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Last August our staff bid farewell to Pam Ambrose, the
founding director of LUMA, who retired after a 12-year tenure.
After joining Loyola University, Ambrose devised a mission
for the museum that embraced the diversity of Chicago and
Loyola’s emphasis on a transformative education. She worked
to create a museum that celebrates all faiths and focuses on the
commonalities, rather than the differences between religious
traditions. Ambrose recognized the Martin D’Arcy Collection
as a superlative collection of Renaissance, Medieval, and
Baroque art that deserved a larger and more public venue
and transformed it into the museum’s beloved permanent
collection. Additionally, she endeavored to promote and
exhibit the works of established and emerging Illinois artists.
Under her leadership, LUMA was granted accreditation from
the American Alliance of Museums, making LUMA one
of the youngest museums in the United States to achieve
this distinction. Moreover, she supervised more than forty
exhibitions including:
The Missing Peace, Edward Gorey,
Shaker in Chicago, Rodin in His Own Words,
and
Moholy:
An Education of the Senses
.
In reflecting on her time at LUMA, Pam said “I was privileged
to work with LUMA board members who championed the
mission of the museum, many of whom were not alums, but
felt a resonance to our mission.” She added, “I was given a great
opportunity by Loyola’s former President Michael Garanzini
S.J., to build a fascinating, intellectually stimulating, and
unique museum. The chance of a lifetime!” She concluded
by saying “as I reflect on those 12 years, I believe that the
tenants of Jesuit education-that you need to educate the
whole person through knowledge, experiential learning, and
by example-inspired our work.” All of us at the museum
are committed to continue working towards that end. The
Loyola University Museum of Art, including its staff, board
members, interns, gallery managers, and docents will dearly
miss Pam and we thank her for all the years of hard work that
established LUMA as a spiritually sustaining and intellectually
stimulating museum.
Sincerely,
Natasha Ritsma, PhD
Curator
Former LUMA Events Coordinator, Mary Arhondonis and Former LUMA
Director, Pamela E. Ambrose
Former LUMA Director, Pamela E. Ambrose