,1 we listed 183 unimplemented recommendations SSA also showed as open. As of January 29, 2026, SSA had closed 124 of these recommendations, and we agreed they should have been closed.2 The cumulative Questioned Costs and Funds to be Put to Better Use associated with these implemented recommendations were over $1.9 billion and $10.8 billion, respectively.
Between January 29, 2025 and January 29, 2026, we made 111 more recommendations to SSA. The cumulative Questioned Costs and Funds to be Put to Better Use associated with these recent recommendations are over $578 million and $830 million, respectively.
As of January 29, 2026, there were 183 unimplemented audit recommendations--94 open unimplemented and 89 closed unimplemented. The cumulative estimated Questioned Costs are almost $2.7 billion. The cumulative estimated total Funds to be Put to Better Use are over $2.2 billion. The approximate total cost savings are over $4.9 billion.
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The report is posted at: https://oig.ssa.gov/assets/uploads/002612.pdf
National Gallery of Art's New Acquisitions Expand Historical and Contemporary Holdings
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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The National Gallery of Art's New Acquisitions Expand Historical and Contemporary Holdings
Notable acquisitions span mediums and centuries, including first-time acquisitions of works by artists including Ary de Vois, Teresa del Po, Teresita Fernandez, Pepon Osorio, and Salman Toor
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The National Gallery of Art today announced an expansive group of recent acquisitions, adding hundreds of works to the nation's art collection. The acquisitions represent a significant expansion of key
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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The National Gallery of Art's New Acquisitions Expand Historical and Contemporary Holdings
Notable acquisitions span mediums and centuries, including first-time acquisitions of works by artists including Ary de Vois, Teresa del Po, Teresita Fernandez, Pepon Osorio, and Salman Toor
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The National Gallery of Art today announced an expansive group of recent acquisitions, adding hundreds of works to the nation's art collection. The acquisitions represent a significant expansion of keyareas of the National Gallery's collection, including photographs ranging from the early development of the medium to modern and contemporary; rare examples of 17th-and 18th-century miniature painting; and large-scale installations by leading contemporary artists.
Notable among the wide range of new additions are an important selection of early American photographs of the Civil War and archetypal works by contemporary artists such as Dan Flavin, Charles Gaines, and Barbara Kruger. Many works also introduce significant artists to the National Gallery's collection for the first time, including Teresa del Po, Teresita Fernandez, Mark Lombardi, and Salman Toor. Others meaningfully deepen existing holdings of works by notable artists, for example the first drawing by Italian artist Giorgio De Chirico to enter the collection and a major work by Jacques Lipchitz that illustrates his pioneering use of cubism in the sculptural realm.
"Our latest acquisitions highlight the National Gallery's commitment to showcasing artistic excellence by deepening our collection holdings, with the aim of providing nuanced explorations of art history over many centuries," said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art. "The works entering our collection spark awe and invite reflection on the history of human creativity and expression. We look forward to sharing these perspectives with our audiences as we continue to seek new ways of illustrating the vital artistic traditions that shape how we see the world."
The recently acquired works--entering the National Gallery's collection through a combination of gifts and purchases made possible by private donations--will provide new entry points for audiences to engage with defining historical works and contemporary practices that continue to shape the art historical canon. Many demonstrate significant artistic approaches and themes, including historical documentation and memory, interdisciplinary experimentation, and portraiture.
"As stewards of the nation's collection, we are honored to continue expanding our holdings with significant works that tell new stories and deepen our collection across mediums, highlighting artistic developments throughout history and uplifting ongoing innovation by contemporary artists," said E. Carmen Ramos, the National Gallery's chief curatorial and conservation officer. "This group of acquisitions unites works of profound historical relevance with work by living artists continuing to shape artistic dialogues, expanding key areas of our collection, particularly in the fields of photography and sculpture."
Acquisition Highlights:
Paintings
* Ary de Vois's The Artist as Lover (c. 1660s) is an oil on copper painting by the celebrated Leiden school fine painter. Vois's elegant works are marked by practically invisible brushwork, sharp attention to detail, and enamel-like finishes. A miniature that may once have been paired with a pendant portrait of his wife, this work is the first by Vois in the collection and one of only a few self-portraits in the National Gallery's repository of Dutch paintings.
* Jean-Leon Gerome's Portrait of M. Edouard Delesse (1864) is an oil painting depicting a member of a prominent Swiss banking family. The second work by Gerome to enter the collection, this acquisition expands the National Gallery's holdings of 19th-century figure paintings with a rare male portrait and costume study by the most successful painter of the French Second Empire and early Third Republic.
* Salman Toor's Wandering Beggars (2022) is an oil painting inspired by a Vincent van Gogh work, exemplifying Toor's approach to reinterpreting narrative painting traditions through the lens of contemporary culture. The lushly rendered figurative painting also references Pablo Picasso's Family of Saltimbanques, a 1905 work also at the National Gallery, extending a historical artistic dialogue to a contemporary fictional scene. This is the first work by Toor to enter the National Gallery's collection.
Prints and drawings
* Giorgio De Chirico's Elletra Consolatrice (Electra Consoler) (1968) is the first drawing by the artist to enter the National Gallery's collection. The Italian artist is best known for his development of metaphysical painting around 1910, which had a profound impact on the surrealist movement.
* Two rare works--a drawing and an etching of the same composition, both titled Penitent Magdalene (1675)--by renowned miniaturist and printmaker Teresa del Po are the first works by the artist to enter the National Gallery's collection. Among the relatively small corpus of known works by Del Po, the drawing is notably the earliest documented example of a parchment miniature, while the related print enables further insight into her practice.
* Charles Gaines's Numbers and Trees: Charleston Series 2 (2024) is a suite of six prints by the American artist, a pivotal figure in the field of conceptual art. These prints continue Gaines's ongoing exploration of various kinds of trees as unbiased repositories for the history that has unfolded around them, embodying the unique characteristics of the land in which they are situated, the climate, and the passage of time.
* Mark Lombardi's World Finance Corporation Miami c. 1971-1979 (5th version) (1999), a large-scale drawing that exemplifies Lombardi's groundbreaking conceptual practice of systems-based diagrammatic works that chart networks of power and influence, is the first work by the artist to enter the collection.
* Giorgio Morandi's Natura Morta (Still Life) (1958) is the first drawing by one of the most influential Italian artists of the 20th-century to join the National Gallery's collection. The drawing exemplifies Morandi's endless fascination with the ways in which he could manipulate the rendering of space and light to delineate solid forms in his renowned still-life compositions.
* Carl Frederick von Saltza's Portrait Study of Pierre Louis Alexandre (c. 1890) is an ink and wash study of a French Guianese dockworker who worked as a model at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm. This is the first work by this artist to enter the collection, expanding the National Gallery's holdings of works on paper by Scandinavian artists and generating a meaningful dialogue with a portrait of the same sitter by Karin Bergoo Larsson, which was acquired by the National Gallery in 2024.
* Anna Waser's Half-Length Portrait of a Young Black Man (1704) is a miniature drawing by the accomplished Swiss artist and court painter. Only around 25 drawings by her hand exist today, making this a rare and significant example of her work and an important addition to the National Gallery's holdings of pre-1800 Swiss drawings. This is the first work by the artist to enter the collection.
Sculptures
* Teresita Fernandez's Chorus (2019) is a recent large-scale work that connects drawing, sculpture, installation, and sound in a seascape composed of dozens of real conch shells coated in graphite. This is the first work by the artist to enter the National Gallery's collection, creating new opportunities to draw connections between landscape, drawing, abstraction, minimalism, and land art.
* Dan Flavin's Untitled (For You, Leo, in Long Respect and Affection) 2 (2/3) (1977) is a large-scale light sculpture by one of the most important artists associated with minimalism. Flavin's practice often rejected conventional models of display, as this work demonstrates, with its use of the avant-garde format of a corner sculpture, a significant addition to the National Gallery's holdings of Minimalist works.
* Artist collective Claire Fontaine's Untitled (La isla de las lagrimas) (2012) is a large-scale neon installation revisiting the history of Ellis Island. Working across sculpture, painting, installation, video, and writing, the internationally recognized multidisciplinary collective was prominently featured at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024. This is the first work in the National Gallery's collection by Claire Fontaine.
* Jacques Lipchitz's Hagar I (1948) is a bronze sculpture by a key figure in the early development of cubism in Paris. The sculpture showcases the artist's established reputation as a neo-traditionalist who utilized a distinct modernist idiom to develop allegories of the postwar human condition.
* Pepon Osorio's A mis hijas adorables (1990) is an iconic example of the artist's mixed media sculptures and installations that draw upon the experiences of the Puerto Rican diaspora. The large-scale sculpture by one of Puerto Rico's most acclaimed living artists is the first work by Osorio to enter the collection.
Photographs and videos
* A collection of more than 140 photographs features works by 20th-century American, Canadian, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Mexican, and Russian photographers. Highlights include significant examples of modern photography by Ilse Bing, Florence Henri, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Josef Sudek, and others; postwar experimental work by Japanese photographers Kiyoshi Niiyama and Shigeru Onishi; and more contemporary pieces, such as James Turrell's Positive Site I (1984).
* A robust collection of some 35 19th-century American photographs of the Civil War significantly expands the National Gallery's holdings of early photography. Notable examples include Alexander Gardner's photograph of Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration in 1865 and important examples of work by George N. Barnard and Andrew Joseph Russell. The photographs mark a seminal moment in the history of photography--as the first sustained use of the medium in wartime--and in the history of the United States.
* Barbara Kruger's Untitled (Your body is a battleground) (1989/2019) is one of the largest-scale works by the prominent contemporary artist in the National Gallery's collection. It was first produced as a silkscreen print in 1989 and then adapted into a video on an LED panel in 2019.
* Dario Robleto's The First Time, the Heart (A Portrait of Life 1854-1913) (2018) is a portfolio of 50 photolithographs by the multidisciplinary contemporary artist known for his conceptual and research-driven practice that explores science through the lens of art and empathy. The portfolio complements the National Gallery's recent acquisition of a series of sculptures by the artist.
* Sebastiao Salgado's Genesis portfolio (2004-2011) is a series of 50 platinum prints by one of the most recognized documentary photographers of our time, known for his evocative depictions of manual labor, human conflict, and the natural world. The portfolio significantly expands the National Gallery's holdings of the artist's work.
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About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Millions of people come through its doors each year--with even more online--making it one of the most visited art museums in the world. The National Gallery's renowned collection includes over 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
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Original text here: https://www.nga.gov/press/national-gallery-arts-new-acquisitions-expand-historical-and-contemporary-holdings
